27 Years, Yet Going Strong

January 23rd, 2007 by Sexy Mom · Viewed 5746 times · 33 Comments

Today marks my 27th wedding anniversary. I can still remember the young me walking down the aisle that cool Wednesday morning, eyes only for my future husband, Alan, and no one else. Finally, we would be wed. Finally, it would just be him and me (but not for long…)

My wedding was kinda different from the well-planned weddings of relatives and friends that I know of. I didn’t engage in preparations, which were done by my husband and his family; from invitations, to rings, to church, to gowns of the entourage, to guest list, to flowers, to the reception. At the last minute, everyone was aghast to find out that no one was contracted to do my hair and make up.

But I still recall having visited the couturier, Bobby Yalung, who designed an exquisite gown, which my daughters and their friends admire much to this day. They say it was very much like the one worn by the fairies in the Lord of the Rings. It has been borrowed many times for pictorials and for stage plays.

We had the reception at the Century Park Sheraton Hotel, where guests had their tables in balconies rather than the ballroom type table arrangements. Oh, I was very young then, not even caring for details. Was it naivete?

27 years after, what have we got: 3 lovely daughters, 4 loving sons, a daughter-in-law, and 2 charming granddaughters (and 1 coming soon, I heard?) and years rich in experience. What is the secret, you might ask, for such long union, still going strong? All I can say is that in 1988, which was the turning point in my married life, we started to allow God to be the center of our lives. It was not an easy path, we had the usual highs and lows, we still do. But at the end of the day, we all come together to pray and thank the good Lord for the blessings bestowed on us.

I may not be a perfect wife, a perfect mother, or a perfect daughter, but I strive to be the best that I can. And I assure you, there is that perfect blend of sanity and craziness in our large household.

23 years from now, it will be or golden wedding anniversary. It will not be any different from my wedding 27 years ago – I will not be involved with the preparations, from invitations, to rings, to church, to gowns of the entourage, to guest list, to flowers, to the reception, not out of choice, but out of circumstance. I will be very old by then to even care of the details. Let my children, grandchildren and great grand children do all the planning!

Tags: Fun · Parenting and Family

33 responses so far ↓

dimaks // Jan 23, 2007 at 6:23 pm

Happy and blessed 27th wedding anniversary! I wish for a more stronger family tie in the coming years. I bet your irreplaceable experiences in dealing with family matters/married life would be worth treasuring.
ba // Jan 24, 2007 at 1:14 am

Hmmmm. Ako yung pinanganak nung 1988 ah. Kasalanan ko ba yung turning point? Hehehe
noemi // Jan 24, 2007 at 6:17 am

Happy anniversary! If I had married my current husband a few years earlier, then it would have been our 27th wedding anniversary too. The problem is that my husband is 2 years younger than me. I told him to wait.
Belle // Jan 24, 2007 at 7:55 am

Lovely picture of a lovely bride! Happy 27th Anniversary!
sesame // Jan 24, 2007 at 10:44 am

Happy 27th anniversary! Wow, that’s a long run and there are sure many tips we can pick up from yours.
Ginnie // Jan 24, 2007 at 7:49 pm

What a wonderful tribute to your husband and the relationship you’ve seemed blessed with for 27 years, Dine. I definitely wish you to see your Golden Anniversary!
Sidney // Jan 24, 2007 at 8:12 pm

Wow! Congrats for your 27th wedding anniversary ! This is something to rejoice!

I am at the 14th. I wish for many more anniversaries but it shouldn’t go that fast!
Years are flying by… I just want to stop time!
jing // Jan 24, 2007 at 10:05 pm

Best of luck and many more anniversaries to come.

Im getting a wedding dress this year and in MANILA. Husssh, i havent announced it officially yet, so this the first
Beng // Jan 25, 2007 at 1:11 am

Hi Dine,

Congratulations! Wow, nakakainggit naman kayong mag-asawa how I wish kahit silver wedding anniversary ay maabot namin ni hubby dovey ko. Err, six years palang kasi kami and both of us are over the hills na.

P.S
You look sooo beautiful and innocent on that wedding pic.
Leah // Jan 25, 2007 at 1:23 am

Happy Anniversary Dine…wow ..antagal na pala and you still look young and vibrant. And I agree you r gown looks beautiful.
vic // Jan 25, 2007 at 2:39 am

Nowadays, not too many marriages last too long and yours as you said still going strong and loooking forward to the golden anniversary, which I and my 7 other siblings were privileged to gather together to celebrates our parents in l986, a week after our youngest sister’s and hers is her 21st. this May. Congratulations and wish for a very happy anniversary.
KK // Jan 25, 2007 at 2:58 am

Sexymom, Happy 27th Wedding Anniversary!

