ISMYA - Anniversary Edition:

So my parents’ anniversary is on Valentine’s Day this year and every year. But this year marks the 40th time they’ve been able to celebrate their marriage. They have been married for 2/3 of their lives. I want to take a minute and congratulate that because I think it’s more of a feat than we think. My grandparents were married for 53 and 61 years, so I have a good family legacy of people keeping it together. My maternal grandparents were married for 15 years before my grandfather was paralyzed. He remained married and unable to care for himself for 46 years. What? Can you imagine what stick-to-it-ness that took? I can’t; I really cannot fathom what it would even mean to be paralyzed and eat mush for 46 years, much less care for someone that long.
But back to my parents… This union has produced three great sons and one sassy daughter. (And yes I have a sister from another mother) My dad has built at least one house for my mom and my mom has sacrificed to make sure my dad’s dreams came true. I’ve had my share of not being thrilled with my parents’ relationship, but after forty years, I guess some things tend to happen. Sometimes I get mad that we didn’t have much to talk about at dinner time, but when you think about it, that’s 43,680 meals (minus a few breakfasts here and there), so I guess it makes sense. And despite any frustrations I’ve had, this is pretty great and I would “like” it on FB if that was an option. But let’s be honest, I just realized that my mom will give us that opportunity if you just keep an eye on her status updates.

I know it might be weird, but we grew up in a house where we celebrated my parents’ anniversary with cards and presents. So my brothers and I are trying to put something together for them as a sweet present to remember 1970 and what it held for them. Thought about just putting a bow on the Electrolux vacuum they got that year that is still used, but instead I’ve compiled some old notes and letters from my dad to my mom. They met at GM&O Railroad in Mobile and so I went down last year and took some pictures of this really great building. I’ll group these things plus some other GM&O memorabilia in shadowbox frames. Let’s just hope they like it (and actually hang them up). In making this and in recent conversations with my family, I’ve found out a lot about my parents that I never knew. It’s weird to think about my dad being a dad before he met my mom. It’s weird to think about my mom driving a sports car and having a wildly decorated apartment. It’s weird to know that your parents used to be young and crazy, but they were. So in celebration of that and more, here’s to Bonzatron and Johnny No Ice – thanks for all the memories!