Pushing 30

We'll hit the big 3-0 on Sunday. Yep, we'll be married for 30 years. Since I just had my 50th birthday, it's pretty simple subtraction to determine I was really young when I got married. R was only 19, so statistically we shouldn't still be married. But we are.

We started dating when he was just 16. I was 17 but not yet able to drive (I'm a really slow learner when it comes to that kind of thing, plus I've always been directionally challenged). When we got married, I worked for about $2.50 an hour as a secretary and he was going to school and working part time at a car wash. A car wash for heaven's sake! I've often wondered if my own kids had come to me at the same age and in similar circumstances and told me they were getting married, if I would have been on board with that. I honestly don't know but I guess it would depend on the person. But let's face it, I doubt I'd be in love with the idea. HOW did my parents handle it!

Oh well, thank goodness they did. It turned out okay. Whew! Close one!

I had three kids in about four years, my last by the time I was just 24. I really think that youth and stupidity worked in my favor on that one. I know it doesn't always work that way, and I certainly had a good background that gave me something to build on, but seriously I wasn't smart enough about things like child rearing, planning for the future, etc., to know that I should be worried. Heck, I shouldn't have even been able to sleep nights. We raised them on a paycheck to paycheck income, little or no savings for emergencies, no college funds, and the only bright spot financially was that we each had life insurance in case one of us died (my earlier secretarial job was for an insurance agent).

So here we are 30 years later. Not rich but we manage. The kids are grown and in good shape. We didn't ruin anyone as far as we can tell. In fact, lots of people would point to my kids with pride because they're really pretty great. But we can't take credit because we really were young and stupid when we started this family, and fortunately that worked out for us.

Plus I always said I'm not taking credit so I won't also have to take blame. I am smart enough to know that that street runs both ways.