~CELEBRATING 50 YEARS~

This picture was taken shortly after they were married. They were married by the Justice of the Peace and then got into a car with My Dad's Brother, Jim, his wife and 5 of their children and headed for California.

This picture was taken last month while Visiting dad's brother and sister and mom's sister in California.

Tomorrow, Dec. 8th, my parents will mark their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Wow!!!!!!! You don't hear of that often any more.

I can't begin to name all the trials and celebrations they have experienced in their marriage. They have parented 4 children, 2 girls and then 2 boys. They have stood by us in our mistakes and our accomplishments with all the love and support we could have hoped for. They have seen all 4 of us through a broken marriage, their youngest son through the death of his second wife, at the moment his daughter was born permaturely. They have helped me raise my boys after my marriage collapsed. They raised Tony's 2 children for several years, They take over with Pam's daugher when Pam is in the hospital. They have been my rock more times than I can count. They have been there for all of us at a moments notice for whatever we needed them for, whenever we needed them, in the middle of the night of the middle of the day, it does not matter, they will be there. I owe them so much, I will never be able to repay them for all they have done for me, but I will spend the remainder of my life trying to pay them back. I want to be there for them, for what ever they need, whenever they need it.

They are proud Grandparents to 10 Grandchildren(8 boys and 2 girls), 2 grand-daughter-in-laws, 2 step-grandchildren and 3 Great-Granddaughters. Their oldest daughter and their oldest son each have 3 boys, their youngest daugher and youngest son have a son and a daughter (in that order) When we are all together, it is quite a bunch.

We were almost all together on Sunday after Thanksgiving, missing was their oldest Grandson, Buck (working in Georgia) and their 5th Grandson, Shawn (working at Sonic, just turned 16 and got him a car to pay for). While there was that many of us together, we presented Mom and Dad with a scrapbook and DVD of the past 50 years.

Their oldest Grandson is 29 and the youngest Granddaughter is 9, so there is a 20 year span between the first and last grandchild. There is 37 years difference in the youngest girl and the next girl born into this family. Pam was 37 when Buck and Mandy had Cember (Great-granddaughter). Then in 17 months we had 4 girls born into this family, 2 grand-daughters and 2 great-granddaughters. Then when Gabby was 7 we had another girl born, Kelsey.

So here's a Toast to my Parents, May You Love for Each Other be as strong as they day you married, and may you have many more Happy Anniversaries...

I LOVE YOU BOTH MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW!!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!