Happy Anniversary!

Buddie’s parents have a New Year’s Eve wedding anniversary, an unforgettable date.

They’ll be celebrating at home this year, and Buddie is headed up to see them in a couple weeks to celebrate with them in person. I culled back over photos to find some I love of them from over the years.

There are two gifts they have given us that I will forever hold very close to my heart:

1) They were visiting us, or on their way to visit us, at the exact time of the birth of each of the three children.

With Monkey they arrived after we left for the hospital, leaving it up to our neighbors to tell them they had seen Buds rush home, throw the frisbee a few times for the dog, and then rush out with a suitcase in hand.

With Buster they were visiting and helped keep Monkey entertained with my parents during that long rainy day of waiting.

The birth of Yessa ties into the other gift they gave us that will never be forgotten.

2) They made the long, long drive from Vermont to Iowa, leaving behind work and commitments, to come be with us when my dad died. It was a blessing to have their support with the children.

Yessa was born in the wee hours of the morning, right before they drove over to us from where they stayed with Buddie’s brother and sister-in-law in Chicago.

Best surprise ever.

Some other random shots from over the decades.

Happiest of Anniversaries, and many, many more.

And thanks for having Buddie. That’s the real gift I’ll never be able to thank you for.