Henry and I took our first anniversary trip to celebrate 25 years of marriage. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago when this smooth talking truck driver asked me dance with him at the Birmingham Airport Ramada Inn! One year later, we got married at the family farm in Ohio.
Our marriage has not been without excitement. Henry, Eric and I moved to our place in Clay after 2 years and lived there for 20 years. Henry quit trucking 3 years after Hank was born and began to farm. Homeschooling was new and Hank prospered under Henry's guidance. We (Eric, Hank and I) learned to help with farm chores: hay balying , feeding chickens, loading hogs. Together Henry and I learned to make jelly and can veggies. Faith United Methodist Church played an important role in our lives in Clay and we grew spiritually while developing close friends.
Three and 1/2 years ago Henry, Hank and I moved to the Ranch in Colorado, as you know. What a change. This chapter has been the most challenging and exciting of all. During our time here, Eric and LeighAnn, still living in Birmingham, have given us a beautiful grandson, Jon-Wilson. Hank has graduated from high school and now has moved to Prospector Hall at Montana Tech.
So, to celebrate these 25 exciting years (well they weren't all exciting) we planned a trip to the Canadian Rockies and arrived on Sept 2nd at the airport in Calgary, Alberta Canada. We saw some beautiful sites! The mountains in Canada are younger than those in the USA and have eroded less. The peaks jut out of the ground and beautiful lakes are fed by the rich mineral waters of the numerous glaciers. 
We went horse back riding into the mountains near Jasper National Park. The four hour trail ride stretched muscles we didn't know needed stretching. Henry gimped around for a full day after riding Stu, the perchion draft horse! 
We left Hinton, AB and traveled south 150 miles to the Banff National Park. This park includes Lake Louise, 
Banff Springs Hotel, 
beautiful waterfalls, lots of hiking trails and the Columbia Glacier Fields. Henry planned our Sunday activities and after a 90 mile drive east, we arrived at the Pioneer Tractor Museum - are you surprised? 
The park housed acres of tractors, old farm implements and two morton buildings full of a private collection of restored pick up trucks dating back to the early 1900's. There were some fantastic displays and of course a lot of farm junk.
The park housed acres of tractors, old farm implements and two morton buildings full of a private collection of restored pick up trucks dating back to the early 1900's. There were some fantastic displays and of course a lot of farm junk.On our last day, which was my favorite, we traveled to the YoHo National Park to see Emerald Lake. 
This was the most beautiful place with aqua waters, tall evergreens, and quaint lodges and canoes! Henry rented a red canoe and together we paddled around the perimeter of the lake. I loved it!
This was the most beautiful place with aqua waters, tall evergreens, and quaint lodges and canoes! Henry rented a red canoe and together we paddled around the perimeter of the lake. I loved it! Much to our surprised, we found things to talk about beyond our children and their activities, we rediscovered the fun things we liked to do together, we laughed, cooked dinner, and relaxed in hot springs. I wonder what the next 25 years will bring.
