Celebrating 40 years

We met at Popcorns in Marina del Rey in September of 1984 — on a night I truly did not feel like going out. I had just finished working at the mall and wanted nothing more than to go home, but a friend convinced me to join a group heading to “that nightclub” in Marina del Rey and promised it would be fun. So, reluctantly, I went. Once we got there, my attitude changed — I figured I’m already here and decided to just go with it. And that’s when I saw him. I remember thinking to myself, who is that babe? As it turned out, he was friends with our friends. While I noticed him, I wasn’t interested. I’d run into this “babe” around town from time to time. He would flirt, and I would roll my eyes. Then came the day we all ended up together again at Alpine Village. Even then, he was still a no for me — but later that night, something shifted. We talked for hours, really talked, and I finally gave him a chance. I gave him my number, and the rest truly is history. We were married at the Los Angeles Courthouse on August 8, 1986, with every intention of renewing our vows on our first anniversary. Life had other plans. I was expecting our first child, so instead of planning a vow renewal, we were buying baby items. Brandon arrived in 1988, Alexis in 1992, and the years moved quickly. Looking back, it’s amazing how an ordinary night — one I almost missed — became the beginning of everything. Even then, God was at work. Fast forward to 2026 — and here we are, celebrating forty years of marriage and renewing our vows. Forty years is a long time. Like most journeys, ours hasn’t been without its lessons along the way. We’ve faced many hardships and made our share of imperfect choices. But choosing to place God at the center of our marriage has been — and continues to be — the best decision we’ve made. Through that foundation, we’ve experienced grace, growth, and blessings far greater than ourselves — blessings we now see reflected in our children and grandchildren, who are the fruit of that decision. We are deeply grateful for the family and friends who have walked alongside us, supported us, and celebrated with us along the way. Thank you to our children and grandchildren, who are our greatest joy, and to my husband, for choosing us and choosing this life together. John has been my steady presence — my rock when I am not. He is kind, patient, loving, and generous, and God knew exactly what He was doing on that fateful night. And above all, we give all the glory to God. There were moments when we could have walked away, but God carried us through, strengthened us, and brought us here today. And if John were telling this story, he’d say he knew all along.