Special Post: Golden Anniversary

Tomorrow we are traveling to Raleigh to celebrate 50 years of marriage for Jeffrey's parents. I think about my life so far, only being married for 18, and I am in awe. I really have not celebrated many 50th anniversaries. My dad's dad died, my mom's parents divorced during their 50th year and my mom and dad celebrated 25 before my mom passed on.

When I think about this day for them, I can only see 18 years of their life together. What I have seen in those years is that they value family, love their children and are helpers. I can speak personally on ALL 3 of these.

For a moment I want to focus on is Jeffrey. He is my source for the years beyond my 18. He had two parents that loved him and raised him to be the man he is today. He played with dolls, was on the jazz dance team, loved sports, made good grades and stayed out of trouble for the most part. When Jeffrey talks to me about his childhood there is this underlying theme:

He knew his parents loved him no matter what and they listened to him. They were tough but fair. That in turn made him feel shame when he did get caught doing wrong. He developed character and that helped shape the decisions he would make all of his life.

Those of us who are parents know that you can do your very best and your children still choose to make bad decisions. There is no guarantee that you get out what you put in.

I have seen these two people love people (not just their children) who have made bad decisions. They loved me through a rough period of my life and helped us through some tough patches in our life. They came to our home to help when the kids were little, during busy times when I was in college and during emergency situations. They do this for all of their children and during these last 15 years I have seen that translate into helping their parents.

I guess I say all of that to say this, I am very proud and honored to be a part of the Collins family. I quickly learned that no family is perfect but it is the love they have for one another that sets them a part.

I hope that on my 50th I can look back and have accomplished as much as they have these 50 years. Are they were they thought they would be today? I think most of us would answer no if we were asked this question.

What I know is that they are two amazing people who have invested in the people they love and that is what being married and raising a family is all about.