50th Wedding Anniversary Tribute

 

Several years ago my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

We had a party and my brother and I shared a few memories of growing up. Here are mine:

I am so thankful for my parents. Many people have asked, “Do you really know how lucky you are to have them for your parents?” And believe me, I do know.

For one thing, we all actually liked it when my dad came home! Some friends would think they’d have to leave, or even hide, but I knew that if we had made a fort that day out of chairs and blankets, my dad would go through it! If we played with cars and made block towns, it would stay up for my dad to admire. We were excited when he came home!

We also loved rainy days at our house. Not just because of the rain, but because we knew that when we got home from school, fresh hot chocolate chip cookies would be coming out of the oven. We’d run home! Even my dad didn’t mind the traffic as much knowing there would be these cookies.

One summer my parents brought the beach to us in our backyard. We went and bought sand, poured it on our patio, bought a plastic pool with slide, and put the sprinklers over the clothesline for sea spray. We had our picnic table and towels, and the whole neighborhood played in our backyard that summer. We also had a birthday party for our dog, and whenever we get together with childhood friends they mention it! I loved being at home, and that is why I wanted to be home with our son.

I’m grateful my parents didn’t force feed us. Yes, we had to eat our veges and try new foods, but thankfully my pediatrician, who had 8 kids, said “Who cares?” when my mother said I wouldn’t drink milk.

A few years later when we went back to the doctor because I would only eat peanut butter sandwiches, and he said, “Great! Making lunch every day for her will be a snap! Make peanut butter sandwiches until she asks for something different.” I never did. I’ve eaten a pbs (no jelly) everyday for 40 years. Thank you for letting me eat my favorite foods and not forcing me to drink milk!

Usually, of course, we were home with my mom, but one day I was home sick from 1^st grade and my DAD stayed home with me. My brother and mother had a field trip to go on to the fire station (boy was I jealous when they got their picture in the paper!). Before leaving, my mom told my dad to feed me a peanut butter sandwich for lunch. But around 11:30 my dad came into my room and said, “Do you feel well enough to go to McD’s?” Did I?! What a treat! I was instantly better. I clearly remember that day and that we then took a drive to the top of Spy Glass Hills to look at the view – the only time we ever did that.

A few years ago I got a call from an elementary school friend. She called to tell me that it was my mother’s example that made her want to stay home with her children. I hadn’t even remembered her ever coming over after school, but she remembered. She said she didn’t have any good examples around her of what to do, so she just did what she remembered my mom doing!

Everyone here probably knows that we are a homeschooling family, and the number one question I’m asked by mom’s considering homeschooling is, “How do you have the confidence to homeschool, even through high school?”

I just have to look back at how involved my parents were at home with my brother and me.

• The school said, “Read to your kids.” My parents read to us, and took the time to listen to us read.
• The school said, “Here are your weekly spelling words.” My mother listened to us recite them while she made dinner.
• The school said, “Do a report.” It was my mom who showed us how and made us correct our errors.
• The school said, “2+2=4, and 2×2=4.” I went home and said, “But why are they both 4? How could that be?” and my mother showed me the grid of bathroom wall tiles and explained how multiplication is fast adding. She was an excellent homeschooling mom!

She was also our main Bible teacher at church, and I feel we received an excellent Biblical history and worldview education from her and my dad, because both of my parents were the best kind of sermon – they lived out their Christianity. They didn’t just drop us off at church to be taught there. We were taught by example. They always gave people the benefit of the doubt. They assumed the best of people. They treated people kindly and gently. When it was realized that too much money was given in change, we had to go back to the shop to return it.

They never got angry at us for being immature children, or for spilling our drinks at dinner. They would both jump up and while one cleared the dish, the other mopped up the table and floor. They didn’t yell, complain, or blame. They were quick to offer reassurances and say, “Accidents happen.” (I had several friends comment how differently my parents reacted than theirs.) We were shown love and affection and believed we were actually a delight to be around!

Several in this room have already celebrated their 50^th anniversary, and I know many more will in the days to come, and I believe the difference is that we have Christ at the center of our lives.

Thank you, mom and dad, for being that Godly example. I truly feel blessed to have been raised by you!

Janine

And here is our friend Margaret's lovely video.  She was married just shy of 60 years!