Tuesday's Treasure ~ 40 Years Together

My parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary this weekend. The fact that they are still together is mind blowing to some. The fact that they are happily still together after 40 years, blows the minds of most. Especially when you know how it all began..........

My parents went to the same high school but were a year apart, and didn't know each other. It wasn't until later in college that they met at a friend's house. My dad was in the military, my mom a full time student and working at a dentists office. They started to date and had about three months to fall in love (while he was stationed in Monterrey, she in So. Cal) before my dad deployed to Vietnam. They wrote letters, I am sure they were romantic. My dad asked my Mom to marry him, and her reply was "I'll tell you the answer when you return." My dad went MIA for several stressful days. He (obviously) came home on Christmas Eve. Exactly one month later they were married, and the next day started the move to Georgia were my dad was going to be stationed. They started their new life, practically strangers, and moving to south, away from all family.

I have often thought of their story. You see, they haven't always had the romantic bliss that you would hope. In many ways, they have had a very stressful life. However, their marriage was always firm. I never really questioned if they would get a divorce. They rarely fought in front of us, if much at all really. They are love birds in the true form, and still are. They STILL make out! I knew that beyond a shadow of doubt was that their love was strong enough to endure the life that has been given them, the stresses, the worries, the love, the fun, all of it. It mostly gave me hope as a little girl, who grew up to believe that true love and Happily Ever Afters are really out there.