28 September 2007

A special day

I met Hanno on my 28th birthday, he was 37. He was recovering from a divorce and the death of his daughter. Two years later we were married at the registry office in Hamburg, Germany. Today is our 28th wedding anniversary.

Here we are on 28.9.1979, a couple of dags about to get hitched. We didn't have much money so it was just Hanno and I and our witnesses at the ceremony. We invited family and friends to a celebration at home later in the day.

Like every marriage, ours has had its up and downs. We both have strong personalities and have fought like Kilkenny cats over the years but now that I look back, it's been a good marriage, and stable from the start. Although I grew up not wanting to get married, when I tied the knot, I went into it knowing it was forever. For me, there was no going back.

I think that's one reason why our marriage has survived, we knew it would be tough at times but we weren't going to walk away when it was. There was also love, respect and trust along with the commitment, and those four important elements held us together in the rocky times. Our sons were the icing on our cake. They taught us all we now know about patience, pride, gratitude, understanding and unconditional love.

It's really easy now. We fit together like a pair of old gloves. Oh, we still argue sometimes about silly things but those arguments are forgotten ten minutes later. Our lives have developed a kind of relaxed easiness. We are living in a beautiful part of the world, our days are ours to do with as we want, and we enjoy each other's company. We've grown into that, it's like the payoff for the times that were difficult. I knew that Hanno and I would be together forever, but I didn't think it would get better every year and I didn't think it would be this good.
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54 comments

  1. Happy Anniversary! May your love continue to grow and spread joy to those around you.

    When can we hear the rest of the story? Germany and Australia.

    Kim

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  2. Happy Anniversary to you and Hanno Rhonda. Enjoy a lovely day of celebration together. Any special plans?

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  3. Happy anniversary.I admire all longterm loving commitments, people who are in there for the long haul.Well done and more happiness to you.
    Stephen and I have been together for 25 years and married for 20 so we are well on the way too.

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  4. Happy Anniversary to you both! I hope you have a wonderful day and do something special.

    Warmly,

    Shell

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  5. Congratulations and happy anniversary Rhonda and Hanno. I hope you have a wonderful day together.
    It was my 29th anniversary last Sunday(and I'm only 46!!)and I so agree about growing together and being comfortable. It hasn't all been easy but definitely worth the journey.

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  6. thank you, ladies. Reading your messages is lovely way to start the morning.

    Polly, we have nothing planned. I have to go to a committee meeting at the neighbourhood centre later, but after that, who knows.

    Michelle, I'm a slow leaner. ; )

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  7. A very Happy Anniversary to you both. May you have many more in the future.

    Paula

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  8. Rhonda Jean - congratulations on your anniversary! I'm wishing you and your husband many, many more happy years together!

    You know, growing up fatherless, and with a history of so many divorces in the family...

    (.... Eeeeeeeeeeckkk... a little kitten just bumped into my computer desk with such force it actually shook - poor thing - the kitten, not the desk of course!)

    ... anyway, growing up in such a family, it's a huge encouragement to me to read about strong-knit families, especially of older couples. It gives me hope for my own prospect of marriage!

    Again, happy anniversary!

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  9. Happy anniversary Rhonda. It is a special day here too, my daughter turns six today.

    Many happy returns

    Debbie

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  10. Happy Anniversary to you both I hope your day is filled with love and happy memories of your life together
    HUGS
    Rhonda and Simon

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  11. Happy Anniversary to you both! May you have many more wonderful years together. I just started reading your blog a few months ago & enjoy it every much. You are a wealth of information! Thank you for sharing your ideas and a little bit of yourself.

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  12. Congratulations! It is so inspiring to hear people's stories of living and working together for the long term, especially when we can see how you have made your lives just what you want them to be.

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  13. kim, we went to Germany so I could meet Hanno's family. We expected to stay for 2 months but stayed two years. Shane was born 15 July 1980 and we returned home late September that year. Ten months later, Kerry was born. We lived in a flat in Hamburg, close to Hanno's mum, who died just after we came home. I loved Germany and we were lucky enough to travel around Europe while we were there.

    Thank you for your good wishes, everyone. I'll red them out to Hanno later. : )

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  14. Happy happy anniversary Rhonda and Hanno! It's lovely to read your post; I'm a believer in the journey toward love :)

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  15. Happy birthday to your daughter, Debbie!

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  16. Happy Anniversary!

    What a delight to read about your journey and the years that of sharing with yoiur loving husband. May you have many more together - ...the best is yet to come... Maria S.

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  17. Happy Anniversary. I got married that year as well but to my calculations we have celebrated our 28th Wedding Anniversary. It's 2007 now. I think you've added on an extra year. :)

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  18. Now I visit your site for the great stories on frugal living, but Rhonda your getting me hooked on your story!!LOL..Being a lover of a good story, I like Kim's comment, somehow seem to want to hear about Rhonda Jean!!! Must have been the great photo combined with it's historical references. Anyway, have a wonderful day and congratulations.
    Bella

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  19. Best wishes Rhonda Jean and Hanno. Wishing you many more years of happiness on your journey together.

    Linda

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  20. thank you river house, anon and bella. Anon, you're right, I'm not sure now if I actually thought it was our 28th or 29th, or if it was a typo. Anyhow, I've changed it. Thank you for pointing that out. : )

    bella, I am one of the most anti-social people I know and it still surprises me, and my family and friends, that I'm blogging. Who knows what will pop up here in the future. ; )

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  21. Happy Anniversary Rhonda Jean and Hanno :o) Lovely photo! What a beautiful testimony of love and commitment. I too, so enjoy hearing all about your life. I hope your day and the rest of your days, together, are special, special, special in the simplest to the most marvelous ways.
    xo Jewels

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  22. Happy Anniversary! I hope it was a wonderful day!

