I want to preface my story by saying I found a
very good man!!
David and I started dating when I was 18 and he was 22 (we met at Kmart, where we both worked). I still lived at home with my parents and he lived in an apartment with a co-worker. Because of circumstances beyond my control (my MOTHER!!
) I moved to Minneapolis when I was 20 - I was wrecking my back pushing the shopping carts at Kmart and the management wouldn't allow me to call stock boys to help as it was *my* job as checkout supervisor to get the carts out of the way and into their proper position. My mother couldn't stand it, so she threw me in the car, kicking and screaming because I did not want to leave my love, and drove to the Twin Cities to find an office job because those types of jobs were scarce in Bismarck at that time.
I promised David that I would only be there a year and then I'd be back to Bismarck (and him). Well... he couldn't wait that long so about 10 months later he moved to the Twin Cities too! I was renting a bedroom in a house owned by my mother's cousin in South Minneapolis and I had two female roomates who lived in the other rooms. David got an apartment in Richfield, about 10 minutes from the house where I lived.
He proposed to me on my 21st birthday (May 31, 1985) and we set a date of May 10th, 1986. I have to admit, after our engagement I spent more time at David's apartment than at my own house - although I still paid rent there... While we were dating, he and I set up joint bank accounts (which we still have - so... what's mine is mine and what's his is mine!!)
Eight years later, we moved back to Bismarck (and family) and that's where we are today.
David has historically made more $$ than I have (although there have been occasions where I surpassed him in that department - just not many) and I historically spend WAY more than he does, so we're a great match!!
We celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary this past May and although we've been through some difficult times together - our marriage is as strong as ever!
I don't think I'd change a thing about how we became a couple or how we've stayed together - sometimes things are just RIGHT!
Good luck and best wishes on your own journey!