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View Full Version : Made it to the five-year mark, how about you?



Rich Riddle
04-06-2013, 8:59 PM
We had our fifth anniversary yesterday, a first marriage for both of us. How long have you folks been married and any advice to get to your marks? At 50 years of age, I doubt a 50th anniversary will happen, but it's always good to hear recommendations.

Ken Fitzgerald
04-06-2013, 9:25 PM
Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Riddle!

Our next anniversary later this year will be our 45th.

Make the other person the most important person in your life. If you are lucky, your spouse will return the thought.

Bruce Page
04-06-2013, 9:39 PM
Congratulations Rich! My second (and last) dance will be 25 years in August. My most important advice is to always keep her your best friend. Always respect her ideas, and always listen to her... always!

David Warkentin
04-06-2013, 9:42 PM
Congrats. This year will be 13 years in July. I was 21 and she was 18. Neither of us is going anywhere.:)

Fred Perreault
04-06-2013, 10:09 PM
My wife, Kathy, and I were married at 19 years old in March,1966. We are friends, companions, and still get along as well as ever. After 47 years of legally co-habitating, and dating for more than 3 years, you tend to work all the kinks out and figure out which buttons to push.... it's been great. :) :) :)

Rick Potter
04-07-2013, 2:52 AM
Well, now that you ask. A few important things that have helped us(49 years on April 13th)....

1: Don't lie to each other.

2: We agreed early on that during an argument we would never say anything just to be hurtfull.

3: Only spend what you have, and pay off credit cards in full each month. Tough, but doable.

4: Respect, and trust each other.

Kid advice, I won't mention.

Rick Potter

Rich Engelhardt
04-07-2013, 6:48 AM
It'll be 32 years for us in about two weeks...

I found the key to it about a month after we tied the knot.
I let a Master Card bill go for a month and got hit with a $10.00 late charge. (I was paying the bills @ the time).
That enraged my wife so much - to spend $10.00 extra for no good reason - that she demanded to take over all the bill paying.

Best $10.00 I ever spent!!!!

Since most arguments in marriage are about money --- I avoid it by not having anything to do with it :D.

Brian Libby
04-07-2013, 7:03 AM
It will be 45 years in June for us.
Keep her as your best friend.

Dan Bundy
04-07-2013, 8:11 AM
This October will be our sixth five year anniversary (30 years). Best (only) wife I've ever had. Congrats. DB

Chris Damm
04-07-2013, 8:16 AM
Rookie! I've got 16, 9, and I saved the best for last. Tuesday will be 19 years for the present (and last) marriage to my best friend.

Mike Cutler
04-07-2013, 8:18 AM
28 years here, first marriage.
Try to remember that her goals, dreams, and aspirations are just as important as yours.
Echo everyone else here. She has to be your best friend.

Chris Rosenberger
04-07-2013, 8:34 AM
Congratulations.
My wife & I are going on 39 years.
The only advice I can give is that the two of you have to learn what it takes to get along with each other.

Jerry Thompson
04-07-2013, 8:57 AM
43 years. I introduce her as "my first wife."

Joe Pelonio
04-07-2013, 9:21 AM
Lots of long term marriages here, apparently. We are on our 39th year. It helps to have common interests and do things together, but also support your wife when she likes to do things you might not be crazy about, without a lot of sighing the whole time. Probably most important is to listen, not just hear.

Jim Tabor
04-07-2013, 9:56 AM
Congratulation!
Coming up on 52 years. My advice: Never go to bed mad at each other.

Shawn Pixley
04-07-2013, 11:45 AM
Twenty-six years here. We dated for ten years on and off prior to getting married.

Be happy with yourself prior to marrying. Don't marry someone to complete you

Have the same perspective on the important things

Have interests together and interests apart

Rod Sheridan
04-07-2013, 11:51 AM
30 years shortly for Diann and I...........Congrats on your fifth................Rod.

Raymond Fries
04-07-2013, 12:35 PM
Congratulstions...

45 years here. I was 17 and she was 15.
Time flies.
Stay best friends and be true to each other.
Give and take in all things and share everything.
Always agree on how to spend $$ and do not hide it. Yeah not even for tools.
May you stay happy for many years to come...

Jerome Stanek
04-07-2013, 1:29 PM
it will be 42 in May for us. Talk to each other and treat her like the lady you married. Share with her and take an interest in what she does and says

ray hampton
04-07-2013, 2:05 PM
mine second wife & I been married for 27 years
NO advice will be given because we can never know how the other person will think

Myk Rian
04-07-2013, 3:03 PM
Learn to say, "Yes dear".
45 and counting.

Sam Murdoch
04-07-2013, 4:31 PM
Be happy with yourself prior to marrying. Don't marry someone to complete you

Have the same perspective on the important things

Have interests together and interests apart


I wasn't going to respond to this thread - just reading out of curiosity. Only 19 years of wedding bliss here :D, but Shawn - in my mind you hit the woodworker's nail on the head with this one Be happy with yourself prior to marrying. Don't marry someone to complete you. I tell that to any young person who cares to listen sadly, most aren't interested. Oh well...

Jason Roehl
04-07-2013, 5:43 PM
We'll be married 18 years on July 1. I had just turned 21, and she did a few months later.

My advice? Consider divorce to not be an option. Don't bring it up, ever. If you're going to argue, argue towards a resolution, not to hurt each other. And, love is not an emotion, it's action.

Jeff Monson
04-07-2013, 6:13 PM
My advice? Consider divorce to not be an option. Don't bring it up, ever. If you're going to argue, argue towards a resolution, not to hurt each other. And, love is not an emotion, it's action.

