I am so very sorry to hear of your loss. I just wanted to send along hugs to you. I will keep you in my prayers.

Will be married 26 years the 7th of September. There is no such thing as the "perfect spouse". I believe the secret to a long marraige is to find someone with faults you can live with. Let's face it, we all have them. Too many people think they will eventually find that "perfect" person. Give up, there is no such thing.

My experience was different from yours, and it was an inspiration to me in my own marriage. My maternal grandparents were married almost 50 years when my grandfather died. My paternal grandparents were married 72 years, when they both died on the same day. (There's a real story behind that one. My grandmother died first, my grandfather didn't know, but he died within 24 hours of her anyway. Makes you think, doesn't it?) All my uncles and aunts were in their first marriages except one. My mom and dad were married 52 years when my mom died. My brother and his wife were married 27 years when he died.

My husband and I have been married 35 years. There were many times I didn't think we'd make it, but it's been worth all the work we've both put into it. My son married last year, and I know he's hoping for a long marriage. He's proud of our long marriage, as I was proud of my own mother and father's long marriage.

Glad to join this thread. We celebrated our 62nd anniversary last month. Got married at 19 & 22. Marrage was always a committmeny. Too many of the younger couples want to leave after a disagreement. Have to learn to work together. I feel especially blessed that my DH is me best friend and we enjoy spending time together.

Nothing worthwhile is ever easy! We have to take the good days with the bad.
I was married for 49 years when my Dh passed away 16 years ago. I always remember the good times we had and the poor ones too. We always had necessities and raised our 3 children best we could. They are all well and prosperous today.

I agree with Clem55. My husband and I were married 40 years when he went to live with our Lord. Our marriage wasn't without its ups and downs which were many. I, too, wanted my children to live in a home with both a mother and father and at times it was really hard. All of my four children have been divorced, so I don't know if we taught them anything about give and forgive at all. I just hope the grandchildren will have learned something from us. I know one grandson said he wanted to pattern his life like his grandfather. That was so nice because he was a very good man.

My DH and I will celebrate our 47th anniversary next Tuesday (8-31). We have two fine sons who have chosen us wonderful daughters-in-law and four grandchildren.

My DH had a stroke in 2001 and is now in early stages of Alzheimer's. Last week we began working with a therapist who specializes in Alzheimer's patients. During the testing, the therapist asked him to write one complete sentence about anything. He wrote "I love my wife."

My advice for a long marriage is to put your spouse first, even above yourself. Of course, this works only if both spouses adhere to this practice.

Oh my, that brings tears to my eyes! Such love you share, it has even managed to bridge the start of that horrible disease. God Bless you and you DH.

AbbyQuilts, uglycook, litacats, and Clem55 all touched my heart today. I am working on 40 years Christmas with dh. And yes, it has been with God's help.

My husband and I will celebrated 34 years in Feb.And some of them were tough.For when we first got married he was just a working man, now however he is still that but much more,he became a Preacher after we had been married 10 years with 3 children.Life sometimes has a way of changing what you thought it would be,and becomimg a whole new experience. You have to work hard at it and enjoy each other and talk about the things that try to make trouble in a marriage.Letting things go can do a lot of damage.Marriage has to be worked at,you can't just think that it will always be red roses,it won't. We brought up 3 wonderful kids, all of them are in the ministry in one form or other.Our oldest son has been in the Air Force for 15yrs.He in his spare time ministers to the Elderly in Nursing Homes.Our daughter is now a foriegn Missionay in Panama with her husband.The youngest son is a Youth minister in Oklahoma.Each one of them are married and the two oldest have children.Each day they have to work together to ensure that they keep their homes as solid as they can.But it takes work.
So to those young people who are newly married, marriage takes two people working together to keep it together.