Today, my husband and I have been married for 25 years!
He was my knight in shining amour who came into my life right when I needed him to. God knew. And so did my mom. 
I have no regrets about marrying Leonard Anthony Valenti and I have been as happy and content as I ever could be. I love him more today than I did the day we got married. God put us together and nothing could ever tear us apart.
April 23, 1983. He was 29 and I was 21 years old.
We saved as much money as we could on the wedding so we could have a honeymoon in Hawaii. I was so proud of myself for finding this Gunne Sax dress for only $150! I absolutely loved it and thought it was so beautiful. Yes, I still have it.
My 22 year old son is now wearing this suit Len got married in. Kyle likes some 70’s and 80’s styles of clothing.
See all of our wedding photos on my Flickr account.
Here we are, 25 years later, in love – best friends – ONE.
12 Comments
April 23, 2008 at 8:33 am
Congratulations! Tena and Lennie!
Hard to believe that 25 years have gone by already. Seems like not too long ago you got married yet, so much has happened in between. I remember your Mom being so happy that you found each other! Looks like you had a beautiful time away. If the Lord tarries, may he bless you both with 25 more!
Love Ya!
p.s. when you see Lennie’s grin you can’t help but smile!
Thanks, Cindy. Sometimes 25 years seems like it flew by and at other times, it doesn’t. My mom says she fell in love with Len before I did. She invited him to our house for home-made ice cream and I was so embarrassed because I didn’t know ahead of time. But, secretly, I was glad.
I can’t believe I actually liked Len’s beard back then! He looks much better without it, but I thought he was the most handsome man on earth!
Love ya, too!
April 23, 2008 at 8:52 am
Congratulations! 25 years really? You two still act like newlyweds, lol!
Awww…thanks, Mindy.
April 23, 2008 at 9:16 am
That is so awesome !!!
Congratulations to the both of you !!
God bless you, and keep you for another 25 years.
marianne
http://heavenawaits.wordpress.com/
Thanks for visiting my blog, Marianne. And, thanks for the blessings. God bless you, too.
April 23, 2008 at 9:24 am
Congratulations on your special day.
Thank you, Sis. Hopper.
I just figured out that my mom was the exact age that I am now, when I got married – 46.
April 23, 2008 at 10:05 am
Congratulations. Thanks for sharing the pictures, I love them! You two still have the same sparkle & smile today that you did 25 years ago. All I can say is Awesome testimony
Thanks, Tina. There is more to the testimony that is more awesome – in a spiritual way. I was 20 when we met. I was raised in the church and Len had just come into the church. He was a fired up, wild new convert! I thought he was weird! Ha!
I was not doing well spiritually at the time, but I was coming to church. Len’s friend who won him to the Lord, Bruce Holston, warned him to stay away from me because I wasn’t doing well spiritually – he was concerned about his new convert.
But, in the next few weeks, we began to talk and hang out with the singles together. To make a long story short, he basically won me back to the Lord. We were only friends at this point. I prayed through in my bedroom one night and I had an experience with God that changed me forever. After that, it didn’t take long before we realized we were very much in love.
Awesome, yeah? 
April 23, 2008 at 11:39 am
Bro. Len and Sis. Tena, Congratulations on 25 years of marriage. May God continue to bless you with His richest of blessings! I hope and pray you have many more years together.
I Love and Appreciate you both!
Oh, thank you, Sis. Hurst! You’re the best!
April 23, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Congratulations on 25 years, that is awesome, may the Lord continue to richly bless you, with more years to come, I love to hear how others have found each other through GOD, God bless, thank you for sharing all that you did you all look very happy then and even more now, ♥ Cheri
Thank you, Cheri. We are very happy now! Because of what God has done and is doing in us.
April 23, 2008 at 12:58 pm
CONGRATULATIONS! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! HOPE YOUR DAY IS AWESOME!!
Thank you, Sis. Holley!
April 23, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Happy Silver Anniversary and Congratulations! Love is a wonderful thing. Brian and I are approaching 29 years of marriage.
April 24, 2008 at 10:09 pm
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Ya’ll are a wonderful couple and I wish you many more years together….madly in love!
Thank you, Sis. Elms. Yep, madly in love!
April 25, 2008 at 2:09 am
cONgratulation !!
u guys are great
looking at ur picture after 25 years of married
just making me wanna cry (i envy of ya)
perhaps my life will end up like you
Hello, itsimple.
I’m so glad you stopped by my blog. Thanks for the compliments! You are so kind.
Your life CAN be like ours. What we are today is because of our relationship with Jesus Christ. He’s the only way to have true joy and peace in the soul.
Do you have a blog of your own?
April 26, 2008 at 11:39 am
It is so wonderful to see how happy you two are. Gets better and better – that’s what I hear!
Congratulation – you both look absolutely radiant and more beautiful today.
Love you Sis Tena.
Thank you for the sweet compliments, Catherine. Love you, too!