Happy 50th Mom and Dad

I am worn out today. Worn out because I had so much fun yesterday! Yesterday we celebrated my parents 50th wedding anniversary. If I were computer savvy enough (will be as soon as Anne and I get some time for her to guide me), I would post some pictures of our hard work and the fun. (Sometime I will share how they met!) It wasn't one of those parties with dipped fruit, fancy punch, roses, gold and everyone in their Sunday best. It was a FABULOUS 50's ........50th. We had some 50's music, Elvis pictures, poodle skirts, rolled up jeans, black, white and turquoise table cloths, over grown coke floats with 2 ft. straws, old 45's and the fabulous "50's'" ginger ale and sherbet punch. Hope you don't need any ginger ale; we bought out Abilene! My dad kissed Mom in front of the grand kids for at least the 50th time in their 50 years of marriage. My sister made the neatest DVD (27 1/2 minutes long) of my parents 70 plus years of life. The mother of the bride, the maid of honor, the ring bearer and one of the groomsmen were able to attend. Several people who attended the wedding were able to come too. We had fun...fun...fun and Daddy didn't take the T-Bird away! Mom was afraid that no one would come. Hello........2 extra runs to the store, and we used all but 6 of the 200 cups. Does that say something?

It was a super special day. Special because it was MY parents. I stood there and thought about the fact that they are the first one's in a very long time on my mom's side of the family to make 50 years. My dad's parents not only saw a 50th, they saw a 60th too. As for Mom's side........My great-grandmother was widowed before her marriage hit the mark. My grandmother was widowed when I was 6. My sister and I both married at 32 (we are over 45 now), and I was a widow at the age of 41. That means the next 50th will be in 27 years when, if God so wills, my cousin and her husband hit the big 50. Then my sister and her husband are next in line. Even if I did remarry today, I am not certain I would see 50. I would be 98! And the DVD would be sooooo long everyone would be asleep, heads hanging to the side, hair flat, snoring so loudly that you would not be able to hear even with the hearing aids.

It was a super special day because we shared it with people from all points and places in their lives. We invited their high school friends. We invited family, neighbors, co-workers, church friends, grown kids of friends long gone, and even their tax man. We invited one of the local funeral home directors (mom was afraid he would appear with the "family car", but they were busy with something else). People came from Austin, Ft. Worth, Lubbock, Odessa, Temple, and Plano and those were friends, not family!!! 194 cups of punch later we were still having fun. Wow, so many people? You would have to know my family. You would really have to know my parents. Bill and Hymonda (aka Hysti) don't know a stranger! They live words like: Christian, hospitality, love, acceptance, discipline, respect to others, service, friendship, trust, honesty, faithfulness, goodness, perseverance, comfort, dedication, laughter, joy, fun, family and HOME. People are drawn to them. My parents taught for years, and very seldom have I seen them NOT know the name of a previous student.....and that includes students from 42 years ago. They invest in people, not things.

It was a special day because it was just that.....special. I don't have time or even want to dig around for the stats, but I am wonder which is more frequent in today's records.......broken homes, or 50 years of marriage? But man................50 years with the same person is amazing. Of course, Mom and Dad have about 5 or 6 couples that they "hang with" that have been married 50 or almost 50 years. Well, if you call emailing and carrying on conversation "hanging with". There are many at church that have seen or will see the 50th, but it comes with some battle scars, bandages, laughter, and sunshine.

It was a special day because God gave it to us. So, to my sister Traci..........thanks for the hard work, the designing of the decorations, the countless hours of digging through photos, videos, and "stuff" to make the DVD. Brandi(cousin),............. thanks for the skirts! We should have put in vents...flannel in August hot, but we were cute. Makaley and Kauy, thanks for gathering the trash, greeting people, and being sooooo good. Tony, thanks for the straws and putting up with me driving us all over town 2 days in a row to gather things. Tim, thanks for running to the store during the party, and for giving up that particular day......you know what I mean and that is all I will say. Suzie, thanks for being my friend who rescues me all the time. I could spend hours on what you mean to me. Anne, thanks for leaving your teething son and taking my orders and serving cake. Nathaniel...thanks for sending her!!! Kayla, thanks for taking care of my kids so I could get things done and then for serving. BUT MOST OF ALL.................

Thanks Mom and Dad for your example, your love, your understanding, and your discipline. Thanks for loving each other "for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others!" I love you both!!!!!!

Oh, and BB(best grandmother in the world).........thanks for having Mom, and for helping pay for this party.

And for you guys reading.......thanks for letting me tell you about my family. I found my mom in tears before the party. Suzie later told me that she was crying for her friends who are widowed and would be coming to celebrate with her a day that they (me included) will never get to experience. Now, that is my family! And I am sticking with them!!!!!!