A Date to Remember, A Life to Celebrate

Yesterday was the 48th anniversary of "Will You Go with Me?"

August 6 is a red letter day on my calendar every year because it's the day my husband and I officially started dating, when we were just a couple of crazy 15-year-old kids way, way back in 1973. (I blogged about this memorable date nine years ago--see link above--and here I am bringing it up again.)

When we were 15, we could never have imagined what was in store for us in the coming decades.  We could never have predicted that we would actually stay together forever and how very blessed we would be.  We were the best of friends, and quite smitten; yet we couldn't know then that we would end up married seven years later, become the parents of five incredible sons, and one day get to play the best role of all, as Papa and Grammy to 17-going-on-18 beloved grandchildren.

We thought 63 was older than dirt, simply unimaginable; and yet here we are.  We blinked a few times and 63 happened.

Youth is marvelous, but fleeting, and some spend their later years trying desperately to hang onto it; but there are perks that come with getting older, gifts one can only receive after numerous trips around the sun.

One such gift was a recent phone call from our oldest son, with the happy news that he and his wife are expecting baby #6, which is especially wonderful after two tragic miscarriages in the past year or so. They have gotten through the first trimester and heard a healthy heartbeat, and we are all over the moon about this precious little soul who will be the 18th grandchild with us here, God willing.  (We also have five wee saints in Heaven, watching over all of us.)

Another such gift was a pair of photos, sent by daughter-in-law Ginger (wife of son #2), of her hubby and our youngest son and his wife. Son #5, who was a captain in the Army, just became a civilian again and is getting ready to start grad school.  He and his wife Babisiu, who will celebrate their second anniversary in September, had some free time before beginning the next chapter of their life in Nashville, and they drove to VA to see all the brothers.   It looks like #5 is trying to emulate #2 with the facial hair; but that (along with his long-ish locks) is actually a mild rebellion after ten years (four of Army ROTC, six of active duty) of having to sport a clean-shaven face and a "high and tight" haircut.

You can't have pictures like these of your children if you're in your 20's or 30's or 40’s.  You have to get as long in the tooth as we are to have a second-born son who is 36 and the father of four, and a baby who is 28...

Or a 35-year-old third-born son who poses in matching polo shirts with his six-year-old firstborn son, the oldest of his brood of four.

How adorable are those two guys? 

I can't sign off without mentioning son #4.  He is the 33-year-old father of almost-four-year-old triplets plus a toddler.  His is a very full and crazy life, as you can imagine, and we are so proud of the way he and his wife have handled it all.

These are my blessings, my life, my joy.  And it all started when the cutest boy I'd ever known asked me to go steady--or "go with"--him, many (I mean many!) years ago.