Marriage

(Leaving for their honeymoon on their wedding day in 1976.)

Today would have been my parent's 33rd wedding anniversary. Their marriage was an amazing example of what true, real love is all about. My brother and I were blessed with the best role models, with two people who taught us that marriage takes work everyday to make it work. That it's not always easy but that love, compromise, growing, listening and learning are paramount. That showing your love for each other through actions, not through material items -- although those are nice sometimes too;) -- is what matters.

They both made sacrifices, choices that for better or worse changed the course of their relationship, learned how to love through difficult times and learned how to love themselves through it all to better love each other.

So today I say to my mom, thank you for your nurturing and loyal spirit, for showing us that love is unconditional, for loving dad for all that he was and for continuing to grow and love yourself. To my dad, I miss so much seeing the way you looked at mom with the light in your eyes. The way you talked about her and how she was your best friend. I miss seeing you two hold hands. I wish we could have seen you celebrate many more anniversaries.

Thank you to you both for showing me the way I want my marriage to be and how hard I want to always work to have that kind of love (and thankfully I do have that with my Hero Hubby, but I'll never take advantage of it or take what I have for granted.)

Happy Anniversary. I love you both!

(Still in love and dancing the night away at my wedding in 2005.)