Very good advice Jason, you cant take back hurtful comments, they stick like glue. Choose your words carefully when you have a disagreement and life is much easier. My wife and I had our differences early on in our marriage, we have learned each others ways over the years, our marriage just keeps getting better. 16 years and counting, I'd do it the same given a choice.

Rod Sheridan
04-07-2013, 8:14 PM
Last month my friends celebrated their 60th nniversary.

I wrote the Governor General in January with a copy of their wedding certificate and received a signed congatulatory message from the GG, and a signed one from the Queen including a photo of her taken in Canada during her last visit year.

60 years, what an accomplishment................Rod.

Rich Riddle
04-07-2013, 8:40 PM
Thanks for all the words of encouragement. I can only hope to achieve some of what many of you write. Goodness knows why my wife puts up with the grumpiness, but she does. Love is action? Better finish here addition this week. Those things go very slow for some reason.

Rod, your friends are married for 60 years? I hope to just make it to 60.

Ole Anderson
04-07-2013, 8:43 PM
Congrats on 5 years. Going on 45 years here. Always treat your words to each other as though they will be your last.

Until I saw that you are a well seasoned person, my first thought was that it is sad that anyone would see 5 years wedded as a major milestone. Both my folks and my in laws were married for over 40 years. My older sister for nearly 50, another sister close to 30 years. Today, it seems most folks don't really commit to each other like they used to. I guess it is part of the current ME philosophy. I have two boys, both divorced (neither one his fault). Sad.

Rod Sheridan
04-07-2013, 9:28 PM
Yes Rich, 60 years as of last month. Amazing isn't it?

Regards, Rod.

Matt Meiser
04-07-2013, 9:35 PM
Congrats to everyone. We just made 12 about a month ago. Its flown by.

Lori Kleinberg
04-07-2013, 11:24 PM
Congrats Rich. My husband and I will be married for 35 years this July. We also don't believe in just giving up, always work it out. It takes more effort to smooth things over then to walk away, but it is worth it in the end.

Shawn Pixley
04-08-2013, 12:17 AM
I wasn't going to respond to this thread - just reading out of curiosity. Only 19 years of wedding bliss here :D, but Shawn - in my mind you hit the woodworker's nail on the head with this one Be happy with yourself prior to marrying. Don't marry someone to complete you. I tell that to any young person who cares to listen sadly, most aren't interested. Oh well...

Don't I know it. They never listen...

Paul McGaha
04-08-2013, 8:54 AM
Frannie and I have been married 36 years.

I think it takes 2 people doing the right things to have a happy and long lasting marriage. Both need to be fair, honest, considerate of the other. Be unselfish.

Congratulations on making it to the 5 year mark.

PHM

David Weaver
04-08-2013, 9:25 AM
6 years for the mrs and I. Kids put a strain on so far...

The best advice I've seen is above, though it hasn't really applied to me (I didn't need any completing as far as I could tell). Also seen as, "I would be happy if I only had _____"

Fill in the blank:
* a pet
* the perfect spouse
* kids

Happy comes first.

Charles Wiggins
04-08-2013, 11:32 AM
Congratulations! We'll hit 13 years at the end of April.

bob svoboda
04-08-2013, 11:54 AM
Congratulations to you both. We are nearing our 43rd.

Jim Rimmer
04-08-2013, 1:22 PM
45 years in June. Took me a few years to find out I didn't need to say everything that came to mind.

Bill Cunningham
04-09-2013, 9:23 PM
Leave a few things every day, unsaid!
We will have been married 44 years in June

Matt Day
04-09-2013, 9:54 PM
I'm at the other end of the spectrum - we'll celebrate our 3rd year of marriage in June. Congrats on 5!

Rich Riddle
04-09-2013, 10:14 PM
Leave a few things every day, unsaid!
We will have been married 44 years in June
This is something I need to learn; at times my mouth goes into gear before the brain engages. I'm likely the only husband here who does that.

On a lighter note, we are going to celebrate in a modest way by taking a mini-vacation into the Kentucky State Park this weekend for three days. It's a way to control cost and not break a budget.

Jim O'Dell
04-09-2013, 10:30 PM
Glenna and I have been a couple since early in 1973. We married in August of 1977, so working on #36. Jim.

Harold Burrell
04-09-2013, 10:49 PM
My wife and I are working on 65 yrs of marriage.

Of course, we are only 33 yrs into it...but we're working on it. :D

(OK...I'm sorry...it's past my bedtime and I'm getting silly.)

Tim Janssen
04-09-2013, 11:26 PM
Congratulations on your 5th. Wishing you many more years to come. We just celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary this past Sunday.
Best wishes.

Tim

Jack Lemley
04-09-2013, 11:37 PM
In July this year will 37 years, the only marriage for either of us. Worth every minute of it!

Jack

Matt Marsh
04-10-2013, 5:46 AM
Happy Anniversary Rich! 34 years next month for the Mrs. and me.

Dan Hintz
04-10-2013, 6:18 AM
I hold my wife's hand when we're walking together, even if it's through the parking lot. I open doors for her, even when my hands are carrying more than hers. I give her a kiss before we part in the morning and when we first meet up at the end of the day. I buy us the things we need, but I buy her the things she wants.

She may still want to stab me in the eye with a pickle fork on a weekly basis, but she'd do it with love...

Chuck Saunders
04-10-2013, 9:01 AM
My advice? Consider divorce to not be an option. Don't bring it up, ever. If you're going to argue, argue towards a resolution, not to hurt each other. And, love is not an emotion, it's action.

Jason has the key. Join up for the long term and work towards the solution. That has worked for me for 27yrs.