For Better, For Worse

Mom and BonusDad have been married for 25 years this week. Yesterday in fact.

Twenty. Five. Years.

I remember it like it actually WAS yesterday. We put this sweet little wedding together in the front yard of Barbara and Otis’ yard, raffia bows hung from the tree limbs (it was 25 years ago. raffia.) My sister and I sung about eleventy million Anne Murray songs.

I remember that Burl promised to love us. All of us.

And he has. For 25 years he has loved us, when we were at our most unloveable.

And she has loved him. Through the really really bad times, and the good. Steadfast beside each other.

He has the patience of Job. And maybe he wasn’t that way the first time around, maybe he wasn’t that way with his kids, but he was with us.

He bought me prom dresses without a blink, helped me with my car issues and joined forces with my father to pack me up and move me home when my first marriage disintegrated.

They have had their ups and downs. They have seen the births of their grandchildren and the loss of their parents. They are a witness to each others’ life.

And that’s really what we want in this world, right?

For Better. For Worse.

Happy Anniversary Burl and Mom. You’re doing it right.