Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad

Tomorrow is my parents' 45th anniversary. I think. I thought it was last year and wrote "happy 45th" in their card, only to be corrected that this year would be #45. :-) Five years ago or so, they started taking an overnight trip over to Ohio's Amish country, and this past Thursday and Friday was the days they took off for that.

No parent is perfect, but I am thankful that mine stuck with it, never even came close to separating - as far as I know. We kids never wanted for anything. We never lived an extravagant lifestyle, but had all we needed. They sacrificed to send us to a Christian school our our lives, even though for the first 6 1/2 years they were not Christians. They always celebrated birthdays and Christmas, trying to give us kids what they didn't have growing up.

Church attendance was sporadic until they became Christians, but then we were there for every service, and on time, unless we were sick. They were faithful to the same church for years, until the time we all felt we needed to leave, and even then, they did it quietly, and did not try to take others with them.

Mom was always home when we kids got home from school. We were all there for supper. Dad worked hard to support his family, and we never had to worry otherwise. We were disciplined when we needed it, spanked when necessary, which isn't popular anymore, even among Christians.

They taught us to work, to pick up after ourselves, to respect others, and be polite, and most of all, they taught us that the most important thing in life is not to have a successful career, but to make it to Heaven.

No parent is perfect, and they all make mistakes, but I am thankful for the ones I have, who even now have let me stay with them as I try to get on my feet and get my own place. Happy 45th anniversary, Mom & Dad, and hope you have many more.