The Happy Day Moment of my wedding ceremony, August 30, 1980:

Through the songs, through the affirmation of our vows, I see only John and the miracle of our love which God has created. We stand facing each other, our hands clasped. His hands are slightly shaking and cold. In a paradox of emotions, we are nervous and yet wrapped in a wonderful peace. Quietly, John speaks the vows from his heart.

“Here, among family and friends, I, John, vow to you, Jama, at the beginning of our marriage, that I will love you with all my heart and honor you and work together with you throughout the rest of our lives, increasing our faith in God and our union together. I am your husband. I love you.”

My eyes are moist. I smile and speak, “Today, among our friends and our family, I vow and pledge to be the best wife to you that I can, to love you in times of tears and laughter, through struggles and successes, to be one with you as I never have with anyone before. I want to help you grow, as you have helped me grow, that our marriage may be fresh and exciting. You were designed by God to be the king and priest of our family, and as such, I will submit and obey you as my head. Christ has brought our love together, and in Him will our love and our marriage be strengthened and sustained. I am your helpmate; I am your wife. I love you.”

Our ceremony of love and joy continues. We exchange rings and Martin pronounces that John and I are husband and wife. My mind repeats those two words, knowing that today they apply to John and me. Inside is a continuous song of praise to my God who has blessed me so abundantly with this man.

(excerpt from Then Came A Miracle)

Throughout our marriage, we’ve had our joys and sorrows, laughter and tears, ups and downs, celebrations and disappointments — but in all things, we always had that MOMENT to be thankful, to live with gratitude that God brought us together, and He would work out all that other stuff for our good.

One Hundred Reasons why I have a Happy Day Moment with my husband — every day, more than 12,000!

1. He says “I love you” to me so many many times a day, with his lips, with his eyes, with his embrace.
2. He gives me lots of kisses.
3. He gives me lots of hugs.
4. He loves God and follows Jesus.
5. He is a hands-on father to our children.
6. He says “I love you” to our children.
7. He hugs our sons, lots.
8. He adores our grandchildren and loves to play Legos/read stories/color pictures.
9. He is Captain.
10. He has faith.
11. He never said, “You can’t be a mother. You can’t have a baby. You can’t have another baby” because of my limitations.
12. He is generous to a fault.
13. He is so kind to me and others.
14. He played with, supported and encouraged our kids.
15. He hugs me when I’m sad or feeling low.
16. He tells me I’m beautiful.
17. He is a King James Version and hymn lover.
18. He is as clever as Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, and Groucho Marx.
19. He kills spiders (and other crawly things) for me.
20. He changes the toilet paper roll (over the top technique, of course).
21. He vacuums the living room without being asked.
22. He enjoys reading.
23. He is scary smart.
24. He lives with integrity, always.
25. He graciously assumed household laundry duties.
26. He now also does the grocery shopping.
27. He makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches.
28. He makes sure I’m never without chocolate.
29. He knows just how I like my coffee (and tea).
30. He warms an afghan or blanket in the dryer for me to snuggle.
31. He endures the Cubs games with me even though he’s an evil St. Louis Cardinals fan.
32. He helps me up when I am down, figuratively.
33. He helps me up when I am down, literally.
34. He helps me in and out.
35. He enjoys shopping for gifts to give others.
36. He listens, makes notes, and buys presents of things people like.
37. He puts fresh fruit on my morning cereal.
38. He makes sure I’m fed when I have to work all day in the office.
39. He loves my family (and sometimes puts up with them).
40. He buys chocolate for my boss so the candy jar on my desk is always full.
41. He loves to build/create/modify Legos.
42. He sings silly songs.
43. He goes into Victoria’s Secret AND he buys me things.
44. He buys ice cream even though he can’t eat it.
45. He is sometimes rather goofy.
46. He still watches cartoons (Lord, save me from Scooby-doo).
47. He is always ready with a current weather report.
48. He is obsessive about shoveling ALL snow from our driveway.
49. He doesn’t speed.
50. He has a huge helping of artistic talent.
51. He never (rarely) complains about doing household chores.
52. He is my live-in history professor.
53. He love-pats my behind when I’m at the sink washing dishes.
54. He designs and draws the most creative treasure maps.
55. He is great at cuddling and I fit perfectly in he embrace.
56. He has a witty sense of humor.
57. He fills my car with gasoline and checks the tire pressure.
58. He makes the bed even with all the extra pillows.
59. He makes brownies for his co-workers, just because.
60. He builds the warmest, fiercest (narcotic) fires in our fireplace.
61. He is patient.
62. He mows the lawn and cleans the eaves.
63. He likes to spend money but he doesn’t go into debt.
64. He lets me buy his clothes (if I get them in his preferred color scheme, i.e.: gray).
65. He has made me a fan of curling.
66. He wraps beautiful gift packages.
67. He has very dexterous finger toes.
68. He washes my car.
69. He makes delicious apple pies with intricate top crust designs.
70. He massages my sore feet with shea butter lotion.
71. He makes my heart flutter with we smooch.
72. He is still ticked off by Daylight Savings Time.
73. He doesn’t mind taking me shopping.
74. He rocks at Trivial Pursuit and Scene It.
75. He suffered through my (temporary) emotional swings with a “There, there.”
76. His smile and his laughter light up my life.
77. He loves his parents and all manner of relatives.
78. His blue blue blue eyes take my breath away.
79. He is a fan of the Olympics, especially the Winter Games.
80. He cared for me during my awful morning sickness(es).
81. He is adorable.
82. He surprised me when he began listening to country music.
83. He is my Prince Charming.
84. He is the definition of a loving husband.
85. He got me to love watching Fred Astaire movies.
86. He wipes away my tears (and passes me extra Puffs).
87. He can put me to sleep by reading Antonia Frasier.
88. He is imaginative.
89. He wakes me with kisses in the morning.
90. He lets me do the crossword puzzle in the Sunday paper.
91. He makes me laugh.
92. He finds me the most interesting gifts.
93. He is compassionate and forgiving.
94. He is still a big kid in many ways.
95. He makes marriage an adventure.
96. He reaches for and hold my hand when I crawl into bed late at night.
97. He has taught me (too much) about aircraft, tanks and weaponry.
98. He strokes my skin and I tingle.
99. He always make me feel like a queen.
100. He is the one … night and day, day and night.

And so many more…

HAPPY 33^rd ANNIVERSARY!! Our Happy Day Moments continue…