Answer:
- Going on college visits as the parent, not the prospective student.
- Grunting as I plop down on the sofa, and grunting even louder when I hoist myself up.
- Celebrating our twentieth wedding anniversary.
Question: What are three things that make me feel old?
I will focus on the sweet instead of the sour, though. College is a good thing, I am still strong and limber-ish (even with the grunts), and Matt and I have created quite a life together over the last two decades.
We chatted about how much our lives have changed as we lounged on the beach not long ago, back at the same hotel in Aruba where we honeymooned.
The view from our balcony
Back then we wondered about the children we hoped to have, the house we hoped to buy, and the life we hoped to live. It’s difficult for me to remember that couple; it seems like a lifetime ago. I do remember how much I loved my new husband, and that he was my favorite person in the world. That much has not changed, although my heart easily made room for two more favorites.
Enough sap. Before we left for Aruba, I pulled out our honeymoon photo album and took pictures of the pictures on my cell phone. My plan was to re-create the photos, similar to the hilarious ones that are all over Internet. Ours aren’t hilarious, but they amused me.
It should be noted that the twenty year old photos are terrible quality; I was amazed at how awful the lighting was. Then I remembered that these pictures were taken with a film camera, so I had no idea how bad they were until we came home and developed them. The current photos aren’t great either; my photography skills haven’t improved much.
It should also be noted that I did not take my phone with me anywhere, so I couldn’t remember specific details of the old photos. We reenacted most photos on the wrong side, but there was no way I was getting Matt to take another shot.
The rooms have been updated since we last visited:
As has the open air lobby:
We are moving up in the world…our room was on the seventh floor this time, not the second:
I have no idea where this pile of rocks is on the island, so we improvised.
So many more palapas on the beach in 2015, although I doubt I’m leaning against the same tree…
We didn’t spend our entire vacation re-creating photos. Most of it was spent sitting on our butts, sipping fun drinks and eating fish tacos. We did spot these in the hotel convenience store, right next to a seven dollar bag of Funyuns.
I passed on the Pringools, but we broke our rule of not eating anywhere that we can find back home. It was easy to skip the fast food joints, but when I walk by a Dunkin Donuts on the beach at 8:00 am, I simply must get an iced coffee.
Aruba runs on Dunkin.
I don’t think my kids would know what this was:
The view from the lobby:
If I didn’t know the depth of my husband’s love for me before this trip, I do now. Why else would he endure being posed for photos, when all he really wanted to do was nap on the beach? He’s a keeper.
Great idea! And wonderful pictures. Cheers to the happy couple. Marriage ain’t easy!
No, it ain’t. Thanks Liz!
You know what? I think you both look amazing. You’ve aged really, really well. Truly. Our wedding photos are in an album behind the piano that I can’t move because of its wonky leg.
Thank you Kelly – you are good for the ego. You need to get that wonky leg fixed!
OH Dana!!! I’m sorry I’m late to celebrate this 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!! I just love love love that you went back to your honeymoon spot and retook those pics!!
What a life together… what a love you both have… oh this just makes me so happy.
CHEERS girl!! To a lifetime of love, and to those yummy drinks and fish tacos and that glorious beach!!
Oh my goodness, Dana! This was so cool that you guys got to do this! I want me and hubby to do this with our Myrtle Beach trip now. That was sort of like a honeymoon for us. I’ll have to tell him that idea one day. We have such a while to go though. We are only on 4 years of marriage and as you know JR is 3 but we just had Brielle. She’s only 4 months old. 🙂 I really loved reading this and seeing how much you have grown over the years in photos!
Thank you Brittnei – it’s good to hear from you! I hope you are enjoying your baby girl – I love having one of each.
Happy Anniversary Dana! What a fun idea to go back and re-create the photos. It’s hard to believe everything has changed so much. We just celebrated 17 years and when I think about re-creating ours, I’m not sure we would want to. We visited 13 cities in 23 days and backpacked through Europe. Great memories, but it was exhausting!
Yes, I think that would be tough to re-create! I can’t wait to experience Europe with Matt and the kids, and I hope we have many more trips to look forward to in the future.
awww!!! That’s such a wonderful idea to recreate your memories after 20 years!!! Absolutely fabulous!! Belated wishes for the milestone event!!
Thank you Roshni!
How cool that you re-created photos 20 years later! Happy happy anniversary to you and Matt! You’re both adorable now and then. Aruba looks amazing too – I’ve never been. Such a great idea for a post Dana!
You know me, Kristi – any dorky idea that I can pull off in a post. Much to the dismay of my family, who usually have to indulge me.
What a cute idea! It’s so funny to see how things change over the years. Sounds like a wonderful trip for the two of you! You should save these and remake them in another twenty years too!!
I’ve thought about that, but I doubt we’ll go back to Aruba then. Although we did chat with a couple at the pool at our hotel who were 65 and 70 years old. They looked great and seemed to be having a great time. I hope that’s us in 25-30 years!
