On Wednesday—wait, I need to go back! OK, on Tuesday the fourth of February, Mama and Papa left for two weeks in Hawaii to celebrate—oh no, I really must go back further….On February 25, 1984, two young people united their hearts together and became mister and missus. Yes, my parents! How amazing it is to me to think of God bringing them together at a young age, and then gradually and patiently growing them through the years. They were Christians when they were married, but they 
had no inkling of the path that God would take them on: moving them hundreds of miles away from their family in Spokane, WA; allowing Mom to become a stay-at-home wife and mother; leading them to home school their children; then leading them to give their family size to him and having six (gasp!) children; and, the newest adventure, starting their own church with a few other families which necessarily requires Papa to preach and become an elder. My Mom often says that if God had shown her this path that she is on at the beginning of her marriage, she would have turned around and run the other direction! This is not because she does not love her life right now, but rather because she recognizes how far God has led her in twenty-five years and praises Him for His mercy, patience, and promise that He will never require more of us than we are able to do at the moment.All of this brings me to Tuesday the fourth, when my parents left for a beautiful two-week vacation in Hawaii. This year is my grandparent’s fiftieth anniversary, so they graciously gifted Mama and Papa with airfare, car rental, and lodging so that
all four of them could celebrate together in Hawaii. Lauren and I held down the fort for two weeks and had a blast, although sleep was always a little scarce between homeschooling our siblings, making meals, keeping the house clean, doing college classes, practicing violin and piano, teaching violin and piano, and getting ready for a symphony concert. It was awesome to be reunited with our parents after two weeks and then, this past Wednesday, to celebrate their “real” 25th wedding anniversary!
Happy Anniversary, Mama and Papa! You both are the inspiration for us for when we get married. You have shown us that marriage does include a whole lot of love, kisses, looks, massa
ges, and hand-holding. But you’ve also been transparent and shown us that marriage has to include tears, vomiting children, disagreements, service, and sacrifice. If our marriages are anything like yours, we will consider ourselves blessed. So, again, Happy Anniversary—and may the next twenty-five years be even better than the first.
