Today is our 25th wedding anniversary!
Twenty Five... wow. Where do all the years go???
I've written several anniversary posts for Dan here, here, and here, but today I wanted to acknowledge and thank two people who, without knowing it, played a huge role in my marriage- my sisters, Susan and Patti. My sisters, being 11 and 12 years older, taught me through example that you marry your best friend.
Period.
Seeing love and friendship in both their marriages made me determined to never settle for anything other than my best friend. I waited, and waited, and waited;) and had all but given up hope, and then the next day there he was at Stapleton Airport in Denver on a flight to San Antonio, as was I. We were both bumped off the original flight and the rest, as they say, is history! Two years later, on my 28th birthday we were married at the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel in Hood River, Oregon.
Period.
Seeing love and friendship in both their marriages made me determined to never settle for anything other than my best friend. I waited, and waited, and waited;) and had all but given up hope, and then the next day there he was at Stapleton Airport in Denver on a flight to San Antonio, as was I. We were both bumped off the original flight and the rest, as they say, is history! Two years later, on my 28th birthday we were married at the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel in Hood River, Oregon.
So "thank you" to my sisters and very dear brother-in-laws for showing me how important it was to marry your best friend.
Happy twenty-fifth anniversary to my best friend Dan.. you are my heart!
xxojoan
xxojoan
Happy Anniversary! Believe me, when you marry your best friend, it just keeps on getting better!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to both of you. I agree with the concept of marrying your best friend. I did and I highly recommend it.
ReplyDeleteXO, Victoria
As a newlywed in my first year of marriage in a world of divorce, couples like you give me hope. Happy anniversary to you both!
ReplyDeleteTim
Happy anniversary! That also means it's your birthday! A very happy birthday to you, Joan:)
ReplyDeleteYour solid relationship is what has put the 'home' in your house. Congratulations on Twenty-Five loving years. May you create more wonderful memories together in the upcoming years.
ReplyDeletehugs
Katherine
Happy happy anniversary Joan and Dan !!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAwww, that is so sweet Joan and Happy Anniversary to you and Dan! So true about marrying your best friend after almost 27 years my best friend and I are going strong. I wish you and Dan many more years together. I hope you all are doing well on your side of the mountain!
ReplyDeleteXXX
Debra~
Awww! It was a match made in heaven when the two of you met! Happy Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteCheers on the silver anniversary...and I know you are not a birthday fan but Happy Birthday too.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to both of you, and Happy Birthday, too! Love your story, your blog, and your house. Not only for how beautiful you both have made it, but for restoring a house that at one time must have been quite lovely and full of love. As a New England transplant myself, you have my utmost respect....both of you.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, just beautiful. And happy anniversary! Julie
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more and couldn't be happier for you and your love. My hubby and I are hitting FIVE years in September and can only hope for many MANY more happy years ahead! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful advice and how blessed you to have such wise examples in your sisters! Congratulations to you and Dan and Happy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you both, and best wishes for anothe 25+ years! Best, Beth C.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary! And I am lucky enough to say that I married my best friend too. I hope you guys have a wonderful day planned.
ReplyDeleteKat
Dear Joan and Dan, Your joy in each other shines through in every post, every step you have taken and everything you have accomplished together...Bon Anniversaire!!
ReplyDeleteMany, many happy returns of the Day!!
Cheers,
Meredith
happy anniversary you 2 lovedoves. congratulations!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary, with many more happy years to come!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday and Happy Anniversary. Enjoy your doubly special day!
ReplyDeleteAhhhhh! Happy twenty-five and many more. I think you, Dan and Ella are the perfect family! And how nice of you to be nice to your "much older sisters!"
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday baby sister and Happy anniversary to a precious couple! We all won the jackpot the day you met our Dan!! Hard to believe it has been 25 years! Mother and Daddy always said that they had the best sons-in-law in the world! They are right!
ReplyDeleteMuch love~
Happy Anniversary!! What a blessing!! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary! You show your love for each other in so many special ways that can't help but shine through in your blog posts! What a beautiful couple, sharing a beautiful life and a lovely home!
ReplyDeleteYou are so inspiring!
