we started dating when i was a sophomore in high school.
actually… he was my first date i ever went on.
i remember it more than any of our other dates.
it was when i was a freshman… i was 14 years old. oh. my. word.
but i broke up with him after a month or two because i was young & wanted to date other boys.
all the boys.
that lasted… not too long.
by the next summer we were together… forever. 🙂.jpg)
we got married sooner than we would have planned but babies bring situations up a notch.
there we were… 18 & 20, married, baby on the way and moved to Illinois all by ourselves.
we knew no one but each other.
craig was a junior in college… full time student athlete at Northwestern.
i worked as a temp at the college until Lauren was born.
afterwards i went back to work and craig watched lauren by himself.
(student athletes cannot work during the school year – NCAA rules)
we found a church right away.
and we think… THAT was a huge strength to a young couple.
i didn’t want to but he knew we should be a part of a church.
he found one and i remember i was at my parents visiting and he said over the phone “i went t a church today that i think you will like”
and we went from then on.
we met our friends that changed our lives there.
it was a special place to us.
and it happened slowly over the 10 years we were there.
but that place was safe and we grew in our faith, our marriage and as parents to our kids.
he graduated.
we moved to a “nice” apartment… oh boy we thought that place was awesome!!!
two bathrooms! two window AC units! a patio! an elevator to get to the second floor!
we loved that apartment.
he got a job in Illinois and we decided to stay & not move back to kansas like we had always said we would do..jpg)
we bought a house and fixed it up room by room.
we had scott. then sean. then talby.
we had THE BEST time raising our kids in that little white house..jpg)
we found out we were pregnant with annie the day after we came home from our 10 year anniversary trip.
we were in shock.
good news of course but 5 babies in 10 years was a lot.
our house was getting full.
we started looking for what was next.
it ended with moving back in kansas.
we knew that was God because we wanted to go someplace new.
God thought we should come back home…. so we did.
2 weeks after annie was born we moved to kansas.
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we bought a big 100 year old house that had space for 10 kids if we’d have had them.
we remodeled every room again just as we’d done in IL.
we enjoyed our time together working on the house too!
our kids grew.
and grew.
i started a blog and began writing about our everyday life.
after 7 years of loving that old beautiful home… we moved out.
we decided very quickly that we would move to the rental farm house so that we could be close to our kids new schools and run my business from the old house.
what an adventure!
it was crazy but it felt so right it wasn’t even funny.
god gave us complete peace about that decision.
we LOVED that farm house.
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we loved having so much family time just being together outside.
it was a great place to be.
we stayed there two years.
and then we moved again.
we bought a house in town… close to everything… something we owned… it was time.
and here we are.
20 years of marriage.
our daughter whose being essentially forced us to make a decision 20 years ago if we were in this or not… is a sophomore in college!
she is now older than we were when we got married and had her!
and she is awesome.
we are proud of her and how well she is doing at school.
twenty years is a lot.
but it feels like we just started… there is so much fun yet to be had!
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he is my best friend and he lets me know i am his.
he is so funny and he makes me feel like i am VERY funny.
he is patient, considerate and thorough.
he is the hardest worker.
he’s helpful & grateful.
he takes care of me and his family like an expert.
i am so proud to be his wife… i can’t believe i am so lucky.
He didn’t leave when he could have.
he has always been right here.
thank you mr. duerksen.
for making twenty years feel like a cake walk.
i love you.
Sunday Faves – Free Education, Homegrown Veg & Love to Admire | ss_site_title - […] Image Credit: Megduerksen.com I really hope I’m writing similar words in 15 years time So those were my favourite posts this week – please share yours with me in the comments, I’d love to check them out! […]
Shelby Shreck-Beck - I absolutely LOVE this post!!! It is evident that you two love each other so much just by looking at the pictures. This is so refreshing to see when so many marriages today end in divorce. It is obvious you have something special and over the years took the time to nurture it and as a result you have 5 beautiful children and a strong marriage. Congratulations!!!
tracy fisher - I absolutely LOVE your story!
