Happy 40th Anniversary

Luther Heathcliff

&

Peanut Brittle

My mom and dad have been married for 40 years.   To celebrate, I had friends and family write them a message.  It also doubled as a bon voyage gift as they will be gone for a year and a half to the Congo.  It was moving to read what everyone had to say about my parents.   They have so many good friends that they have made an effort to keep through out the years.  They also have the funniest nicknames for each other:)  I feel so blessed that they are mine.  

Ryan's message:

Stan and Mindy.

I wanted to wish you both a happy 40th anniversary! I can’t say enough good about both of you. I remember first meeting you in LA and going to Thai and then the Hollywood Bowl and thinking, so wow these are my in-laws. I was nervous but you put me at ease. You are so kind and low key and so easy to be around. I’ve loved the last 10 years of association and you have made me really feel like family. I’m glad to be linked with you.

You have been nothing but kind and considerate to me in all of my interactions with you. You always find new ways to serve us or be helpful. You give us mini vacations from child care on visits when you should be relaxing. You take us on fun domestic and international trips. You spoil us. Mindy you tolerate my constant teasing and I in turn tolerate regular humiliation in card and board games from you. You are great Mindy and I love you. You have a daughter who loves you and wants to be like you and I’m so happy she does. Stan, I’ve always loved trading books and talking sports. You are the humblest man I’ve met. You are awesome.

I hope you understand how your example is reverberating through your descendants. Your example of gospel service and the way you treat each other has set the bar for our family. You raised great kids. You are great people. You show us what Christ-like devotion should be like. Oh and this mission thing. You are on your way to doing the most adventuresome thing of anyone I’ve known. I can’t wait to hear about it and can’t believe you are going there, but doing it in your humble way is so you two. You’ve set an example for us we hope to all follow. You are teaching your grands too.  

I do have a couple gripes though. Stan you need to let your kids pay for dinner more. And Mindy I know you have to be cheating at cards, I just haven’t found out how yet. You are both on notice.

Love you two.

Ryan

My message:

How can I sum up my love and admiration for you in a note?  My eyes fill with tears because I am overwhelmed!  As I have watched the other letters come in, our friends and family have consistently told me how lucky I am to have you as parents.  I agree.   Ninety-nine point nine percent of everything good about me, I have inherited or have learned (on the stairs) from you.  You, dynamic duo, are the ultimate … foolie foolies.

Mom, thank you for sewing clothes for me, my dolls, and now my daughter and her dolls.  I didn’t appreciate it fully until now when I realize how little extra time a mother has to complete any project.  Those hours spent were labors of love and show your perfection to detail.  Also, thank you for the many many hours of talking on the phone, even if it is at dad’s expense.  I love that I can’t process things or feel like they have happened until I talk it over with you first.  I am trying hard to be a mom just like you.  Among many of the things to master, your famous (or infamous) biting of the tongue to prevent yelling while you mutter incomprehensible profanities.

Dad, thank you for the long cross country drives listening to Van Morrison.  “We could not talk for hours”(Best in Show).  No, you would talk.  You told me stories that I cherish like of old girlfriends, your childhood, and hitchhiking.  I felt like your sidekick.  Well, I think I first felt like your sidekick in France when you taught me  “un deux trois parte” and we would run with high knees across the streets holding hands…. and I have been doing that with you ever since.   You once used your crooked finger to tell us to “Come HERE” and now you use that same crooked finger to compose and play beautiful and personable masterpieces for Mom, Poppy, and each grandchild (and a few historical mass murderers).  

Thanks for getting married in the temple and loving each other.  Thanks you for being examples of service, especially with this little jaunt to the Congo for a whopping year and a half.   My heart will be there with you.  

  When asked as a Senior for the yearbook at Bainbridge High, “What is your life goal?”  I answered, “To make my parents proud.”   I knew, even then, that I had the best parents.