Share Our Lives; How I Met My Husband

This month for the Share Our Lives link up we're talking about how we met our significant others (or perhaps you'd rather share how you and your best friend met!).  


My husband and I actually do not remember meeting one another; we went to the same middle school so we met at some point during school.  We had a group of friends that hung out together all through our last two years of middle school and while I definitely remember him there I don't remember the first time we met.

Here he is at some point probably in 8th grade teasing me for always snapping photos (I even had a camera in my hand most of the time back then too!)  Sorry the photos aren't the best but I'm taking pictures of pictures for this post. 


Our friend group changed a bit from time to time with new members coming in as they became friends with one of us... but there were a core group of us that remained pretty consistent. Almost all the guys from that friend group headed off to the local technical high school that our son, Alec, now attends and we all kept in touch.  




By senor prom our group had changed a lot.. but my husband and I are both second in from the left on the top and middle rows. 


Ben and I started dating right after my 16th birthday.  I just remember being struck by how sweet and kind he genuinely was. I mean I always knew that but I had never really noticed or appreciated it until then. 

Here I am opening gifts (pretty sure those are the girls I used to babysit behind me with my older sister behind them)

Here's my husband with two of my bears on his shoulder (I'm in the yellow shirt with my back to the camera). 

Neither one of us remembers who asked who out but I do know he had had a crush on me before that and I think I made it pretty clear that I was sweet on him so sometime between my 16th birthday in July and his in October we began dating. 

We went through all our high school and college milestones together. 

Junior semi-formal winter dance

My junior prom


His junior prom

My senior winter semi-formal

My senior prom (he didn't want to go to his)

My high school graduation

I remember being at his high school graduation but I don't have any pictures of it. 

Our first vacation together was while I was still in high school-- my mother allowed me to go away with him and his ENTIRE family (including aunts, uncles, cousins, etc) to Old Orchard Beach, Maine where they rented one small house that everyone crammed into (some slept in tents in the yard!).  We had a great time and went back for several more years eventually adding our own little side trip onto the end staying in York Beach, Maine or Hampton Beach, New Hampshire.  




Various other pictures from high school and college:



We bought our first house together while I was still in college and we were married in 2001 just weeks before I finished up my master's degree. 




I hope you'll join us next month when we look at 5 Items We Can't Live Without


 


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Comments

  1. HollyFebruary 12, 2024 at 5:25 AM

    This was so beautiful to read Joanne! Anyway I LOVE your junior year prom dress- YEAH for taffeta and it is red- even better :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne February 12, 2024 at 8:52 AM

      Thank you! I made it myself (with the help of my mom)... it has a giant white bow in the back that starts at my shoulders and goes to the ground and it was one of those high/low dresses so we put in a white panel that tied the white and red together.

      Delete
  2. Handmade in IsraelFebruary 12, 2024 at 6:30 AM

    Such a sweet story! You were both so very young when you met. How funny that your first trip together was with his entire family!

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    Replies
    1. Joanne February 12, 2024 at 8:53 AM

      Thank you! Luckily they were a really fun and sweet group.

      Delete
  3. MariaFebruary 12, 2024 at 6:34 AM

    You guys are adorable and such a sweet story.

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  4. Megan RussellFebruary 12, 2024 at 6:39 AM

    I love your story! It’s so sweet. How awesome that yall met in 8th grade! My daughter and her husband met in 6th grade and started dating freshman year.

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    Replies
    1. Joanne February 12, 2024 at 8:54 AM

      We actually met long before 8th grade.. but I'm not sure exactly when; perhaps 5th or 6th?

      Delete
  5. Maria RineerFebruary 12, 2024 at 6:40 AM

    I enjoyed reading your story! And of course seeing pictures from years ago. You guys have been together for SO LONG! I love that!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. NatashaFebruary 12, 2024 at 7:00 AM

    I love that you have known each other for so long and have so much history together. I had to take photos of photos for my post too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne February 12, 2024 at 8:54 AM

      Thanks! It's hard when everything was before digital existed. :)

      Delete
  7. PamelaFebruary 12, 2024 at 7:32 AM

    What a great story! I was really looking forward to this month's link-up.

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    Replies
    1. Joanne February 12, 2024 at 8:55 AM

      Thank you! I thought my post was going to be so much shorter and more boring than it turned out to be. Good thing I went digging into the photo archives.

      Delete
  8. AnonymousFebruary 12, 2024 at 7:39 AM

    That's so sweet, I love how you guys have been together for such a long time!
    Ruth@playworkeatrepeat

    ReplyDelete
  9. LeanneFebruary 12, 2024 at 8:11 AM

    I love reading about how couples met and how they're still going strong so many years later. You definitely started young, and you proved that young love can make it through the years. Wonderful pics that gave me a smile.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Dara @ Not In JerseyFebruary 12, 2024 at 8:40 AM

    Wow, that is a long time of knowing each other! So cute. I don't think you've ever (or recently) mentioned your husband's name before this - you always just call him "my husband"!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Nancy Andres at Colors 4 HealthFebruary 12, 2024 at 8:43 AM

    What a sweet post and beautiful beginning of your love story. Thanks for sharing at Senior-Salon-Pit-Stop-297. My contribution to the party this week are posts#28 through 32. Enjoy each day and be well!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Jennifer GoodwinFebruary 12, 2024 at 8:46 AM

    That was fun to read! I love that you go so far back and that you have all those pictures. I have a few that I could have dug around for, but there's not that many. Thanks for being one of the hosts for this!