Kris - Happy Anniversary! My husband and I will celebrate our 21st anniversary next month and our oldest is a sophomore in college too! I love how happy you two are and how you said the first 20 yrs were a piece of cake. I feel the exact same way. People said it would be hard at first but it sure hasn’t been so far! I just heard on the news this morning how young people aren’t getting married anymore and don’t see the point. That makes me sad. Maybe they should read your post 🙂
Melissa - Happy Anniversary- what a beautiful post about your beautiful family! Blessings!
britt - amazing. Loved this post. Congratulations.
Tami - Wow, 20 yrs is a long time! Congrats to you guys and many more to come! I stumbled onto your blog about 6 years ago and peek on here time to time when Im not so busy! Your daughter Annie was a toddler when I first started reading, she has really grown up now! I love how colorful your blog is and its Christian based which I love. Many years of happiness, blessings and faith to you guys! xoxo
Chris - Happy Anniversary!! I love your story!! Thank you for sharing it!!
Amy - Thanks for sharing. We have two babies 18 months apart, 2 and 8 months old, and it feels like we’re in this weird twilight zone where nothing will ever exist besides diapers, Sesame Street, baby snuggles, and cleaning up messes. It’s good, but it’s great to be reminded that this is really just one stage of our lives, not the sum total of our lives/marriage. 🙂 Congrats on 20 years!
beth larson - I love your love story, thank you for sharing it. And can I just say that you were cute at 18 and 20- but you are both cuter now!
Amber - Happy Anniversary Mr. and Mrs. Duerksen! May God bless you with many more years of happiness together!!! I enjoy peeking in on your life and catching up with what yall are doing. I view you as my online friend far away, even though it’s totally one sided and that’s kinda wierd. Hopefully one day I can come to a Craft Weekend and meet you in person! Keep up the wonderful inspiration!! Thanks for making me smile!!!!
Kristin S - I feel like a total blog stalker, but I’ve read this post a few times already this week. Marriage is to be celebrated! God’s faithfulness is reflected at each point you described.
You are living my dream. I’m 43 and single. It never dawned on me back in college that I wouldn’t be sending my kids to college at my current age like my peers. It’s weird.
Thank you for sharing, Meg. I wonder what God has planned for the next 20!
Tiffany - Wow! What a lovely tribute, and a beautiful life you have created together! You are blessed! 🙂 Happy Anniversary, friend!
Tanya H - I love it! Great photo collection!
We just celebrated 15 years and I put together a digi scrapbook page of photos of us on or near our anniversary thru the years. 🙂
debbie - I love you blog! I love this post! Isn’t God amazing in the way he leads and guides our lives and blesses us with the right life partner! Marriage isn’t always easy but focusing on the blessings and all the positives makes us realize all the blessings we have to gether as a couple! Have a wonderful day and wishing you many more years together – 40 …60!
Jessica Shrock - Love this post! Congrats to you and the Mr.
Sherry - I’ve read you for years now. I’m with the others, this was one of my favorites. I really like your family. Like a lot.
Jen - I absolutely loved this post! (Tears ran down my face as I could feel the love) Congratulations on 20 years! It is awesome to know that not only do you love your husband but you like him as a friend too. You should feel proud of the amazing journey you are on together. Here’s to 30 more!
ranee - i love this post…congrats on 20 years! My husband and I just celebrated our 10 year anniversary this summer…this made me even more excited to look forward to the next 10!
Flower Patch Farmgirl - Well, this is the happiest post ever. It almost unsicks me. Almost…
I love this line: there is so much fun yet to be had!
And in one of those pics Lauren and Scott look SO much alike! I don’t think I’ve ever noticed that before with them.
I like your family very much.
Jenny B. - What a sweet, sweet post!! Happy Anniversary!!
Kelly - Way to go on 20 years! Kelly
Mrs. H - Happy Anniversary!
Stacey - Thanks for making me cry! WOW, you two look better each year! Congrats on 20 yeras and such an awesome journey. And 5 beautiful kids!
Abby Stanger - You are such a delight! I have followed your blog for several years and enjoyed hearing about your family life from the beginning! You inspire me to be a better mom, wife and working woman!
