25. Be Mine

Firstly, I just want to say a massive congratulations to Debbie and the team for such a wonderful challenge site and for reaching the first of many landmarks :0)
I LOVED this challenge!!! I was so excited when I read that I could lift from one of the DT! After much deliberation I chose Helena. I could have picked from any of her layouts, each and every one is perfect but I chose #16. Thank you x

My photo is of my DH who is rarely scrapped (unless he is with DGD!) so with the testimony prompt and the colour palette being so brilliant for a masculine ( I use the term loosely as in this photo he could be either gender! Please bear in mind this is 1983 when boys looked like girls and his greatest influences were the Davids...Sylvian and Bowie!!) page I pulled out an old favourite photo of him.

My journaling is tucked in a band behind the gate and reads as follows:

'A letter to the 18 year old you, from your future wife x

This wonderful photo was taken by me on a weekend away to Margate soon after I returned from Canada. We thought it exciting that the landlady insisted we were married if we wanted to share a room, so I put a ring on my wedding finger and we signed in as Mr and Mrs.
Little do you know that within 18 months you will be married to me with a baby girl and then 23 months after that we will have another baby girl.

Our relationship has always been tempestuous at the best of times, a volatile passion, both knowing we should separate but loving each other too much to walk away. It will come as no surprise to you to know that our marriage will pretty much be the same rollercoaster ride. We will have great times and horrific times. We will both know the torture of guilt and the pain of deception. We will discuss separation many times but it will never get to the point where one of us leaves.

You are not my soulmate, my darling. How could you be? Our backgrounds, values, principles are poles apart. We don’t have the same interests, we have very few friends as a couple, we are complete opposites. However, the one thing we both have is an absolute and total love for our children and granddaughter and most importantly for each other.

No matter what else goes on within our marriage, our love will never dwindle, the passion will never fade, and as you and I get older the rocky times will be in the dim and distant past.

You have been my love for more than 30 years now and I hope you will be forever xxx'

Thanks so much for stopping by. If you would like to see some close ups and my evidence please visit my blog:
http://missybossy65.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/csi-25-be-mine.html

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Comment by Jacynthe Loubier on July 4, 2012 at 10:15am: Ali, you really deserve to be Star Witness this week. The journaling is honest, and daring in a lot of ways. To be able to write these things down, not to hide and pretend that everything was/is perfect, is to be commended. I've been married for 30 years and god knows it's trying at times but, unlike you, I've never had the courage to journal about it. I admire you for that.

As far as your layout is concerned, great job lifting Helena. Her style is not easy to replicate. Love the whimsical stitching, and the use of white space.

TFS:)

Comment by Helena Virpi on July 4, 2012 at 7:42am: Congrats on being the Star Witness. Absolutely fantastic journaling!!!

Comment by Eila Sandberg on July 4, 2012 at 12:38am: Absolutely brilliant journalling darling! Congrats on being our Star Witness of the week! xoxo

Comment by Debbi Tehrani on July 1, 2012 at 11:52am: Oh, Ali! This is so gorgeous and heartfelt, and you did a masterful job lifting Helena! Thank you for openly sharing this piece of your heart.

Comment by Helena Virpi on July 1, 2012 at 11:15am: I'm honored Ali that you chose to lift my layout! You did it brilliantly. And I love your own twist on it. Thanks for sharing your sincere and honest journaling.

Comment by Di Garling on July 1, 2012 at 2:02am: Love it. Cheers Di xo

Comment by Emma on June 30, 2012 at 2:36pm: Absolutely stunning!

Comment by Sylvia Mellander Ekman on June 28, 2012 at 12:49pm: He does look a bit like David Sylvian. Or Simon Le Bon. :) Your page is awesome, a great tribute to Helena AND the eighties -oh, I miss the eighties sometimes. The music in any case and maybe that life was simpler in a way. Girl, you got me all nostalgic here! :D xoxo

Comment by Adrienne Ford on June 26, 2012 at 9:53pm: Ali, I admire your honest journaling. I think we can all agree that marriage is a marathon that you hope to get better at as you age together. Such a beautiful story and with a wonderful page to boot!