Monday, January 23, 2006

Happy 34th Anniversary, Pop-choo and Mom-choo!

Happy 34th wedding anniversary to my dad and mom! Another milestone and another reason to celebrate. My dad and mom are both very lucky to have each other and to have a truly wonderful marriage. (It is quite rare to find two people who honestly enjoy being around each other after 34 years!). It must help that their marriage is based on mutual respect, trust, friendship and faith in God. Not to mention the fact that they raised 5 kids that were quite a handful growing up. We definitely challenged and certainly tested their sanity, their faith and their staying together – I’m quite sure their bond grew much stronger during those times since they had to put up a united front to show us they meant business!

Really, my folks are the two most different people I know.

Different, well, because my parents are quite the opposite of each other. My dad is funny, gregarious, outspoken and very talkative. He likes to laugh and joke around, is generous almost to a fault, and is quite an emotional man. He is wise, extremely patient, and is a great teacher (we all went thru his Accounting 101). My dad has a brilliant mind, is great at anything finance and investment related, and almost single-handedly built and sustained a successful insurance company from the ground up. My mom, on the other hand, is a domestic goddess with an enviable reign over her home. She is the quiet strength behind my dad, a wonderful mother, a dear friend, and a hostess extraordinaire (think Martha Stewart, Paula Dean, Debbie Travis, and Nigella Lawson all rolled into one!). My mom is level-headed, mild-mannered, and gracious. I don’t think I have never seen her unprepared for any situation (be it having 10 last minute guests over for dinner or having to help us write a 10-page book report the day before they are due).

But also, my folks are the two most similar people I know.

Similar, well, because my parents are quite alike. They were always encouraging, ever supportive, often instilling discipline without ever making us feel fear. They raised us to value our faith, education, family and friends, and ourselves. They taught us respect for others, honesty and integrity, hard work and how to be good, decent human beings. And, believe me, it wasn’t all just talk – my parents certain “walked the talk” as well.

And so to the two most different and to the two most similar people I know, CHEERS to you both and may you have many, many more years together!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Every happy marriage requires a lot of work and sacrifice. But if love is present; it is never considered work or sacrifice. It becomes a joy. You give without counting the costs and the joy is more in the giving than in receiving.

Judy is the best thing that ever happened to me.

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