Kelly Sites - What a beautiful story and life. You guys are super cute!!!!!!
Congrats!!!!
Tessa - Congrats on 20 years! I realized after reading this post, that I need to take more pictures with my hubby and I. We have plenty from our younger years but hardly any recent ones. I guess 3 more kids (we have 4 all together) in 4 last years will do that to you! 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration!
Susan A - Greetings from Illinois! Super-sweet post! Love all of the pictures. Happy 20th to you and your hubby!! You are both so blessed with a beautiful family and I love following your blog. Thank you for sharing your talents!
Tracie M - Congrats on 20 years and blessings on many many more! I applaud you for choosing the hard way, marriage and family when you were so young. Well done! I keep reminding my unmarried friends that marriage is a choice, to love that person when when you don’t feel like it. It can be a tough road but it’s oh so worth it!
Kristin - That was beautiful. Congratulations, and happy anniversary!
angela - Love this walk thru 20 years! What a blessed life! You are amazing and have more talent in your little finger than I have in my whole body. Heard a GREAT quote that you may like: *I want my marriage to be more beautiful than my wedding.*
chrissi - so many good things about this post. my favorite, your husband found you two a church. that kind of says it all. …and it shows. your smiles say it all. congratulations!
Carrie - Beautiful
gretchenee - You always inspire me, but I think this is THE BEST. I love seeing strong marriages in action. Happy 20th! We celebrate ours in May and I’m more in love than ever!
Elizabeth Cannata - Darn you! It is 8:18am and I am drinking my coffee and trying to start my day. Now tears are running dowm my face, makeup and all. It is ok because reading your story gave me hope. It is so refreshing to hear about a family choosing life instead of abortion. You are all so blessed and I hope the blessings continue until you all go straight to heaven. Congrats on 20 years!!!
tasha roe - congrats! what a beautiful journey the two of you have been on!! wishing you many more years together!!
Gina - Wow! Twenty years is quite an accomplishment these days especially considering your start!! I know because my marriage started the same way. Thankfully (only God!!) we are on our 31st year!! 🙂 This is one of my favorite posts of yours. I love all the photos through the years!! To God be ALL the glory!!
Cara Yeh - Happy Anniversary! It was so fun to read your story… (And see all your hairstyles!)
Heidi Jo the Artist - Happy Anniversary! Isn’t marriage an amazing journey!? Cool to document it, your kids will appreciate it someday, if not already today. Many blessings for many more happy years together!
Gevay - Happy Anniversary! Lovely story!
Michelle Deckert Richmond - Happy Anniversary to a beautiful couple….now and then. Michelle from Canada.
Jen Dahl - this is awesome. congrats on 20 years and a beautiful family – every one of you has a smile that lights up a room. looking at your family grow through the years was really, really fun. photos are SO important in telling our stories! thank you for sharing yours…
angie - meg… i’ve been following your blog for years… gotta say… LOVED this post… it made me tear up! what a trip down memory lane… seeing all of these pics in one spot from over the years… happy anniversary to you and mr. duerksen! what a journey… wishing you many more years of happiness!!!
Renee - I love everything about this. Lovely posts like this are what blogs are all about!!
kelly - Megan, I luv your story….. Happy Anniversary and way to rock 20 years.
Jennifer - Sweet tears and smiles as I read this. I love my story of marrying my high school sweetheart 26 years ago — at 19, and loved reading your story too. Happy Anniversary!
Erin - Happy Happy Happy 20th Anniversary!!!
Heather - Absolutely beautiful. Everything. And so nice to see people staying committed to each other and their families!
Tina - Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful love story. We need our world to see this kind of Love. Congratulations!!
Sarah Kirchmann - Seriously, Meg! What an inspiration!!!
Jenn - Congrats on your 20 years. I have been married for 18 years. I too married at 18. It’s not always easy, especially when kids come along. I’m very lucky to have him. It doesn’t feel like 18 years. It’s just flown by.
Carol S. - So sweet. Jealous you have all these wonderful pictures in one place! Bet that was no easy feat. but very worth it. College athlete at Northwestern, who knew? Best wishes for many more. With the last one home a hs sophomore, I’m seeing glimpses of our future with just the two of us…looks good since there’s joy at every stage.
