50 and Counting: Part I

My parents married on December 23, 1965. This Christmas will be 50 years. They committed to each other that day, and have modeled a godly marriage to my brother and me, and now our children, all these years. They are just so stinkin' sweet. I guess if you get to 50 years, you realize so many of the little things just don't matter anymore. It's a matter of enjoying the time you have, appreciating each day as a gift, and trusting the Lord in it all. We wanted to celebrate this milestone in the summer, as we will not all be together in December.

We met at my brother's house and had some fun hanging out. Here are the oldest and youngest granddaughters.

Dancing cousins...

..and ninja-ing cousins. (I think Big Ben is demonstrating how he wants them to pretend to choke him.)

My big brother...

...and my sweet husband. He wrote a song in honor of the day called, "Takin' Her Back." I can't even begin to tell you how hard I laughed as he sang it. It was all about the permission my dad got from my Papa to marry my mom, then how my dad gave that same lecture to CC when he asked for permission to marry me. He's so talented, and he makes me laugh. 19 years of it.

The kids each did something to honor their grandparents, in the way of a choreographed song or talk...

...or a piano performance or some creative artwork.

It was just what we wanted it to be. From the heart and simple expressions of love. My dad gave mom a necklace with all the birthstones of the grandkids....afterall, we take up nearly every month!

And then she had the biggest surprise of all. Dad's long lost wedding ring was, by act of God thanks to a simple ray of light, found in a box in the attic by my mom. She saved it for this day and gave it to him a second time. It was the best surprise of the day.

Next up: Anniversary Dinner