40 years and two days.... that's how long my parents have been married. 40 years of raising kids, moving houses, working jobs, and loving each other through it all. It is more than enough reason to throw a party. So we did.
And by "we", I mean I drove into town the afternoon before, swept a couple of floors and cleaned the downstairs bathroom....and my sister did all the rest. All the cooking of pastas, salad, and desserts galore!, along with the inviting and direction giving and keeping track of some 30-40 people who said that they were coming. She is quite an excellent party planner.
At least I took really pretty pictures. Especially of the food.
And the people. All the lovely people.
There was a brief moment Saturday afternoon when I realized how many amazing people who have walked alongside our family were in one place. The deep rumble of my old pastor's voice floating down the hallway to the laughs of some of my mom's best friends, to the kids occasionally galloping through the room on their way to play hide and seek. When we gathered everyone to say thank you and to toast my parents, my dad summed it up when he said, "if you are here, then you are important to this family."
And my parents. Who have shown me what it means to love, to support, to be committed to one another. Who meant it when they said "I do" forty years ago and look ahead to the next decades with excitement and purpose. I wish for them all the happiness this next year can bring until we are celebrating year 41.
Plus can we just talk about this?!?!?
40 years adorable.