55 Years and Counting

This past weekend I went home to visit family and friends. I have spent 26 springs in the mountains of Virginia but I believe this is the most beautiful springtime I have ever seen. As I flew into the mountains I could see all the white and pink dogwoods in bloom. The trees are starting to get their leaves and the grass is green. I was actually kinda surprised at all the color I could see from the plane alone. I got off the plane and walked outside looking for my Mom who was picking me up. But...she forgot about me. Well not really, but she thought the plane came in later. No big deal as that gave me a few minutes to sit outside the airport and soak in the sunshine.

The day before I came back to my second home my Mom, brother and myself went to visit my grandparents who are in far Southwest VA. It just so happened to be their 55th wedding anniversary. What an inspiration they are! My grandparents met when they were both in their teens. After dating for 3 months they decided it was time to get married and off they went. They, like many couples, have endured a number of things that test any marriage. Time apart, the death of a child, serious injuries and illnesses. But what sets them apart is instead of allowing these things to come between them, they allowed it to bring them closer. For the first 10 years of my life my grandparents lived with me and my family since they were truck drivers and away from home so much. But what an example I got during a pivotal time in my life. Seeing my grandparents and my parents together and how a marriage is supposed to be. I realize now how blessed I am since this is definitely not the norm for relationships.

So we spent the day with my grandparents in the beautiful springtime colors. As they get older and I move farther away, I cherish each moment more and more. We drove to lunch at a tiny out of the way place somewhere in NC. On the way we found an old gospel CD in the car that I thought my grandfather would like. So we drove in the sunshine, through the colors, listening to old church songs that remind me of my childhood. My Mom, grandma and myself were singing the hymns while my grandpa and brother just sat quietly. It sounds cheesy, but it was one of those moments in time that seems frozen in my memory. And I hope it stays there forever.