1979

In 1979, I was a 17 year old wife and mother. I know you are doing the math. Go ahead, I'll wait. I'd stop you if I could -but I know 40ish is just not good enough for some of you chicks. Okay! Done yet? Good. We got married at 16 (me) and 19 (hubby) in 1978 and you're right, no one thought it would last. As you may have read here or if you are just that clever - you've realized that I was with child at the wedding ceremony. No, I am not proud of it. We were young and in love and so there ya have it.If you think to judge, don't waste your time. I have been forgiven! AMEN! I will tell you, in 1979 it was not looked upon favorably (nor should it be now). It was a tough time to say the least. It really was me and hubby against the world. As you might guess we were broke as a joke. We were so young and in love, we didn't notice -- okay we were very naive. I was as sick as could be with the pregnancy. They had me on medication that was later found to cause major defects, so we are thankful for our healthy son. I guess all of the adults in my life must have congregated and decided against explaining anything about the birth experience. That was okay. I read books. Lots of books. Over and over. I was prepared! Not! OH.MY.WORD. I thought I was dying. I mean, I really thought that. I didn't care either - I was begging for it. The doc refused to give me any meds (po-dunk hospital), so, I just screamed y'all. I screamed my heart out. Well, as you see, I lived. I was a torn- up- bottom version of my former self, but i was alive. I was a tummy full of -bad road map -stretch marks, but I was alive. This boy child weighed in at 8 and a half pounds. For me that was GINORMOUS. Well, I did gain 67 pounds. Yes, that's right 67 pounds. Do not eat those little white donuts,oreos and drink coke like nobody's business unless you want to gain 67pounds!!! Oh, you already knew that? I weighed 95 pounds when I got pregnant and could eat anything - I just didn't know okay! I did lose it all in 2 weeks - AH, YOUTH. Well, anyway, we went about being a family. We moved to Pensacola, Fl. so we could both go to college and hubby was able to get transferred there for his work. When we moved, we just took our house with us! They don't call 'em mobile for nothin' y'all. We were top notch . Hey, we were trying though. Money was so tight, that I really did some heavy budgeting to buy the beautiful baby swing you see in the slide show. It was $15.00 at a store called TG&Y, which no one has ever heard of (Alabama, remember). We were able to buy our first house not long after moving to Florida and we kissed our home with wheels good-bye. Yippeee! 

1979 - that was quite a busy year. Marriage, parenthood, moving away from all of our family (we never lived close to family again),college,mortgage etc. You see how really strange we looked back then. Absolutely no fashion sense -whatsoever! How did we make it -- looking like that? EWWWW. You will be happy to know that in spite of our obvious lack of -- well, everything -- we did indeed make it.We've been married for 27 1/2 years. Our boy child, grew into a fine young Christian man, with a beautiful Christian wife. He is a Lawyer( gets his smarts from his Valedictorian Dad) . He loves and respects his parents. Who'da thunk it , right? We had 4 children in five years and we were very busy indeed! And! Very blessed.1979 - Has it really been that long ago?  For all you age counters out there - I'm still saying 40ish not the real deal! It's not that I really care, as much as I usually just don't remember my exact age most of the time. So, here are a few pics for you to get a good giggle. Just remember, if you were actually alive at that time, you probably didn't look much better! ;D

 

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Comments

[Amber]

Those pics were fun to look at - thanks for sharing. I recognized the furniture and baby stuff as similar in color and style to what I grew up with. hehe. :-)

[Diane]

1. Yes, I know exactly what TG&Y stores were. We had one in our dinky little hometown, Trumann, Arkansas. Daddy gave me and my little sis $1 allowance each week and we got to spend it there every payday.
2. I actually remember wearing the little white high-top leather shoes like your son is wearing. One of my earliest memories is Daddy putting those shoes on the woodpile behind the cast iron heater to warm for me so I wouldn't have to put on cold shoes. Thanks for the memory. :)
3. Your legs are longer than my entire body!! It's not fair. I am only 5'3", and your legs look longer than that. ;)

Happy anniverary, and many happy returns. I'll bet you've got just a little "We told you so" going on with the ones who looked down their pious noses at you and said it would never last. ;)

You go, girl!!!

[Susan]

What a great story Faith! And you were so beautiful then! Wow! :) You are still beautiful now. I loved the pictures, I really did!

Susan

[Karin]

Ah, yes, I remember the polyester well. Note, I did not say I remembered it FONDLY. ;)

I just found your blog while looking up "Tuesday Treasure". This is something I will try to participate with in the future. How cool!

And tomorrow, I'm checking in for your Thursday 13. What little I've already seen on your blog, just fascinating. Uplifting writing. I look forward to reading more.

[Karin]

OOOH! I just noticed the Signing Time DVD on your sidebar. These are AMAZING to watch. Two of my three boys are deaf with cochlear implants, and the Signing Time videos were THE BEST help to me, when teaching my boys to sign.

[Debi D]

I love the pictures...brings back memories of my own first-child days...and thanks for sharing your story...what a testimony of God's love and mercy and grace.

[Debi D]

Hey...I just saw your other photos on your sidebar....what beautiful pictures!

[Jeana]

y'all were so cute! I remember furniture like that. And i remember TG&Y, a little.

[no_average_girl]

what a story! but it sounds as if God took what could've been a disaster and transformed it into something so beautiful! you certainly don't look 40ish :-)

[ben]

What a beautiful story you have to tell! Loved the pictures!

I remember TG&Y and I grew up in the midwest. :-)

[Sylvie]

I don't know what you are talking about you look GREAT! What a beautiful testimony of the power of love.

[Heather]

Cute pictures! I wasn't thought of until 1982, but my sister was born in 1975, so we have similar looking pictures at my house too!!

[momrn2]

Thanks for sharing this story. I am having some trouble with my connection this A.M. so can't view the pic's in larger format. I am also having trouble getting this comment to post... so I'm going to end it and try AGAIN!

[Kate]

Awww - those pics are so cute! And my my my you were and still are so so pretty! Your testimony is just another way of God showing us how soverign he is! What a way to stand above everyone else during that time. And 27.5 years later the romance continues! :)

[HolyMama!]

27 1/2 years!! Way to go, you guys! What a beautiful family you've created in that time!

[tnmama]

Faith,
What a blessed story - your life! How wonderful that you two were able to overcome difficult beginnings and live as you have! Congratulations

[Christy]

Still just as beautiful as ever! I love your pictures , especially the ones of you and your son!

[Lauren]

Okay I'm no math wiz but I think 1979 - 17 = the same year I was born!!! Woohoo, found someone my age. It's funny how so many of the pieces of furniture or toys are the same in our family photos.

[Sara]

Didn't have to do the math since my dh was 17/18 that year. ;-)

I love to read stories like this. Too often we think our lives have to be perfect (from birth on) for us to serve the Lord. Too often we assume all people will be just like the statistics tell us they will be. Fortunately God doesn't go by the world's statistics. :-)

[Maria]

hello - I came by looking for tuesday's treasures too.

I loved reading this. I also remember TG&Y. Been a long time since I heard it but I remember it. And the only math I had to do was to add a few years since I was 4 in 1979.

[GiBee]

FIFTEEN DOLLARS FOR A SWING??? Girl, I dropped $99 for a swing, and was happy I didn't go over $100!

Ahh, those were the days.

[emma aka the bee's knees]

wow, jump into life with two feet and all fingers and toes!! Now things are different but you are still blessed!! Thanks for sharing your pics. They are great!