Love Thursday

Today's Love Thursday is something from my physical world.

My parents. :)




This is my mom and daddy in 1963 on the day they eloped. I guess you could say my sister is in the picture too, if you know what I mean. My mom said that my dad had come home on his lunch break, picked her up, they went to city hall to get married and then to lunch. Afterwards he went back to work and she went back to doing the laundry. That's how my parents roll. They are simple and efficient.

Because both of them grew up poor, they worked hard their whole lives to make sure that their three daughters had everything they ever wanted. Especially me, because I was the one they wanted and never thought they could have. I cannot remember a time in my life where I have gone without, unless it was just a time I didn't speak up. That is why when they asked that I not work so I could be on hand for anything they needed since my mother is just about disabled now [she's still mobile, but it has to be on a good day], the decision was easy. Most people my age probably wouldn't put their lives and careers on hold for their parents, but most people probably didn't have the kind of parents I do. I am the only one they have to count on, and I take that very seriously.

Together they've raised 3 girls, lost one, don't know where the other one is, and have gone through just about every terrible thing in the world. Although they've both threatened to leave a time or two [or more, in my mom's case, because she gets crazier as she gets older], they never do. She still fixes his dinner plate every night, and he still mows the lawn every weekend. For better or for worse, they will be together until the day they die.

Today is my mom's 65th birthday. She's been with my dad altogether just about 50 years. Their lives are an amazing love story, although they probably wouldn't think of it that way. If I asked my mom, she'd probably just say, "Eh. What else was I going to do?"

So that's my Love Thursday for this week. I love my parents more than anyone else in the whole world. Happy Birthday, Mom!