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Two years ago, Britton, who is now 74, and Bobbye, 72, were busily working their way down a list of “50 wonderful things” en route to their 50th wedding anniversary. They were married Dec. 27, 1956, in Harlingen.

On the couple’s list were all sorts of things, from big trips to small pursuits. They kicked off the yearlong anniversary party with a family vacation to Santa Fe, N.M. They played dominoes a lot and kept a running score (Britton would like people to know he’s winning ever so slightly at the moment). They went on hikes in the area. They read books together, shared coffee and kisses, and held hands as they walked at Hulen Mall.

Britton says he will never forget walking down Santa Fe’s Canyon Road surrounded by 16 of the people he loves most in the world, all singing Christmas carols in the glow of the farolitos. Bobbye says a cruise to Alaska where she saw sea otters and “dandelions as big as teacups” may have been her favorite “wonderful thing.”

Checking things off the list brought them closer.

“We like doing things together; we like doing nothing together,” Britton says. “Even reading together in the same room is wonderful.”

To be fair, Britton and Bobbye are experts at togetherness. They’re “ambassadors” of the Association for Couples in Marriage Enrichment, or ACME, a group they’ve belonged to since the late 1970s. In fact, they’re one of only five or six “ambassador couples” for the group in the nation.

They are uniquely qualified to serve. Britton has been active in ACME since 1978, when as leader of the single adult ministry at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, he and Bobbye attended one of the organization’s couples retreats. He did so because he was concerned about the number of divorced church members who were joining his singles ministry.

The state of marriage, he decided, was under siege.

That was the beginning of their devotion to marriage enrichment. For years, Britton worked as a therapist and, with Bobbye, wrote books on the subject. At age 50, he earned a doctoral degree in marriage and family studies. Recently, Bobbye, who also has a doctorate (in American literature), self-published a book, Building Lasting Marriages. They travel the world leading workshops and retreats in Mexico, Canada, England, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand. And since 1985, they have met once a month with six other couples as part of a marriage enrichment group.

Young couples coo when they see Britton and Bobbye holding hands or when they learn they’ve been married for 51 years. The Woods would like to make a few things clear, however. They had to learn to make their marriage work; their marriage isn’t perfect, and they don’t preach to anyone.

“We try to be authentic. We aren’t trying to prove anything,” Britton says. “We can’t be experts about somebody else’s marriage, but we can tell people what has worked for us.”

They fill their days talking, arguing, planning, laughing and loving to the very best of their ability. They have fun with their marriage.

“Not enough married couples see married couples that look happy, ” I think couples should celebrate anything, everything.” says. Bobbye “.