Bob and Laura - BFF

Graduate on Friday May 16th 1998

Get Married on Saturday May 17th 1998

Yesterday, Bob and I celebrated 14 wonderful years of marriage.  I am being completely honest in my use of the word wonderful.   Of course we disagree and enjoy a night away from each other from time to time, but he truly is my best friend and I cannot imagine my life without him.  I have had some amazing role models in my life for relationships, my Grandparents (married 65 years and counting), my Aunt Maria and Uncle Jay and Bob’s Parents.  However, the most important thing that holds Bob and I together is our love of Christ.  The purest and best fruit from the harvest is the sweetest and the most costly.  Nothing sweeter then the love of Christ, but the cost has already been paid.

  Fourteen memories, just because:

1. The first time I saw Bob he was complaining to a teacher about his grade and I thought, “What a geek!”  But then a voice in my head said, that is the kind of guy you should marry someday.  I laughed that thought away and went back to chatting with my friends.
2. After Bob and I started “going out” (this was high school after all) he brought a rose to my locker and said “This bud is for you.”  I laughed so hard and was not sure this unsmooth guy was for me.
3. On one of our first dinner dates, we went to Applebee’s and I ordered iced tea.  Bob commented, “I don’t really like iced tea.  It is just tea, but iced.”  Yup, he was winning me over one honest and unpolished comment at a time.
4. The Christmas of my freshman year of college, Bob proposed to me and I said yes.  We promised our parents that we would wait until we graduated from college to wed.  Bob graduated from Penn State College of Engineering on May 16^th, 1998 and we were married on May 17^th, 1998.  Why wait any longer?
5. I never saw such pride, joy and fear on one man’s face as the day that Alex was brought into this world when were the ripe ages of 22 and 24.  I knew he would be a wonderful father and he still is to all three of our amazing children.
6. Bob has graciously opened the doors of his home to many of my family members, never asking for anything in return.  Sure I invite them to live with us, but he could say “no”, right? 
7. Some of my favorite memories are just chilling on the beach with the family in content silence. 
8. Without Bob, I may have never learned the fine art of playing SPUD or quoits.
9. When we were in high school, we got in trouble for kissing in the hallway.  Luckily my Dad was the principal of the middle school and the high school principal was a friend of the family so we were just sent on our way.
10. Before we turned 21, we traveled with Bob’s family to Atlantic City and while walking through a casino to the boardwalk, I thought it would be cute to play one quarter in a slot machine.  I was carded on the spot and Bob ran away.  His family didn’t and I knew that any family that would stand up for Bob’s girlfriend for Bob was a family worth being a part of.
11. When we were in college, we stopped at a Kmart and were looking at the exercise equipment.  Bob got on a “Gazelle” type machine and thought it was funny that both of the legs swung the same way.  He swung and laughed as I pleaded for him to stop.  Then, WHAM!  He fell flat on his face, I cried and walked away.  Now we were even for the casino incident.
12. When in high school we were in the play Bye Bye Birdie together.  His friends decided it would be cute for the girl playing opposite to him (he was Hugo Peabody) to give him a real kiss on the lips.  He was so shocked and embarrassed.   His naivety was charming.
13. After Abby was born, Bob announced he wanted to start going to church and started reading the bible.  My heart soared.  We read to each other many nights and then discuss what we read.  I love the growth in the Lord we share.
14. When I was sick this past year and had to go for many tests, he never batted an eye at the cost or taking time off to help with the kids.  He is a rock and a security for our family.
    

    

    Homecoming 1994

    

    Atlantic City 2012