The weather was pure bliss in Wisconsin… this is not something I think I’ve ever said before. Mild sunny days, chilly nights, minimal misquitos – our timing was RIGHT for a visit to the Midwest, yay for us.
We traveled to Wisconsin to celebrate my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary – which they organized the celebration in all the ways they wanted. It centered around the smallest of the grandkids and was still inclusive of the bigger “kids” that showed up. There were bouncy houses, little cars to ride on, kayaks, open water, bonfires, motorcycles, ice cream for breakfast and so much cheese. The first days were full of the sentiments of “This, THIS, is what a grandparent’s house should sound like.” By the end of the stay, they were well aware that they’d miss all the joyful noise. Relatable, yes?
Our gift to our parents/family to celebrate their many years of commitment and love to each other, which spills over to everyone else they encounter, was to give them the gift of imagery. To be able to encapsulate this moment of time that was filled with anticipation, curiosity, abundance and joy. It was real sweet to be able to witness their visions come to life… and even more sweet to see the children dive in, head first more often than not, to all the opportunities of play. Our opinion is that through play, relationships are solidified – and that with our kids living in separate states and coming together to play is quite uncommon – this was the greatest gift of all.
So… we played, we witnessed, we partaked, and we photographed the goofiness, the smiles, the pouring of sugar down the throats of the children, the trying new things (ahem, saber champagne anyone?) and being appreciative of all that is/was/shall be.
I was so grateful to be able to reconnect with some of my family, to be able to get to know my niblings, and stay in the moment reflecting upon the power of what fifty years of growth can look like… a solid reminder that there is no singular way to live a life of love, dedication, gratitude and faith.
Congratulations, Mom and Dad, on 50 years of marriage – and thank you for carefully crafting a weekend our children will not soon forget. We’re grateful to have been able to join in on the festivities.
