Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Happy anniversary to me and Cliff

Thirty-nine years ago today, Cliff and I tied the knot.  We had known one another for about six months, and dated less than three months. 

My mother was staying up nights, guarding my apartment, every time Cliff was there.  She lived some twenty miles away, but she'd drive to Independence and park about a half-block away and just sit in her car.  I was twenty-one, but I was her only baby girl.  One night we looked out the window to see her little Ford Falcon there in the dark, and Cliff said, "Well, we could get married."

That was my proposal. 

Cliff had a brother and a sister who'd already had failed marriages, and I'd heard his mom make the remark that she wasn't signing for even one more of her kids to get married.  Now, back then, women had to have a parent's signature at age eighteen, if they wanted to marry; and men needed parental consent until age twenty-one.  Taking his mom at her word, we decided to wait until Cliff was of age, on June 16.

Melva, Cliff's mom, knew we were going to get married, and asked what we were waiting for.

"Cliff isn't twenty-one yet, and you said you weren't signing for any more of your kids to get married."

"Oh.  Well, I'll sign for you-uns."

And that's why our anniversary falls on June fourteenth... two days before Cliff's birthday, on June sixteenth.

Our wedding was very simple.  We were neither one attending church at the time, but Cliff's older brother, Phil, and his wife were.  So we got the phone number of their pastor and called him up; with our two witnesses (Cliff's brother's wife, Faye, and his mom) we made it official.

I recall the preacher saying, "What kind of ceremony do you want?"

"The shortest one you've got," was Cliff's answer.

I've never regretted any of it, although perhaps Cliff has, a time or two.

As for the tiny, impromtu wedding, I've always hated big weddings.  Still do.  I had just the sort of ceremony I'd choose again.

And just the sort of man.

 

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations!  This is just the kind of story I like to hear.  Happy marriages are made up of good times and bad, but it seems you and Cliff have more good times than not.  Now that you are well into your 40th year, what are your plans?  Blessings, Penny

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary, Cliff and Donna!  May you have many many more years together!  :)

~Amy

Anonymous said...

Best marriage in the world, I'm convinced!  I love you both dearly, and appreciate the model that I have to build a marriage on.  I've never met anyone with a relationship that could compare.  Problems?  Maybe, but it didn't break you.  Now, we just look at the two of you and hope to get half the happiness that you have.  I love you, Mom and Dad!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, Mo, on your anniversary.  I love reading about you and Cliff's marriage and romance. Mo, there are so many similar things with my first marriage.  My mother-in-law said she wouldn't sign for my husband to get married, but when we went to pick up the license the clerk told her she needed to sign, and she broke down and did it.  We got married on my first husband's twenty-first birthday.  We also had a simple ceremony in a Pentecostal church even though I was Baptist.  He didn't go to church at the time either.  We have a lot more in common in this respect. ........Sam

Anonymous said...

CONGRATULATIONS! It's nice to see a marriage that works <g>
http://journals.aol.com/astaryth/AdventuresofanEclecticMind

Anonymous said...

Very nice. There isn't too many of us "Old Timers" around anymore. Everyone my husband and I knew that married when we did are now divorced.

Gabreael

Anonymous said...

Congrats ..  
And thanks to you and Cliff raising such a wonderful son, I too one day will be celebrating my 39th with Jim.  I love you both  and cant wait til the end of the month  to get there.
                                                            Deb

Anonymous said...

what a wonderful life you have had...congradulations...
Party hardy...which might mean staying up past 9:00 pm lol lol
Donna In TEXAS

Anonymous said...

HAPPY ANNIVERARY!
I can tell in all your writings just how much you love that man! AND not many a man would build their wife a cabin of her own, so I know he has to love you as much!!!!! Better keep him! lol
CArlene

Anonymous said...

It's so funny...my overall impression of your beginings together is "they just kinda fell into it"...for 39 years. That's really something. Happy Anniversary to you both.

Anonymous said...

    I'm so happy for "you-uns " ...
You're doing something right!
There's a lot of people who envy you.
BRAVO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOIS IN http://journals.aol.com/lowis6535/UpperPeninsulaMIandbeyond/

Anonymous said...

That's such an awesome story!!  It's like a scene from a movie (perhaps an "Inner and Outer Demons" movie?).  My parents had their 55th anniversary last Feb.  And I would say that you and Cliff remind me very much of them except I don't want to creep you out.  ;)  Happy Anniversary and a big hug!  xo, Russ

Anonymous said...

WOW ! Happy Anniversary to you both. And may God bless you with many more anniversaries. What a neat story Donna, thanks for sharing. Gets me in the mood for our 38th coming up on the 29th of July.  Nance

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary and lots and lots of love sent to you both.

Love,

Joanna

Anonymous said...

Short and sweet, that's the way to do it! Happy belated Anniversary and Happy early Birthday. Jun 16th is my Linda's Birthday, also. 39 years!! Awesome!! rich

Anonymous said...

39 years is wonderful! I can tell by what you write,and how your children write, that they have a good set of parents with a good model of how love can survive and flourish.