So This Is What 60 Years Of Marriage Looks Like

What does 60 years of marriage look like?

For starters, this is my husband and I last year, on our 20th:

But, we learned about marriage from two sets of parents, his and mine, who have had long-term marriages.  My parents celebrate 60 years of marriage this year.

This is them front and center of the entire family:

To celebrate their 60th, they rented a beach house for the entire extended family to come and celebrate.

To me their marriage is beautiful!  Sixty years, and they are still together.

Sure, I've seen them fight.  But, their fights never ever included words about divorce or leaving.  They were always just little irritant style fights.

Probably more than I've seen them fight, I've seen them show each other affection in the form of a back or neck rub or a kiss.

They were married in 1953.

My mom was 19, and my dad was 4 years her elder.

She had graduated high school the previous year, in 1952, and had her first child, my oldest sister, in September of 1954.

They started life in the Air Force during the Korean Conflict.

My mom went from a small town in Iowa to an Air Force base trailer court in El Paso, Texas, near the border of Mexico.

She was far from home when she had her first baby, and it was during a dissentary epidemic, so she was quarantined with other mothers in a barracks.

She's tough, but she is kind.

She loves her children, and I'm her baby - The youngest of four!

She lost her mother before I was born.

She survived numerous rare medical issues, some of which I cannot even spell.

He served his country and fell in love with a girl back home.

He served him time in the military and then worked his way up in a government position with the, then new, Social Security Administration.

He went to school and farmed while raising two of his four children.

He was always involved in church, and was a deacon or an elder for years.

We were at a church event several times a week.

It is those principles that kept their marriage strong.

I watched in 2000 when my dad sat in a hospital intensive care ward and broke down in tears with the news that his bride may not make it through a life-threatening surgery.

I watched as he stayed by her side, even sleeping on a hard couch in an ICU waiting room for what amounted to a total of two months when it was all said and done.  He did make it home after the first few weeks.

I watched in 2009 as he underwent a heart valve surgery that could have ended his life.

Through love, hardships, miracles and faith, my parents stayed true to their vows that they spoke in 1953!

They still stand strong today!

I once saw an internet meme that said something to the effect that falling in love is easy, but staying in love to build an everlasting love is the true miracle!

I believe that.

I look at my parents, and I see what 60 years of marriage is supposed to look like, and I can only hope they reflect their union on my husband's and mine....  We have 39 years to find out!

Happy Anniversary mom and dad!