You have to share how on earth you were able to juggle having 7 kids while having a career.

Thanks for visiting my blog.
TorAa // Jan 25, 2007 at 6:56 am

Wonderful post. And so nice you’ve been married for 27 years.
I’m close to 25 in my second marriage – the first one lasted 12 years. And we are all very good friends. Like real brothers and sisters. And the children and grandchildren really knows to appriciate that fact.

Congratulations.
ruth // Jan 25, 2007 at 6:58 am

Congrats on your 27th! We’ll be married 27 years in July! Yikes! It doesn’t seem that long. We have no kids but have had cats instead! HA! Thanks for visiting my blog from Toraa’s!
Sexy Mom // Jan 25, 2007 at 8:52 am

thanks, to you all! am so blessed to have wonderful new friends like you.

for those nearing their 27th (ruth, TorAa, noemi), 15th (sidney-you can’t stop time, but just like you, how i wish!), 7th (beng), for those getting a wedding dress (shhh! jing), and the whatever th year (belle, tell me!, KK-it just happened, you know, vic-lucky you for having 7 siblings, Ginnie, dimaks), good luck, and God bless!
Shari // Jan 25, 2007 at 10:46 am

Happy 27 years of marriage. Na-touch ako sa entry, and I wonder if my parents are going to last that long snickers Hehe

You’re blessed to have your husband and children, just as they’re blessed to have you. For me, you’re a perfect wife/mother just because you don’t claim to be one, and that you do the best you can.
niceheart // Jan 25, 2007 at 11:06 am

Wow! 27 years. Congratulations. You were a lovely young bride and you still are beautiful up to this day. I still can’t get over the fact the you have 7 kids. I don’t know why, considering that my only sister also has 7 of her own.
hoop // Jan 25, 2007 at 1:05 pm

Congratulations on your Wedding Anniversary
tin-tin // Jan 25, 2007 at 3:55 pm

wow! happy wedding anniversary to you and your husband!

it’s not the wedding that matters but the marriage
Prab // Jan 26, 2007 at 12:47 pm

Whoa! 27th! Congratulations! I wish mine would reach 27th too.
Gail // Jan 26, 2007 at 1:16 pm

Congrats Dine! Happy 27th! Miss ya!
Jing Sychangco // Jan 26, 2007 at 1:37 pm

Hi Dine Happy, Happy, Happy Anniversary! Dine hindi ka ata yung nasa picture hehehe.
Sexy Mom // Jan 26, 2007 at 1:53 pm

thanks to all of you (shari, tin-tin, niceheart, hoop and prab). i am touched, really really touched.

and Gail and Jing , i do miss you so much!
rhodora // Jan 26, 2007 at 5:07 pm

Wow! ang ganda mo! You looked like Maricel Soriano – no kidding!

You are on your 27th na pala, kami, magtu-twenty six sa March 8.

By the way, thanks for your comment sa site ko. i know you were wondering why it was being classified as spam. Pero ganun lang yun. Dont mind it, kasi, what I do is I just open my Spam Karma list, then I recover the non-spam comments and they automatically go to the my comments section. I hope you’ll just free to leave comments.
rhodora // Jan 26, 2007 at 5:08 pm

Ay, Congratulations pala on your anniversary!
duke // Jan 26, 2007 at 9:06 pm

happy anniversary!

It’s a great achievement to have a marriage like yours
Kyels // Jan 27, 2007 at 1:36 am

Wow … Congratulations

(:
Sexy Mom // Jan 28, 2007 at 10:56 pm

thanks, rhodora, duke and kyels!

rhodora – as to looking like maricel soriano, see my earlier post Sexy Mom-Bared! and you will know…wow! you’ll be on your 26th anniv this coming 8 march.
Rach // Jan 31, 2007 at 12:20 am

Happy Anniversary! It must be wonderful to look back on all those years of happy and memorable moments. Wishing you more great years to come. God bless.
tutubi // Feb 1, 2007 at 6:58 pm

27 years of blissful marriage

something i wish i could reach too
Lazarus // Feb 2, 2007 at 6:20 pm

Wow! Happy 27th wedding anniversary Sexy Mom! And may I pick something from your post:

“All I can say is that in 1988, which was the turning point in my married life, we started to allow God to be the center of our lives.”

May you have many more God-centered married years ahead!
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