A Letter from the Weaver's

Dear John and Linda,

35 Years - Impossible. Where did the time go?

I am sorry I did not get this out before today. I am in a park in Lisbon and can not find a wireless connection but I am on my way to a conference in northern Portugal tomorrow and am sure I will be able to send this onto you soon.

Remembrances

I remember first meeting Linda at one of the MSU graduate parties or Don Taylor's Christmas party. I am not sure which. But I knew immediately that I liked you a lot and felt a real sense of comfort.

The graduate school years:

You were the rich graduate student couple. After all, you had a trailer of your own while we lived in good old Pebble Creek, government subsidized housing. Of course, that was until there was a fire in one of the other trailers in your park and you became too nervous about trailer living and on you went to your apartment too.

But mostly I remember John and Terry playing ping pong on Friday. With Linda working, it was usually my job to call Linda at work and invite her over for the evening. The guys never had the nerve to admit they were playing while she was working. I also remember Linda helping me reupholster my sofa (or should I say I kept you company while you did the reupholstering). This ended up being one of my life time pursuits. The only difference is now I have a professional do it.

We had lots of fun in East Lansing. Just getting together for the evening and talking graduate student and female chit chat. This was before Kristine and Matthew and Brian was just a first grader.

We also shared part of our big trip out west. I am not sure if you were both still in E. Lansing or it was when you had just moved to Bowling Green. But we were both headed west. I can remember stopping at Las Vegas. We saw Roy Orbison, while you saw Bob Newhart - talk about different tastes! But your old camper made it all the way.

Bowling Green

From there you were on to Bowling Green and we were on to Chesaning. You had this great house and I can remember we cane down to help you clean while you moved in. I don't think it ever did get furnished. But after Bowling Green and boxer shorts, Kristine was born.

Mt. Pleasant

I can still remember Linda and the babe in arms as you were moving into your new house on that hot summer day in Mt. Pleasant. I also remember your dad told you that this time it was time to buy a new couch. Little did he know you were going to have to help me cover yet another couch!

Not long after youmoved in we went to a wedding. Do you remember who's? Little did I realize I would still be using the napkins we bought for a wedding gift. If I had only known we would have sprung for a more expensive gift.

We did several Christmases and Thanksgivings together and we both had big life changes. You got Matthew and I got Ken, Blake and Ryan. What a change!! Although we are not close to 35 years, we will be married 25 years this Jan 1st (and the cross stitched wedding day memory is still hanging in our house).

I still can remember Ken and me coming over in the evening and Ken getting the kids all riled up so they would never go to sleep. Then you came to our house on High St and how much Kristine loved those stones under our Hawthorne tree. She could keep busy for the longest time just sorting through the stones. I also remember the picnics on summer holidays and the visit to our cottage on Lake Huron (another memory in one of our picture collages that is hanging in our lower level). But most of all I remember just hanging out!

Beyond Mt. Pleasant

Ken and I left first as empty nesters and you soon followed for a different life. Although our paths have not crossed as much as I would have liked I still hold thoughts of the two of you dear and feel like we could still pick right up where we left off.

And here is hoping we get to pick up again!

Happy Anniversary!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Pam and Ken

The Schleede's at Lake Michigan this summer

Don't they look alike?!
Still smiling after 35 years!!
A perfect summer evening

Congratulations

Dear John and Linda,
Happy Anniversary! 35 years together is an incredible accomplishment and such a joy to witness. From sharing our first Mt. Pleasant Thanksgiving with you 14 years ago (or so) to marrying your son, I have been so blessed to know you and to be part of your family. I have loved seeing how much you love and support each other and those around you. I hope that Matt and I are blessed with a long marriage and know that we couldn't have a better example! Congratulations! I love you both!
Laura

Quote of the Day

My most brilliant achievement was my ability to be able to persuade my wife to marry me.

- Winston Churchill

Good Times!

Congratulations aunt Linda and uncle Skip!!!!

Seems like just a few years ago, I was a little guy flying down snowy hills in Mount Pleasant or ice skating on a small lake. I looked forward to thanksgiving every year to see you and Matt and Kristine. Some of it might have been the shopping haha but you were like my second family and I appreciate you letting my parents and I partake in your lives. Although we've grown up and away from each other we still continue to get together and there is nothing more important or as exciting. Again congratulations and may the next 35 be just as memorable for the both of you!

Love,

Jason

A Letter from the Lepisto's

Dear Linda and John,

We want to congratulate you on your 35th wedding anniversary! We have known you for about 28 of those years!

Both of you have been dear friends to us over the years. John, you have been a colleague, department chair, dean, and friend at CMU. Linda, you have been a great friend and "mother adviser" providing insights and help in mothering Douglas and Scott. As a couple, we remember many gatherings at your home, including a baby shower when Brenda was pregnant with Douglas over 25 years ago - sure doesn't seem that ago. John, you and I celebrated our 40th birthdays together with Jim Burley. What a fun party that was...including the belly dancer.

Our memories include Immanuel Lutheran Church and the "stitching group" along with Marketing Department retreats and parties.

We have many fond memories of our time spent together over the last almost three decades. We wish you happiness and good health if the future.

With sincere congratulations on your 35th wedding anniversary,

Larry and Brenda Lepisto

Happy Anniversary

Kristine's first birthday party!

