Together 60 Years!

Today my family celebrated my parents’ 60th wedding anniversary.  They were married on November 3, 1951 in Des Moines, Iowa.  Our day was spent reliving memories, driving around their old neighborhoods, hearing stories, visiting the Iowa Hall of Pride museum, eating at a 50’s diner, enjoying each other.  It was a day to remember!

Sixty years seems like a long time, but they say they don’t know where the time went.  It seems unreal that they are knocking on eighty, because it wasn’t long ago that they were young and in love.  I’m happy to report that they are still in love.

Mom
My Mom is almost always smiling.  As a kid it would irritate me, along with her contant humming, but now I am refreshed by her spirit of joy!  I see in her a woman who has been faithful to her man through ups and downs.

She is submissive!  Sometimes I have encouraged her to speak up for herself in certain situations, but she usually chooses to quietly pray about matters instead.  I am thankful for a mother who smiles with her eyes, voice (over the phone), lips and heart.  She is an example of a faithful wife and prayer warrior.

Dad
My Dad sold three pigs to buy my mom’s ring, and they had a short engagement because he was drafted into the army.  Although he didn’t end up going over to Korea, there were many stressful moments related to his service to America.

In my Dad I see a man who has taken care of his wife and loves her more than he did when he married her. 

My Dad claims that my Mom proposed to him.  His teasing is accompanied by eyes sparkling with fun.  My Mom groans with a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. She’s heard this story a hundred times.  Today we got “the rest of the story” on video.  The truth seems to be in the middle: they shopped for rings together, but he wasn’t formal in giving her the ring, so she nudged him a bit, “Aren’t you forgetting something?” 

I count myself extremely blessed to have parents who have stayed married for 60 years. Thank you, Mom and Dad!