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| Dad is the one in the center. |
47 years ago today a very unlikely couple got married. An uptown girl married a 10th Ward military man. According to my dad, he feels pretty certain the marriage is going to last past the "trial break in period" but he’s still not sure these “arranged” entrapment marriages are for everyone. I think the odds are now looking better than BP Oil stock futures anyway. They dated two weeks and got engaged then dad went off for a year of military service. He came back for two weeks and they got married. Then he left for another year overseas. So after two years they had been with each other for 4 weeks or so. And yet, 47 years, 3 kids, and 9 grandkids later they are still together. What an island of faithfulness in a crashing sea of broken marriages. Thanks for being a great example and encouragement to Jennifer and me.
Dad retired about three years ago after serving the same company for 40 years. So it seems like this commitment to long term relationships is a pattern. (I mean Dad wore the same American flag running shorts for over 3 decades until they disintegrated off his body on a canoe trip, which really would be another blog post on a mature audience only site.) Since that retirement mom and dad have had a very rough go. Dad contracted leukemia and mom has lung/breast/ovarian cancer. Its nearly killed dad at least twice and mom once. Then on top of all the medical pain and suffering their beloved puppy, Jake, died from kidney disease, or I guess you would have to have kidneys to die from that malady. They have really had a tough time for it seems that all they retired from was good health. Yet, they are alive, still married and we are thankful. God has been faithful, Jesus Christ has shown Himself to be real, Holy Spirit has comforted and all praise, glory and thanks goes to Him alone.
Mom, Dad, I just want to say Happy Anniversary. I am extremely thankful for you. You have lived out your marriage vows and charted a course I wish to emulate. You poured your lives into us kids with tons of sacrifice, hard work, late hours, money, moves to better environments, work, pain, suffering… ah you get the point. I love you both and honor you on this special day. Pick yourself out something real nice and charge it to Shannon's account.
Your only son,
Mark
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