By Diana Massimino

I married my childhood sweetheart. We started dating when I was 12 and he was 13 years old. Our parents freaked out when we told them that we were going steady and they must have been hoping for it to pass. Well, no such luck because by my 20th birthday and his 21st we were married on June 11th 1965 at St. Mark’s in New York.

I married my childhood sweetheart.

According to our parents we fought while we were dating, I do not remember that, but they say we did and often. I guess that we got it out of our systems because after marriage we had no time for fighting. I was still in college when we got married and my husband was working so our
schedules were very busy. Thankfully my husbands parents made room for us in their family home so that we did not have to pay rent.

At this time the Vietnam War was going on and the country was very unstable. Young men were being drafted daily and every family had one or two sons in the war. The news of friends deaths was a reality that we were living at that time. My son was born in March of 1967 and it was at this time that they were starting to call married men to serve. This made for a lot of stress as we both knew the fear that they could call my husband to war.

Thankfully we turned to one another to get through this stressful time and he was never called to serve because the war ended. It was at this time that my Brother-in-law returned from war and he traveled to Florida with my husband to see family. It was on this trip that I love to tell people that my husband felt the sand between his toes and decided that we should move to Florida.

So with a nine month old son we packed our home, moved to Florida, got jobs, bought our first house, and settled into the state that we would birth our daughter, raise our children, and see our first two granddaughters be born in.

It was on this trip that I love to tell people that my husband felt the sand between his toes and decided that we should move to Florida.

While all of this was going on our son was also born and diagnosed with severe strabismus. He had his first surgery by the time he was nine months old and by his seventh birthday he had undergone five surgeries. We had to work as a tight unit to support one another and our child during this uncertain time in our lives. We were trying to get by emotionally and physically at this time and provide and take care of our family unit.

Thankfully we turned to God and one another for the support that we needed. I was working a stressful job as a nurse during this time and thankfully God put in my life individuals that became my support and long time family friends. I have learned in my lifetime that God never
leaves us alone, He puts in our path exactly what He knows we need, when we need it.

I have learned in my lifetime that God never leaves us alone, He puts in our path exactly what He knows we need, when we need it.

Even though I was in a stable career I knew my heart was not doing what it was called to do. So with my husbands support I went back to school and got my second degree in Interior Design. My husband encouraged and supported me in this big life change, that not only was affecting me but our entire family. By the time I finished design school we found out that we were expecting baby number two, Deanna.

Two years after her birth I started my own business and left behind the secure job I had. If not for my husband who listened and supported me I am not sure that I would have had the guts to do it.  He maintained the home front while I worked all over the country as my business flourished. I was frequently asked by friends and clients, why are you so lucky to be busy? My reply never wavered it was not luck, it was
a blessing.

I always remembered that all things come from my Lord and Savior. I made time to give to my church, used my talents, and raised my family with those principals. So how did we make it to be facing the eve of 50 years married in March of 2015?

My reply never wavered it was not luck, it was a blessing.

We are still working together. We support and listen to one another, what is mine is his, money, chores, joys, sorrows, worries, achievement, the works. We do not keep score, who did what, when, how much, we just do.

Sure times have been hard, we faced relocation, a child with vision issues, job changes, a spouse with a life threatening illness, a parents tragic death, and we still face issues daily. But, we attend church together Sunday and as a unit we thank God for all of our blessings.

So if I can leave you with one thought, don’t forget to laugh! When my husband is asked how long he has been happily married, he always replys,” too long, almost fifty years and only two of them were happy!”

We attend church together Sunday and as a unit we thank God for all of our blessings.

So you ask where I am today at your last MOPS meeting of the year. We are off playing Elves for our grandsons preschool, five appearances over 120 kids, but I am doing it with the only person I would want to be, my partner in crime, my husband!

Many Holiday blessings to all of you and your families, and lots of laughter.

Diana is one of the mentor mom’s, a mature mother, who supports the Mothers of Preschoolers program at St. Luke Ann Arbor. To read more from MOPS check out the MOPS page on the website.