    Kimberly

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  23. Happy anniversary to both you and Hanno. J & I just celebrated our first wedding anniversary and I know we'll be togther for the long haul too!!

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  24. Happy Anniversary to you both!! May be you have many more years to grow old together!!!! Love the picture!! We have also just recently celebrated our 27th anniversary. My how time flies!!! Best wishes to you from central Illinois!!

    Debbie

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  25. What a lovely post, Rhonda Jean! Happy, happy anniversary to you and Hanno :) May these next year be most blessed! Love, Q

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  26. Happy Anniversary Rhonda & Hanno. You look very happy in your wedding photo (love the big 70's hair, Rhonda!) We just celebrated our 28th anniversary a couple of weeks ago too and sometimes I wonder where the years went, it doesn't feel that long.

    Hope you enjoy your special day together.

    Briget

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  27. Happy Anniversary to you both. I love to see couples who have made it for the long haul :) Wishing you many more happy years together. Hanno reminds me of my Dad, who is also German and came from Hamburg :)

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  28. Happy Anniversary!!!!
    Hope you all have a Great Day!
    Blessins',
    Lib

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  29. What a lovely picture of you both, Happy Anniversary!

    Rhonda, I am beginning to think we are more alike - as over the years I have become more anti-social myself. I do enjoy nice & kind people though. :) I love spending time by myself - I think it's good to be comfortable with that.

    Thanks too for sharing bits and pieces of your life. It encourages me that you and Hanno both started out with humble beginnings.

    Hope you both have a lovely day!!

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  30. HAPPY HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! I am celebrating my 17th year anniversary next week! Have a wonderful Day.

    Alexia

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  31. Happy Anniversary!
    A lovely post to read for this newlywed!

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  32. Happy Anniversary Rhonda! It our 9th anniversary on Wednesday, so if 19 years down the track we are as solid as a you and Hanno, we will have been exceptionally blessed :-) Have a wonderful day!

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  33. Happy Anniversary! May you and Hanno continue to share the journey for many more years to come! Sharon

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  34. Oh, anti social (I read the comments)?!

    Heavens no!

    Wishing you a very happy anniversary with many more years to come.

    (Wildside)

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  35. Congratulations and Happy anniversary! May you and Hanno have a fabulous day doing what you enjoy most. PS I love the funky threads. Marlo

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  36. Happy Aniversary and many more!

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  37. Happy Anniversary Rhonda and Hanno. Have a lovely day.
    cheers Lenny

    Ps Loved the photo.

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  38. Rhonda and Hanno "Happy Anniversary!"
    It bought back fond memories of when we got married DH, myself, 2 witnesses plus my Dad who had to buy a ring for me as DH and I couldn't afford one, but we are still together after all these years.... is it really 32yrs ago.
    Happy Anniversary! to you both and many more to come.
    Judi

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  39. Happy anniversary!! I was just contemplating this very subject today, my sweet husband and I have been together for 21 years and we have been through so much growth, I love him so differently today than I did then. Our young daughters have too changed our focus and our lives. Enjoy your day!! Love your blog. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
    Sharon

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  40. Happy Anniversary and may God grant you many more years together! Thank you for sharing.

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  41. Congratulations! What a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing it with us. May you both have many more years enjoying the lifestyle you are building.

    "I knew that Hanno and I would be together forever, but I didn't think it would get better every year and I didn't think it would be this good."

    What a wonderful testimony!

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  42. Happy Anniversary! I love what you shared about how your marriage has matured over the years....I understand completely as we just celebrated our 29th anniversary a month ago. May you have many, many more happy years together!

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  43. Happy anniversary to you both!!!!

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  44. gee, I can't believe how wonderful you all are. I've just returned from a marathon committee meeting and what do I discover but all these little snippets of loveliness from people all over the world. I'd love reading all of them and I thank you all for being so thoughtful.

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  45. Maybe I'll stay in this marriage (of 22 years, together for 27) things aren't good. Congrats. to you two. Loved the photo and the wild hair!

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  46. Happy Anniversary to you both! What an inspiration you both are, in many many ways!

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  47. Happy Anniversary to you both! Thanks for sharing your story of love and committment, and may you enjoy many more happy years together.

    Debbie

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  48. How sweet! Happy anniversary!! Marriage is wonderful, isn't it?

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  49. Wishing you a very happy anniversary!

    Jackie

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  50. Happy Anniversary! We let our ninth anniversary on September 12th slip by because things have been so hectic the last couple of months. I have been wanting to make Jewels' carrot cake and clam chowder, but have not been making the time for trying new things. Instead of school lessons today, I think I will teach the children about celebrating people and relationships.

    Best Wishes,
    Christine

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  51. thank you all again. It's a lovely thing to share important days with friends. I thank you all for your good wishes.

    Christine, That's a great lesson to teach children.

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  52. Congrats to you both Rhonda and Hanno on your anniversary. we are coming up to our 38th next year, and ours is like a good wine it only gets better care and attention.
    Cheers, Lorraine

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  53. Happy Anniversary to you both. What a beautiful, heartfelt post. Thanks for sharing. xx

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