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    Replies
    1. Joanne February 12, 2024 at 8:56 AM

      You're welcome! I think this is going to be such a fun link up and topic to read about.

      Delete
  13. LyssyFebruary 12, 2024 at 8:54 AM

    I love this so much! Such a sweet story. I also met my husband in middle school, he is one of my best friends older brothers, but we weren't interested in each other until after college. He was a senior when I was a freshman so the age gap was a lot at the time.

    ReplyDelete
  14. TorontoSAMFebruary 12, 2024 at 9:00 AM

    Ah, I love high school sweetheart stories!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Kim CarberryFebruary 12, 2024 at 9:13 AM

    Oh wow! What fantastic photos! I have none from when I was about that age as cameras were not a big thing then.
    Such a sweet story!

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    Replies
    1. Joanne February 12, 2024 at 5:48 PM

      Thank you! I think I have always had a camera of some sort from middle school on (probably not my own but access to one anyway). I even remember the cameras with the strips of flashbulbs and the 110 film reels.

      Delete
  16. Andrea NineFebruary 12, 2024 at 9:20 AM

    Precious then and now! What a great story and wonderful photos!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Kari February 12, 2024 at 11:40 AM

    The first picture in this post?? OMG, I LOVE IT SO MUCH! What a sweet story. Thank you for sharing it with us.

    ReplyDelete
  18. LyshaFebruary 12, 2024 at 11:50 AM

    So sweet! Such cute photos.

    ReplyDelete
  19. AnneFebruary 12, 2024 at 12:37 PM

    Your wedding dress is amazing! What a lovely story it's like you've known each other forever, it was certainly meant to be.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Tanya February 12, 2024 at 4:41 PM

    What an amazing story! I guess you have now been with your husband longer than you were without him. Thanks for the fun link up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne February 12, 2024 at 5:51 PM

      Yes! We always remark on that when any anniversary passes us by.

      Delete
  21. MandyJoyLoves♥February 13, 2024 at 12:03 AM

    What a great story! You guys are too cute, the earlier photos are great! I need to dig up some of my husband and I!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Adrienne PatenaudeFebruary 13, 2024 at 9:04 AM

    I love high school sweetheart stories that last. I have friends that I dont remember how we meet then friends that are like we meet here at this age doing this. Its crazy what we remember and don't.

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    Replies
    1. Joanne February 13, 2024 at 11:45 AM

      It really is; for me the farther back it goes the fuzzier my memory gets for sure.

      Delete
  23. Lindsay's Sweet WorldFebruary 13, 2024 at 11:45 AM

    I love that y'all are high school sweethearts! And y'all are still going strong all these years later! That is truly special.

    ReplyDelete
  24. JenniferFebruary 13, 2024 at 12:06 PM

    I love all these photos! I love remembering the styles (hair and dress) and thinking about my memories during that time. So fun! You have the prettiest smile....it shows in all of your photos!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Jodie's Touch of StyleFebruary 13, 2024 at 1:00 PM

    Wow what a history! I just love seeing those old photos!
    Xoxo
    Jodie

    ReplyDelete
  26. Pat @ Mille Fiori FavoritiFebruary 13, 2024 at 2:04 PM

    Sweet memories, Joanne!I enjoyed seeing all your photos. My husband and I met on a ski trip upstate NY. I was 19 and he was 23. It was kinda love at first sight....although he asked me to marry him x3 before I said "YES!" We have been together since and will be married 50 years this fall!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Tamar SBFebruary 13, 2024 at 7:00 PM

    What a great story!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. MarshaFebruary 14, 2024 at 12:07 AM

    Oh, I loved seeing all the photos of the two of you together! I wonder how many high school sweethearts still get married these days (and are still married).

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne February 14, 2024 at 5:30 AM

      I don't know... even "back in my day" it was pretty rare.

      Delete
  29. Kym February 15, 2024 at 8:33 AM

    I love seeing high school sweethearts who are still happy together years and years later. Love all the prom photos and the wedding photo - you're such a cute couple, and I can really see a resemblance between your boys and your husband!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne February 15, 2024 at 12:56 PM

      Aw, thank you! I think my boys look a lot like my husband too.

      Delete
  30. csuhpat1February 17, 2024 at 12:41 PM

    Such a cool story. So very nice. Thanks for sharing it.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Jennifer WhiteFebruary 18, 2024 at 9:34 AM

    So neat that you found each other so early. I love all the photos...especially when you've labeled you and him. haha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne February 18, 2024 at 1:33 PM

      Thank you! I figured if I didn't no one would find us in them! LOL

      Delete
  32. JayneFebruary 18, 2024 at 1:39 PM

    What a lovely story. You are such a cute couple! :)

    ReplyDelete

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