Congratulations on 35 years together! That is a wonderful accomplishment in this day and age. You have set a wonderful example for not only your children, but the rest of us as well. I remember very well the first time I met both you. I had seen you at church earlier in the day with an adorable baby girl. Later that afternoon I received a phone call from a friend who was babysitting that cute little girl. It seems that Kristine would not stop crying. I went to lend a hand and shortly after, you both arrived home. Luckily for me, it was the start of a great babysitting job that lasted until I went away to Interlochen. Your home was always a happy, positive, and welcoming place to be. I remember Linda sewing different things for me throughout highschool and making me a lovely pillow for my highschool graduation. Though distance has limited our visits over many years I remember fondly the times that we have been able to get together. Perhaps the thing that makes me feel the oldest is thinking back to when Kristine and Matt were both just babies. Now Kristine, along with Linda, is a Godmother to my own daughter. I couldn't have picked any better people!

You have accomplished amazing things over the past 35 years. Raising a wonderful family (not an easy job as I now know!), setting a wonderful example for how a great marriage should be, and welcoming others into your lives with such warmth and kindness. Enjoy your day of celebration! It's been wonderful to have been part of this journey with you. Annika says congratulations and she loves her Advent calendars that Linda and Kristine send each year. She talks about them all year long. Thank you for being such a wonderful family.

Congratulations

Congratulations on setting out on a journey together 35 years ago based on a bond of love, friendship, and faith. Your milestone as a couple is nothing short of remarkable. 35 years truly serves as inspiration to your children, family, and friends.

I wish I could provide a recap of a childhood memory or story of growing up around your family…perhaps a “One Time in Mount Pleasant moment”. I can tell you that it’s been an honor so far having the opportunity to know a very wonderful and impressive result of your union together. Kristine is a remarkable example of how your love, commitment, and strong values have impacted not only the people around you but also the world as a whole. Kristine is a very accomplished young business professional and is also a very loyal and trustworthy friend. I have had the opportunity to get to know you both as a result of my friendship with your daughter.

I look forward to seeing you enter into a new phase in your journey as husband and wife, but most of all as a family. Congratulations on 35 years!

Happy Anniversary!

-Amy Hodson

Examples

We have had the best examples possible. Both of our parents should be proud of the job they did raising us. I just pray the I can be the same for my kids some day.

My hobbies are pretty much the same as dad's , I love to run (distance especially) and read. My personality resembles mom's caring, sensitive and thoughtful. I love them so much that apparently I thought that I would like to take parts of who they are to make me who I am. Strong work ethic is something that both parents taught me (you have to earn what you get). They also taught me that things aren't always easy, struggles are part of life and something to learn from. Also that family is very important. We always made and effort to see family even thought we didn't live close to any of them.

I can't thank you enough for everything that you have done for me and given for me. I love you both very much.

Quote of the Day

You don't marry someone you can live with - you marry the person who you cannot live without.

- Unknown

Favorite Memories

Vacations
1) We took two trips out west as a family, my memory is about the second. We had a pop-up camper and my parents had just bought a new minivan. We encountered a thunder and lightning storm and there had been trouble with the back window being sealed properly and Kristine had decided to sleep in the van and she got soaked because the window wasn't properly sealed.

2) Aruba - Our parents treated us to this fantastic vacation a few years ago. It is the first time that I have adult memories of our parents not skewed by being there child living under there rules.

3) This goes along with the first one but all of the national parks we went to as kids. Grand Canyons, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone(leaving the day before the fires scorched the park), Mesa Verde, Rocky Mountain.
Going in pars of two to take hikes because we couldn't take the dog with us.
Seeing all the bison up close at Yellowstone.
Seeing old faithful
Taking hikes at rocky mountain and seeing all the waterfalls
The list could go on for pages.

Growing up second
1) Holidays and all of our family traditions, of which I have had to amend to include Laura too.
2) Moving out west and back again.
3) Anna Street house (which is still my home in my mind)
4) The Kaisers
5) Mom asking the right people to let me be able to still attend Pullen Elementary when we moved to a new school district.
6) In Washington mom and dad letting me choose the school I wanted to go to and moving to that school district
7)Dad teaching me to drive a stick shift
8) Mom teaching in me to drive in a school parking lot
9) Playing with Kristine in the basement of the Anna Street house.
10) Picking up/out Duke
11)Dad taking me for my first run in college even though I was way slower than he was.
12) Laying on the couch with mom, Kristine and Kiki.
Of course there are tons more....

Congratulations

Kristine and I had great parents growing up. They were always there for us and provided everything that we could ever need/want. 35 years together is a great accomplishment and something that we have been blessed to see and be part of. Congratulations!

Love
Matt

A Letter from Susan

Dear Linda and John (aka Skip),

Congratulations on your 35th wedding anniversary! Linda you have been a friend for more than 35 years since we were sorority sisters in Alpha Phi Delta at Valparaiso University. Both you and Skip were my anchor when I was homesick and finding my way being in the Midwest. But I think I was a pretty good matchmaker!

We have spent almost every Thanksgiving with each other over the 35 years. I was a bridesmaid in your wedding in Chicago. You both cam to Jim and my wedding with Kristine in Valparaiso right back from Hawaii and jumped right in to help with mending my wedding dress.

The first picture we have sent are of you and Kristine and Matt at Jason's baptism. You were alredy at the house for while helping us take care of Jason since Jim was weak from the heart virus and I had a c-section. Your support helped to make the transition to motherhood easier. Linda, you even helped me cut Jason's fingernails for the first time.

The second picture we have sent is month after Jason's first birthday when Jim and I were going to Vanderbilt to see if they could help with Jim's condition. I think Skip celebrated his 40th? birthday with us.

You are a wonderful couple who have traveled an interesting journey that has taken you to many interesting places and experiences. We hope you enjoy many years to come.

Happy Anniversary!

God bless you!
Jim, Sue and Jason