Kate - You have a wonderful story. Congratulations.
Angie B - What a sweet, sweet post. Made me tear up a little; thanks for sharing. And, unrelated, you sure have worn a lot of hairstyles over the past 20 years! I think I’ll probably keep rockin the side pony til I die.
Janelle - Oh…sitting here at 5:30 a.m. a little teary eyed! SOOOO sweet. You and I both wore the SAME wedding dress!!! I got married in 1995 so it must have been a popular style around then 😉 Fun to see Meg! Congratulations!
Rachel - What a lovely post and I loved all the hairstyles – had a few of them myself!!! Happy anniversary.
Charissa - Best post! Happy 20.
Leslie - OH my. I loved this post! I got engaged at 18 and married my husband when I was 21, and we’ve been together 12 years now. I love hearing about couples who “grow up” and “grow old” together. And I love your blog!
Tiffany - That made me smile, Happy 20th Anniversary!
r - You are so lucky to have such a great marriage and a friend in your husband. Wishing I had the same.
laura oyler - love this! happy anniversary! i can’t believe you lived in the farm house for 2 years….felt like you were there for just a minute!
Ashley - This post makes me all kinds of happy! Love you two together!
Tricia - Happy Anniversary!!! I love that you got to grow up together. Hope that the next 20 years are just as much fun as the first 20!
Julie Friesen - Congrats on twenty years, Megan and Craig! It was fun to read your “history”. You two are so cute together! I need to take more pictures with Andy… seeing all of yours makes me think we don’t have very many together. Enjoy your day!
Jenna - Awe, love your story! You are an inspiration to me!
Michele - This was one of neatest things you’ve ever written. Happy 20th Anniversary! I just shared it with a friend.
Renee - wow. i don’t know you personally, but this gets me choked up. We’re 4 years and 2 kiddos in and i LOVE being married. seems like it’s easy to talk down about marriage on the internet these days. your joy in your marriage is so refreshing. and encouraging. just, wow! i can’t wait to have been married for 20 years 🙂 thanks for writing.
Stephanie - Oh, happy anniversary! I love your story. Your family is so relatable (we have seven kids and got married early), and I love reading about you all. This post brings tears to my eyes as I’m missing my husband who has been gone most of the summer. Here’s to many more years together!
Helen - I remember the first time we met you was at a Community Life (AKA Care Group)intro at church. I was in awe of you with your five kiddos, Annie was tiny. What a blessing you have been with your absolutely honest blog. I love reading about what you have thought to do next. You are an amazing woman, and your man is too. My man thinks he is a great guy. Glad you moved back to KS, and even though we hardly ever talk, know I am enjoying you from afar, sort of.
God bless you two and your great family!
Meg - Happy 20th Anniversary! What a beautiful and touching story of faith and family. You are an inspiration.
Juli - Awww, how sweet! Thank you for taking us on a walk through your family album. You are all adorable.
Jenny J - What a beautiful love story. Love reading your blog and enjoying the journey you are having with your beautiful family, god bless 🙂 x
Jodie - Congratulations!
Angela - Happy Anniversary to you both! I loved this entire post and the pictures! I too was married young with a little one on the way and we’re still happily together 23 years later.
Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Happy anniversary! I love every picture!! Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us.
Katie - What wonderful blessings through the years… love is awesome.
Pamela - What a great post, looking at your journey together through all those pictures. It is my wedding anniversary tomorrow, 21 years. September’s a good month!
Jessica Wheeler - Now that is dripping in sweetness…Thanks for sharing! God is SO good and evident in your journey:) love from Bama!
nakcus - What a beautiful story! Happy Anniversary!
Christy - Congrats on 20 years!! Thanks for sharing your story and the pictures. What a great post – one of my favorites!
kelli - This is gorgeous. I love your love story. It gave me goosebumps. Congrats to you and the beautiful, happy family you’ve made together! Hope you’re celebrating big-time! xoxox
ellen patton - What a good life you’ve had!
