We celebrated my parent’s 50th anniversary this weekend in Cape Girardeau. They had to drive up from Wilhelmina, but so many relatives now live in STL, and my brother and sister and their families are in Cape County, it just worked out great to be in Cape.

Aunt Lois commissioned the following poem from poet Vivian Barks. I wish I’d written it, but at least I was able to step up to the mike and read it aloud for our extended family nubering ~100.

A card I recieved in the mail today,
Saying a Golden Anniversary is on the way.
April 30th – it did say,
Come and Join us on this special day.
For Pat and Bob, both loving and kind,
A happier couple you could not find.
Fifty years – they have been as one,
April 28th – their new life begun.
Pat with her sweet and witty charm,
and Bob with his heart set on the farm.
Working together, side-by-side
Knowing their marriage would survive.
And to this union, God saw fit,
To put 4 childeren in the midst of it.
Three boys, one girl; bundles of joy
Was sent for Pat and Bob to enjoy.
To raise them in the nurture of God,
And teach them the right road to trod.
As in that love story long ago,
“Wherever thou goest – I will go”
Togather you’ve been through thick and thin,
To know you’ll endure to the end.
Life get’s better along the way,
When you put your faith in God each day.
So Congratulations! may I say,
As you celebrate this beautiful day.
“God Bless you both”, is my prayer,
And may “He” keep you in “His” care.

It was a great party with lots of friends and family we had not seen in years. My God-daughter had been up late assembling a slide show of old photos from an album my sister had put together. Brother Dan had plenty of tunes, a few from their wedding.

We had to pose for a few photos and as the crowd around Mom and Dad expanded to include more family someone thought we should turn sideways and form a smaller frame. Unfortunately, turning sideways didn’t help, in fact we had to step out a bit!