golden anniversary
Who would have thought that this day would come? Fifty years ago, my husband, Bob Schulenberg…the love of my life…and I said our “I dos” and stepped out into a lifetime of love and great memories. I am actually so surprised to be here…not at our Golden Anniversary, but rather at this point so quickly. It seems like just yesterday that we got married!! How could the years have gone by so fast. Nevertheless, while they went by quickly, the years have been so blessed. I could not have asked for a better life if I tried. Following our marriage, we quickly became the parents of two precious little girls, Corrie Petersen and Amy Royce. They blessed our lives beyond measure. They were always well behaved, sweet little girls who were each other’s best friends. They got along so well, and almost never fought.
Through the years we had many opportunities to travel the country and show our sweet girls what a great nation this is. We especially loved the Black Hills of South Dakota; a place we still go every year. We also took some trips with just the two of us. These were like second, third, fourth, etc honeymoons, and we felt very blessed. Our parents helped out with those trips, of course, by watching our girls while we were gone. Those were usually just weekend trips, but they were a lot of fun.
All too soon, our girls were graduating and then getting married. We became empty nesters, but it wasn’t too long before our house was filled with babies. We were young grandparents…I was 39 and Bob was 40, and we were so excited. Plus, being young gave us more energy to be active grandparents. The girls brought the kids 
over every morning before school, and they would be with me until it was time for school. Those were always precious times for me. We had one granddaughter and three grandsons…Christopher Petersen, Shai Royce, Caalab Royce, and Joshua Petersen. We were so very blessed. Those were wonderful years, filled with giggling, laughter, love, and fun.
As with our girls, our grandchildren soon grew up and two of them are now married with children. Once again, our world is filled with babies laughing and playing. We don’t babysit as often, but sometimes we do. We have one great granddaughter, and five great grandsons…Cambree, Caysen, Justin, Axel, Cyler, and Cristen Petersen, and we feel so very blessed. We see the kids as often as we can, but when we can’t their parents are so sweet to send us lots of pictures and videos. Technology is a great blessing too.
Bob and I still enjoy traveling, going to the Black Hills and Thermopolis, Wyoming every year. Our travel is rather simple. We love hiking and the sightseeing of these scenic areas. We like to go to visit our daughter Amy Royce and her family in Ferndale, Washington too. That area has so much beauty, and the hiking is amazing. Now, we find ourselves on a new road…part of the Golden Anniversary crowd. How amazing is that? We are both retired, so our time is our own, to do with as we please. These are blessed days in a whole new way. We might jump in the car and take a drive to the lake on the spur of the moment. Or we might decide to just have a 
quiet evening at home. We don’t have to make serious plans. The thing we are doing the most is to simply enjoy being together, because after all these years we still say “I do” and still love each other very much. Happy Golden Anniversary to the love of my life, Bob Schulenberg. I love you so much and thanks for the memories.
When I met my sister-in-law, Debbie Cook, over 50 years ago, we became friends right away. We both worked at Kmart then. She was in the Deli, and I was in the Millinery Department (handbags, gloves, and wigs, in case you didn’t know). In fact, it was at Kmart, where I met my future husband, Bob, who is Debbie’s brother. As our friendship grew, we decided to make each other our maid of honor at our weddings. Debbie and her husband, LJ were married first, on June 8, 1974. Bob and I were married on March 1, 1975, nine months later. As we had planned, I was her maid of honor, and she was my matron of honor. At that time, as with any marriage, there are no guarantees, but both marriages made it to our fiftieth anniversaries. Debbie and LJ celebrated theirs on June 8th, 2024, and we will celebrate ours on March 1st.
Our lives took turns that were the same and turns that took us in different directions. We both had daughters. 
Bob and I had two daughters, Corrie Petersen and Amy Royce. Debbie and LJ had three daughters, Machelle Moore, Nancy Cook (who passed away shortly after her birth), and Susan Griffith. The girls spent a lot of time together…until Debbie and LJ moved first to Thermopolis and then to Powell. After that, while the girls were still friends, they didn’t see as much of each other as they had before. That part made us sad, but life takes us in different directions sometimes. The moves to Thermopolis and Powell were what was best for Debbie, LJ, and their girls. In fact, they still live in Powell today.
There were some other differences too. Bob and I had three grandsons and one granddaughter, while Debbie and LJ had two grandsons and two granddaughters. Bob and I also have one great granddaughter and five great grandsons, while Debbie and LJ don’t have great grandchildren yet, but that day will come too. There 
could well be more great grandchildren in all our futures. Life has taken us in different directions over the years, but it has also taken us to the same place too…our golden anniversaries. We have remained sisters and brothers-in-law. And we have remained friends. We have shared a family, her family, my in-laws. We have shared history, experiencing many of the same things. We may have taken a few different paths, but we have arrived together. Today is Debbie’s birthday. Happy 72nd birthday Debbie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Fifty years ago today, on June 8, 1974, my friends and now sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Debbie and LJ Cook said “I do.” It was a beautiful ceremony. The bride’s mother, Joann Schulenberg was an amazing seamstress, and she made the wedding gown and the bride’s maid’s (me) dresses. Debbie and LJ have had a long and happy marriage, filled with mostly good things. They had three daughters, Machelle Moore, Nancy Cook (who went to Heaven shortly after her birth), and Susan Griffith. They lived in Casper, Wyoming for a short time after their marriage, then moved too Thermopolis, Wyoming for a short time, before moving to Powell, Wyoming, where they would make their permanent home and raise their girls. The girls have married now, and sons-in-law, Steve Moore and Josh Griffith have joined the family. In addition, grandchildren Weston Moore, Jala Satterwhite, Easton Moore, and Kaytlyn Griffith have also blessed the family.
Their daughter, Susan was telling me about her favorite memories from her childhood. She is reminded of their gardens, both floral and vegetable. Debbie and LJ plant a garden every year, and they have since the girls were little. They truly have green thumbs too, because Susan says, “consistently, they always have such beautiful 
flowers in their yard, and beautiful veggies growing in the garden.” She says, “The taste of home-grown tomatoes will always remind me of growing up, eating them like apples.” Unfortunately, their garden was damaged this year by the cold weather, so they had to go to the greenhouse twice and plant twice. Hopefully they end up getting some good ones with the second planting. This year, Debbie and LJ added raised beds to their gardening toolbox. They’re so much easier to take care of!
Susan loves that her parents still live in the house where she grew up. People don’t often stay for many years in the home where they raised their kids, but it is very cool when they do. Susan also loves that her daughters and nephews know that house as well as she does, and for them to see where she and her sister grew up. The kids also have the blessing of being able to glean the wisdom their grandparents have to share, about everything from gardening to school to life. Growing up near your grandparents is a huge blessing, even if you move away after your grown. Those young years spent around grandparents will go with you wherever you go.
Since LJ retired, he and Debbie spend most of their time together. If it’s possible, they have grown closer, and their love has grown deeper. They also have their sweet little dogs to keep them on their toes and the dogs also 
give everyone some good entertainment. The past fifty years have really flown by. In many ways, it seems like just yesterday that they were married, and yet, we know it isn’t. Many marriages these days don’t stand the test of time, but the love Debbie and LJ have for each other has done just that, and I have no doubt their love will grow deeper and deeper for the rest of their lives. Happy Golden Anniversary Debbie and LJ!! Congratulations on 50 years together!! Have a wonderful day!! We love you!!