Jenny - I’ve been a reader for a long time now and I think this is my favorite post you’ve ever written! I LOVE IT! Also, I would love to know how you organize and archive your pictures. Would you do a blog post sometime about how you do that? Or if you’ve written one in the past, id love to read it! Can you point me towards it?
Also, confession time: I went to the Making Things Happen conference in March 2013. One of the questions that we really had to dig deep on is what is a dream job. Like – what would we really really want to do if nothing stood in our way. And my answer was to have your job! A shop, blog and host craft weekends at a home where people come and stay and I can invest in them, help them create memories and teach them! Hope that doesn’t all sound weird to say – just wanted you to know you truly are an inspiration. It is my goal to do something like you do once I raise my babies and have a little more time to focus on creative endeavors!
Lisa - I love this post today! Happy anniversary… what a great story you both have. A testimony about making things work through the good and hard. Have a wonderful day celebrating 20 yrs!!! Something to be very proud of!
Julie - Congratulation – what a love story. Thank you for sharing it and all the photos too. You are a beautiful family.
Necole@seriouslysassymama - I met my husband when I was 14, and we have been together every since.
Whitney - Oh Meg! I love every bit of this story! I don’t know you in real life, but I’ve been reading for years and feel like I do 🙂 Happy anniversary! You have such an adorable family.
Karen in NYC - Meg, This post is really special, especially because of all the photos, including from the early years. And, I realize it is totally not the point of your post, but it’s fun to see your hair styles through the years!
HJM - Such a great story! Your family has beautiful smiles. 🙂
Amy - One thing I loved about this post…besides your amazing love for each other…Craig’s 2 hairstyles and your 20+ hairstyles. 🙂 Congratulations! You are an amazing example of what marriage should be.
Anne Cucchi - Love following your blog! Happy 20th Anniversary…We’re celebrating our 30th today. September 3rd is one lucky day!!!!
Heidi Durant - Love this. Me and my Mr. were married young also. Going on 14 years. I love to read stories of marriages that are strong and successful. Thank you for sharing a glimpse of your journey!
Angie - thank you – thank you for sharing your life with us. This was a wonderful way of demonstrating your love. Very romantic and touching (i cried). When do we hear from Mr. Duerksen. I would love to read his point of view..
Happy Anniversary – May God bless you and your family.
Marsha Kern - Best wishes on 20 years, you guys make a wonderful and cute family here is to lots more!!!
Linda Johnston - Thank you for sharing your journey!! Its beautiful. Full of love, joy and hope. What an inspiration! Happy Anniversary!!!
Nicole - I absolutely loved reading this! Thanks for sharing your story and such fun pictures! Blessings & Congrats on 20 years!
Jamie - What an inspiration! Thank you for sharing your journey. Your family is beautiful!
Jessie - Wow! This really hit home. We are contemplating a move back to Kansas from Denver and I keep looking for *signs* that the move is right for us. This post felt like a sign…..but….it’s KANSAS.
I keep telling myself how hard it was to leave home in the first place. Then, I take an afternoon walk and see those gorgeous mountains and I can’t possibly move back to Kansas. Then my 2-year-old cries b/c he wants his Grandma (in Kansas)…..
Today, your post was my *sign*.
Thank you!
erin - congrats!! Happy 20 years!! I hope my 20 years with my man (we are newlyweds) are just as fulfilling as yours!!
Heather - Precious story! Happy 20th!
Livlife - Hi Meg!
I’m a long time reader, but I don’t comment very often. I just wanted to say that is one of my favorite posts you’ve ever written. I love hearing about your family and the early years and seeing all your old photos. This post just felt so full of love, it was moving and beautiful.
Congratulations on 20 amazing years.
kelly - loved every bit of this. thanks for sharing!! happy anniversary.
Sarah Wolfe - I’d say he’s a keeper, but I bet he thinks the same about you too 🙂 Loved the walk down memory lane and all the pictures. Happy anniversary!
Jenn - I’m crying! That is so awesome. I knew most of your story…but to have the pictures and it all told in one go….just awesome! Congratulations! 20 years is a very big deal.