Today is our Anniversary!

It is hard to believe that Terry and I have been married for 31 years, and what an incredible time it has been. We are definitely 'soul mates' but we are as different as night and day, which makes our time together so much fun and interesting.

Below is a picture of us just before we got married - I made the frame!
Here is a picture of our wedding picture. My computer is not connected to my printer/scanner so this was the best I could do. Terry is wearing a beige 'leisure suit (polyester)', he wanted to wear his 'poly' shirt as well but as you can see he is wearing a cotton shirt and a tie. I made my dress. Money was tight in those days!!
Our wedding present to each other was this Norman Rockwell Plate and
figurine.
They sit on a shelf in our livingroom with a photo of us taking our vows.
Here is a close up of our kiss as man and wife. ---- Note how thin we are!!!
So the story of how we met - you do not have to read it is not required, but I feel that I would like to share it with you.

I moved to Southern California in the summer 1977 and worked at Brooks Brothers in LA (I use to work for BB in Boston) I lived with a friend for about 9 months then got my own apartment in Huntington Beach. My sister moved out and lived with me. Terry lived in the apartment about 3 doors down, there were several other young people also living in the apartment complex (now think Melrose Place for that is how the apartment complex looked) We all kind of chummed around together going to the beach, clubbing, going to art festivals, flea markets, hanging out and playing cards. It was a great summer and fall. One evening several of the guys decided to light the fire pit and play ping pong (part of the complex) and it suddenly became a party. For some reason that evening Terry decided that I was the one for him !! now mind you I didn't participate with the group that much (was dating the son who was a decendent of an exiled French count - or that is what he told me at the time!!!?? ;o))) I was working downtown LA, had friends in the north end of LA and seemed to be on the road a lot.

Well, shortly after the firepit ping pong nite (I was there obviously) my sister sits me down and says - 'do you know that Terry likes you?' Well, of course, I was didn't know that - but being who I was - very up front and no holding back- went over to Terry's apartment and asked him if he liked me!!! Well his response was - yes, of course, the whole gang is great!!! So I then said to him looking him in the eyes - "I mean do you really, really, really like me!!!" Well, Terry sat for a few moments an then looked me in the eyes and said 'yes'. So I then asked him what he was planning to do about it!!

His response was when I ready to stop dating and wanted to settle down we would get married and have 2.5 children!!!! Now you can imagine my surprise at that answer. Well, I went out on my date that nite and told my date, that I could not see him anymore because Terry wanted to marry me!! What a brat I was!!!!, but I never had anyone tell me that they thought I was perfect for them and wanted to marry me and spend the rest of our lives together!! Now remember - Terry and I have never dated, haven't spent any time alone together, just hung out with the others. So what happened next was the whole group was suppose to go to 'Hamburger Harry's' and then off to the Sawdust Festival - yes, you guessed - everyone backed out and it was only Terry and I. It was a wonderful day and about 1/2 way through the day Terry and I were holding hands. We went out to dinner - Mexican- that nite and that was the one and only date we had - I moved in with him (my sister moved in with her boyfriend) - now this is a no no in those days!!!! Now this all happened in the fall around the beginning of February - Terry said why don't we get married this month!!! So in 3 weeks, we made and sent out invitations, planned a menu with friends who were going to help with the cooking, rented chairs and a champagne fountain (our biggest expense) and I made my dress.

We found a retired minister who was willing to come to the apartment complex to perform the ceremony - it was such a fun day and I still cannot believe that I married my friend and that I still to this day wait in anticipation for the garage door to open and know that he is home.

Terry is the best thing that ever could happen to me - he is very smart, extremely funny and has the best disposition of anyone. He keeps me grounded and makes me happy.

Well, if you all read this ' thank you ' and if you didn't 'thank you' just for dropping in.

Roberta - also known as Mrs. Terry J. Smith