Happy anniversary! I LOVE these side by sides! So clever. I think you guys look so great and 20 years is certainly something to celebrate.
It is – almost half our lives! Crazy to think that. We’ve actually been together for 25 years, which is even more mind boggling.
The pictures are so sweet! The recreations look like fun 🙂
It was fun (but more for me than it was for my husband).
Really really cute – and yes, your husband must really love you 🙂 congrats on twenty years. In this day and age, I admire that so much!
Thanks, Amy!
Aruba is definitely on my dream list! And the recreation of photos is great. You both look great now – maybe even better! Still young and still beautiful after all these years.
Thank you, Tamara! If you ever go to Aruba, bring plenty of hair bands. The wind is delightful but relentless. My hair was out of control.
Ha – thank you, Catherine. My secret: take photos from far away and use sunscreen religiously. And smile. 🙂
this post was so fun to look at! you guys look amazing and haven’t aged! can you write a post on your beauty secrets?!?!
–Dana,
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
Great photos!
Mr. Liverpool & I lived in the Bahamas for 3 years working for Carnival Cruise Lines.
You’ve inspired me to go back.
xxx
Working for a cruise line? I’d love to hear about that!
You guys are adorable (then and now)! Very sweet post. Happy Anniversary!
Thank you Kris!
Happy Anniversary to you both! I am happy to be a part of your lives. Oh…glad Matt shaved off the mustache too!
Thanks, Ames 🙂
Oh my that mustache! It cracks me up so much! I think twenty years together has been good for both of you. Love that you recreated some of your moments and photographs together. And I can’t even remember the last time I saw an actual pay phone. Happy belated anniversary!
He had that mustache until after Gwen was born, although he added a goatee too. I’m happy with the clean shaven look he has now!
I loved all the re-creating photos! You look like you had a fabulous time (and I think you both look better than you did 20 years ago!) Now I want to go back to where we honeymooned (it wasn’t as fabulous as yours tho!)
It’s funny, at the time of our honeymoon, that was the most luxurious vacation either one of us had ever been on. Not that we frequent the Four Seasons, but we were so impressed back then. It’s still a beautiful hotel and island, though – so no complaints!
I love these pictures- and Matt is definitely a good sport! Happy Anniversary!
Thank you, and thanks for letting Matt crash our walk this morning 🙂
You are one of the most creative people I know, Dana! How fantastic that you did the then and now pics – love!
Happy anniversary to you and Matt. Your love and happiness together is palpable and wonderful to see. Here’s to decades more!
Cheers to that, Nicki! Thanks for the anniversary wishes. And stay tuned…I may just try to get into my wedding gown and post a pic. Only if it still fits, though.
I love the before and afters! What a fun idea! Belated Happy Anniversary wishes to you! I’ve never been to Aruba, but it looks wonderful!
It was fabulous. Beautiful, and out of the hurricane belt. I highly recommend!
I adore this post! Happy anniversary. You’ve inspired me. I now want to return to our honeymoon spot for our 20th, and make Rich do the same;)!
Do it Allie!
Happy Anniversary, Dana! It looks and sounds like your 2nd honeymoon was awesome. So glad. 🙂 Hubby and I went to the Dominican Republic for ours nearly 7 years ago. I’d never been there before, and it seemed like Paradise on earth to me. It was absolutely gorgeous and I’d like to think that it hasn’t changed at all since we were there. I love your post and the way you shot the before and after pictures. They’re wonderful! 🙂
Thank you, Marcia…we had a fabulous time.
Happy anniversary! Now I want to go back and do it all again. Even with the photos…which I normally would shy away from, but it looks like you guys had fun recreating them! I read your post on 10to20 yesterday and it makes me teary. Everyone said it goes fast – I didn’t believe it. But I should have.
I saw your comment on 10 to 20 – thanks, Steph. We did have fun with the photos – Matt is a more willing participant than my kids are!
This is so great in so many ways. I love how much you still love each other after all of these years and I can only imagine the commentary that went on behind some of these photos! It’s wonderful how you’re reflecting on the life you have made and the children you have raised. How lucky and how how hard you worked (and still work!) to keep it all going. Cheers to you both! May you have many more years to come!!
Thank you, Allie. Oh, the commentary was interesting…it usually is!
Happy anniversary, Dana! What an exciting milestone 🙂 It must be so cool to reflect back on your lives together and see how much has happened in that time.
It is, Bev. Much cooler than trying to restage those photos!
Dana, the trip back looked a bit surreal to me. We went to the Bahamas on our honeymoon almost 10 years ago and I wonder how much has changed there since as I know both Kevin and I have grown up so much since our honeymoon, too. But honestly looked like a great trip and was so glad to relive it here with you. So, thank you so much for sharing. And the payphone photo definitely had me giggling as I know both my girls wouldn’t have a clue either! 😉
It’s funny, isn’t it? A few years ago we came across a gas station that didn’t have digital pumps – the numbers rolled by like they used to. My kids were amazed!