Nana Scriv's Safe Place: A Tribute to My Husband on His 72nd Birthday

Today is my hubby's 72nd birthday. I can hardly believe it. Who would ever think when we first met 71 years ago that our lives would intertwine so tightly. We first met when we were babies, but neither of us remembers that day. My Dad was preaching a camp meeting in Oklahoma and Ken's parents lived in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Their babysitter offered to babysit me while they went to camp meeting. Wonder if she put a blessing on us or something. Afterwards, my parents returned to Frederick, Maryland, seven years later moved to Greenville, South Carolina and six years after that, we moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ken's parents were still in Shawnee Oklahoma. Then at the age of 15, we both attended a youth church camp in Oklahoma City and there we met again ..

My first real memories were at the age of sixteen, Ken's family moved to Tulsa and we attended the same church. The girls told me this new guy liked me. I could not believe it as, I had never had a real boyfriend. I was pudgy and very shy with no self esteem and could not believe that a cute guy like Ken could like me.

I don't remember how long it was after that, but I do remember that first kiss. We were sitting in his car in front of my house and he said "may I?" and kissed me. I really did see stars.

In our senior year of high school, Ken went away to Southwestern Bible College in OKC to the high school division. During that time we broke up for two or three months. Then he came back and later, he proposed. So very young, and no idea what was ahead, we were married June 1, 1957 at the age of 18 and 19, 52 plus years ago.

Learning to live together requires work. Learning to grow up together is a challenge. It takes commitment, Christ in the center of the home, and a lot of determination -- a lot of hard work. But we have done it! And now here we are learning how to grow old together. The learning must never end.

The years have been good. Blessed with five children who now are building their own families. Grandchildren are a wonderful blessing. I have recorded some of our experiences together in this blog and also at http://grandkidsonly.blogspot.com/

Thank you God, for giving me the only man I ever loved, a young boy who has grown into a marvelous husband. He is gentle, he is hyper, he is passionate, he can be compulsive but very giving. He is slow to anger, and quick to love. All his life he has had a heart for his family, as well as for little ones and little old people. He has never been afraid to say I am sorry. The best part of all is Ken loves God and loves to spend time in God’s WORD. What more could a wife ever hope for.

We began our celebration last weekend in Dallas by having lunch with Joel, Jen and her parents at the BentTree Country Club. Then last night we had dinner together with our Tulsa children at the China Star. Ken received two gift cards to the Bass Pro Shop. Today we took a little road trip down memory lane by visiting Wagoner where we spent the first night of our honeymoon. Then on to Western Hills Lodge where we spent the second day and night over 52 years ago. We went on to tour Tallequah and back home.