Today would have been my parents 60th wedding anniversary.
Wow. Sixty years ago today my parents were married in the same church in downtown Los Angeles as both their parents thirty-one years prior (and the same church Larry and I were married thirty-nine years after my parents).
This year I thought I would share the speech I gave to my parents at their 50th anniversary party back in 2002.
We had a party at the neighboring Hilton hotel with about sixty or so close friends and family and many people from their original wedding party. We had good food, fun laughs, a beautiful cake, and a day I'll never forget. Prior to the party my parents renewed their vows in front of our priest at St. Patrick's church.
Here is the speech I gave that day:
Who knew after 18,250 days, building 3 homes, raising 3 kids, buying countless cars, and attending endless parties, get-togethers, holidays, lodge meetings, conventions, and coffee "klatch" afternoons, that my parents would still be married.
When they were married in 1952 the world was definitely different.
Truman was president (At least for a few more months), Vinylite swimming pools were popular and so were beanies with propellers on top, no-cal ginger ale and Swanson TV dinners.
The Yankees defeated the Dodgers in the world series, the Jackie Gleason show premiered on television, Mad comic books went on sale for the first time, and September 11th was just the middle of September.
There were some really fond memories for me being child #3.
Like all the holidays spent with family, vacations to Utah, Canada, Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear, and San Diego, my parents attending every football game when I was cheerleader, my embarrassment when my mom started working at Eagle Rock High School which turned out to be kind of cool, falling asleep on a bench in a bowling alley while my parents bowled in several leagues, sitting through endless meetings, waiting on the front step for my dad to come home from work at exactly 4:10 every afternoon, and my mom showing me that there was always something to do. She was either sewing, reading, crocheting, baking, cooking, or cleaning.
Little did I know that when Larry and I decided to buy a house in Oceanside and follow my parents south, how valuable a decision that would become. Now they may think at times it's a pain and I'm sure they would enjoy a little piece and quiet!
But, who would be there to pick me up while I waited for an oil change? Who would be there to watch my kids on a moments notice? Who would come to my house and inspect it for dead plants? And where would we ever get the best leftovers around?
My dad dubs his house "the supermarket", "Home Depot", and a "clothing store" because we are always receiving all kinds of food, batteries, and PJs from them!
My dad was the one with the right tool and the know-how and always a second away from helping out. Changing locks, adding a ceiling fan, plumbing, electrical, laying bricks, building a deck, hanging wallpaper (although we had to separate my parents because they fought over who was doing a better and neater job!), building fences, shelves, and a dozen more little jobs that he just seems to know how to handle.
And my mom who has answers for all my questions, who can still shop for me better than I can, who witnessed all three of my babies being born, and who can make, bake, or craft anything.
What would Sunday be like without a donut from papa after church? My kids will have lots of fond memories and many wonderful traditions shared with nana and papa. Like taking a walk around Solamar in search of "two boats", our holidays spent together, egg hunts by the clubhouse, papa and his "cadutz", Sunday morning breakfasts together, and just being there for every little, important, and worthwhile event in my kids lives.
So, to my parents I say congratulations on 50 exciting, challenging, fulfilling, joyous, boisterous, and wonderful years of marriage.
I thank you for providing me security, pride in doing a good job, a stable and loving home, to appreciate the value and importance of family and friends, predictability, a loving nana and papa to Joshua, Harrison, and Jennifer and a constant supply of PJs, leverovers, and batteries.
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