Enjoy your special day! ...And Happy Birthday too! =-)
xo-Lisa
Happy, Happy Anniversary - and birthday! Xo
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary from an enthusiastic fan of your blog!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet post! Congratulations on your 25th - I wish you many, many more happy years together.
ReplyDeleteSo true, marry your best friend. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteDear Joan,
ReplyDeleteMany congratulations to you both! I too married my best friend 25 years ago.....aren't we lucky. Have a wonderful celebration!
Sophia x
¡¡FELICITACIONES!! nosotros llevamos 27 años de casados, y en el 25 aniversario me regaló un viaje a Holanda, Bélgica e Italia ¡maravilloso!
ReplyDeletesaludos desde Argentina.
Sweet, Joan. :) What a major life-blessing marrying your best friend is! All the best,
ReplyDelete-Revi
...blessings...and love...that really is all one needs...laney
ReplyDeleteI love it!
ReplyDeleteHow awesome... I know exactly what you mean as I too am blessed to have married my best friend too, 31 years ago!
Enjoy this special milestone day :)
XO
Also I wanted to ask you if you have an inexpensive source for the frameless glass frames you used to frame your herbarium.
Thank you so much Joan
Happy, HAPPY anniversary to you both!!!!!!!!!! I remember our 25th too and thought like you, where did the time go? Now we are coming up on our 46th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you have a wonderful celebration and do something special. XO
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary -- great words of wisdom to pass along.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you both! What a wonderful thing to celebrate! I also married my best friend, though we are still new with almost 2 years under our belts. It is so wonderful to see such strong and happy couples.
ReplyDeleteHappy (Wedding Day) Anniversary.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday.
May you celebrate your special day with friends and family.
Linda
Congratulations! I couldn't agree more, as I married my best friend nine years ago, and couldn't be happier with my man. Feel so blessed to have married so well. He has been a rock during a very difficult two years physically, and I can't imagine walking that road with anyone other than a best friend.
ReplyDeleteAn aside, I don't think I've commented before since I normally read by iPhone, but your blog has been such an inspiration to me as we try to create/decorate a "home" for the first time buying "real" furniture and such. Thank you for taking the time to post and share with the world so we can be inspired to create comfortable spaces too.
I work in the hospitality industry, particularly related to small inns and bed and breakfast properties - I'm not sure of your zoning or interest, but your home site, gardens, and beautiful interiors would certainly make an ideal property!
All the best to you and your hubby on this milestone anniversary!
Cindy
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and best wishes! Loved reading your Anniversary letters to Dan. He is your best friend.
What a sweet story! And what a gorgeous venue for a wedding! Marrying your best friend is a wonderful idea. I didn't do that exactly...... married someone I love and admire, with integrity and humor. Over the years, we had children, faced life trials and learned to walk shoulder to shoulder. We grew into best friends, and that works, too.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you both! Talk about being in the right place at the right time. You really need to go on YouTube and pull up the Sammy Kershaw video "Meant to Be". Very similar to your story. Congrats again!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on 25 years! That is indeed the best advice...Happy Anniversary! ;)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and a very happy anniversary to you!Being best friends is so true because in good times and bad, and there is always both it is always nice to have your friend with you!
ReplyDeleteJoan, congratulations to you and Dan. What a blessing to still be so in love after all of these years. I hope you have had an enjoyable day.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
I married my best friend forty-two years ago:)
ReplyDeleteHe has given me the gift of confidence. We retired from teaching a year ago May and are adding more happiness venturing with our grandkids.
Congratulations and a blessed fifty more.
Congratulation! Here's to the next 25 years and more!
ReplyDeleteHappy Silver Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteHAPPY QUARTER!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your anniversary. You have made a beautiful home. I discovered your site today, and finally, perhaps I can convince my husband that not all things have to be the same type/color/finish of wood etc. It's how it is all put together, it requires accessories and sometimes one has to move things around a bit, and a bit more, and once again until things feel "right." Thank you for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. You two have made a beautiful home and a beautiful life together. I married my best friend 35 years ago and it never ceases to amaze me that you can grow even closer and the love can become deeper. Creating your own history together is a wonderful journey.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary! Thanks for taking along with the journey!!
ReplyDeleteOh what a fun story! Congratulations on your 25th to both of you!
