Every year, my family gathers for a reunion of some sort. It started years ago, and even though the family is growing and changing, we’ve managed to keep the tradition alive.
This summer, my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and we surprised them by turning our reunion into one big anniversary party.
The first night we arrived, we patiently waited for them to go to bed (much later than we expected) and then the party crew came to life, decorating the house with balloons and pictures.
They awoke the next morning to our fun surprise. Unfortunately, they went to bed much earlier than the rest of us so not many were up to see their reaction the next morning.
Every night we had an activity planned that centered around my parents and the family/life they created. My sister organized a game where we learned about my parents and had cake and ice cream.
Another night all the adults went out to dinner and then came home to play a music game – where everyone submitted a song that represented them and we played clips of each song and tried to determine who picked which song. (Hunter won that game!)
We had family pictures, which takes some serious coordination and skill as I’m running from the camera on the tripod to join my family in the picture. I went surprsingly faster than I thought and it made me really grateful for older kids who know how to stand still and look at the camera for a few minutes.
The last night was probably my favorite as we gathered and listened to my brother perform a song that he worked on with my sister.
It highlighted some of the quirky parts of our family life and upbringing and touched on things our kids will remember their grandparents for. I found myself laughing and crying throughout the song and my parents were the same. I will treasure that song for years to come.
And as a first for on of our family gatherings, we had shirts made with a design my brother created for a hat as a play on our last night with an “Est 1976” added.
50 years is long time. A quick Google search informed me that only roughly 8% of married Americans reach a 50-year anniversary. That is a pretty low percentage and both my parents and Steve’s parents have reached that milestone.
I love them for their example. For what they’ve taught me both by word and action. I love how they give so freely. I love that they graciously open their home to my family every summer. I love the siblings they gave me. I love that they pray for me and my family. I love their devotion to each other and to God. I love that my kids know them and they know my kids, which can be a challenge when you don’t live close. They have shown me over and over again that my family is a priority for them.
I am grateful for their 50-year example.
