32 Years to Celebrate!

Countless disagreements
Moves - 26+
Automobiles (not including kid cars) - 18
Years of living overseas (15 of living in the US) - 17
Kids (Heather, Bekki, Robert & Scott + Donna & Cindy) - 6
Grandchildren (Arissa, Dylan, Michael, Rose, Alex & Ainsley) - 6
Son-in-Laws (Steve, Wes, Shaun & another Steve) - 4
32 Years of incredible happiness…… Priceless.

Today marks my parent’s 32nd wedding anniversary. Wouldn’t you know it’s on the 14th (my all-time favorite number)? Sadly, in our society, that’s a REALLY long time. From my view, my parents have on heck of a fantastic marriage. I know there have been times they didn’t get along, and that they didn’t want to be around each other (for a few hours anyway), but they’ve always been a team. They’re partners. They don’t make big changes without discussing it amongst themselves. The set the example for each other (sometimes that’s a good thing). They are each others support system. They each have their own roles, and independent duties, but they realize and recognize that each of them is half of their relationship. It doesn’t work if one is missing, you need both halves to have a whole - and that's how it should be. They really do love and respect each other. I think that's the key - Love & Respect.

I’m so grateful for my parents. Seriously grateful. As a teenager, I really despised my parents at times. When I matured, I realized that I was being stupid – my mom and dad rock. I am so blessed that they chose to add me to their family (I was the miracle child! Mom suddenly got pregnant after adopting me! Ha ha ha), and have treated me as one of their own. I was never treated any differently than any of the other kids (well, unless I deserved to be punished – and boy did I ever deserve it at times). I count my parents among my very best friends. If our (Steve &I) marriage is half as good as my parents – we’ll be incredibly happy and enormously successful.

Congratulations Mom & Dad! I love you both more than I can possibly share!

Love,
Heather (& Steve)