ReplyDeleteA very happy Anniversary!...you are so very right about marrying your best friend...I did..43 years ago...we got married when we were 2..:)....loved your story!!...and I wish you two many, many more years of wedded bliss!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary, Joan and Dan!! As soon as you get to thinking that things happen by accident, just remember how the two of you met ... accident or coincidence? I don't think so. Wishing the two of you many, many more.
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary! Here's to twenty-five more (and then twenty-five more after that)!
ReplyDeleteHappy Silver Anniversary! Also, Happy 25th Anniversary of your 28th Birthday too! Have a wonderful day! :)
ReplyDeleteSweet congratulations to you both! My husband and I will celebrate 20 years this year!
ReplyDeleteHappy Silver Anniversary to you and your best friend!
ReplyDeleteJoan,
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary to the two of you! You are the perfect team and provide such inspiration for your readers.
Have a wonderful week.
Karen
Happy Anniversary! You are so very right about marrying your best friend. Have a most wonderful evening!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary AND Happy Birthday!!! Hope you get to do something fun today. ;)
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary!!! And smart sisters, but then you didn't fall too far from that tree.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! A beautiful milestone!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary ! From another long married couple :)
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary! My husband and I are heading to Hood River (from our home in DC) in two days to visit family who live there. What a pretty place to be married.
ReplyDeleteHappy, happy 25th! And here's to many, many more!
ReplyDeleteAwww, such a beautiful post:) You guys make a great couple/team! Very inspiring.
ReplyDeleteAmy
Hello Joan, Congratulations on this milestone anniversary. It is indeed evident in every post that you have married your best friend. Every small trip to the store or project in the house becomes a lark and an adventure, and it is that quality that infuses your blog and makes it so lively.
ReplyDeleteHere's looking forward to many more anniversaries, and many more adventures.
--Jim
Congratulations on your anniversary. Thanks for your lovely blog. I really enjoy your beautiful home.
ReplyDeleteI love this! Happy Anniversary to both of you :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary, Joan and Dan! And wishing you many many more!
ReplyDeleteXo Heidi
Happy Anniversary, Dan and Joan! Wishing you many more happy years and antiquing adventures ahead! Our own anniversary is coming up and I suggested to my husband that we give each other a "Joan and Dan gift"--so I'm hoping to get a screen door for my sliding door. Practicality wins out (hopefully)! Happy birthday, also, Joan. Hope you have an awesome day celebrating together:)
ReplyDeleteCongrats...love your story...
ReplyDeleteWonderful 25th anniversary! Now you both are examples for others and so it is when we marry our "best friend". Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteJoan, Congrats to you and Dan! I hope you had a wonderful Anniversary.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary.........what a beautiful tribute to your husband. Best Regards, Wenda
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your 25th! My husband and I were married on the same day as you but in 1983 so yesterday was our 30th anniversary. And like you, I married the best man I ever met and he is my best friend:)
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary and Birthday! Best wishes for many more happy years together! I also married my best friend, and we recently celebrated our 21st anniversary. We joke often about how I kissed the right toad, and lived happily ever after. (Successful toad conversion is no easy task, mind you.) ;)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a pleasure to read! I wish you all the best for your future!
Happy Anniversary! I loved reading your story! xo
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I hope you are continuing to enjoy your anniversary week. How wonderful to be celebrating 25 years. Marriage is a beautiful thing.
ReplyDeleteClaudia
Congratulations Joan and Dan. Hoping your day and week are pure bliss.
ReplyDeleteBeing married to your best friend is truly special.
A little late on the congratulations to you, but you are so right in the importance of marrying your best friend. Today marks the 28th year of our marriage on my birthday. And yes, he has been my best friend that long...and the 10 years I chased him before he finally gave up and married me. LOL Hope your celebration was a fun one.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary to you both... may the next 25 be filled with love, laughter and adventure... xv
ReplyDeleteA belated HAPPY, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO BOTH OF YOU and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to YOU as well. May you have many ..... many more! -Brenda-
ReplyDeleteHappy Happy everything to you!!!
ReplyDeleteIn addition to sharing a love for our Old Houses..it seems we missed sharing a Birthday by one day!!!I
Hopes your year is wonderful! xo