Eight years ago today, my entire family was together in our house. I don't think that had ever happened before, and there's a great possibility, it will never happen again. We all came together to honor our parents, on their 50th wedding anniversary. Here's a picture of them, on their front porch, taken a few weeks before. Mother's birthday was yesterday, their anniversary is today. 58 years ago, they got married the day after she turned 16, Daddy was 19. Here is that story.
Friday, September 01, 2000 was Mother's birthday. She was working as a bookkeeper at the time. Susan and Justin went to her office with birthday flowers. These are the flowers.
Before that surprise had time to wear off, they returned with 50 roses. Forty nine white and one red, to signify "I Love You". These are the roses, they were from Daddy.
They were sent this invitation.
Two chauffeurs, dressed in white shirts, black ties and black sunglasses, picked them up in a white SUV. The chauffeurs were Justin and Scott, the white SUV was Susan's. She had it looking good!
They pulled up in front of my house, where Alex, Emma and Courtney rolled out the Red Carpet. The carpet came all the way to the front door.
This is a picture of them getting out of their "ride".
This is the best I could do, to show you what Justin and Scott looked like, up close.
This is where pictures, cards and other things were displayed.
After everyone got in and settled, they opened one of their gifts. That's Courtney and Scott sitting with them.
It was a box of tissues for each of them. Mother was very excited, apparently they were running low on tissues. (We all got our own box, too).
Of course they knew something was up, they thought it was going to be "This Is Your Life". In a way, it was. It had taken months, possibly even a year, from Susan's idea of what to give them, to reach that day. Next, I presented Susan with a baton. The baton was for keeping time to the music. We put our own music to it. Music that meant something to our family.
Then came the video tape. This is a video tape of our parents entire lives, up until that moment. It also included both sets of their parents. This was definitely a labor of love. (I have to say this before I go any further, I had been sick, really sick, in the bed, can't get up, had to quit my job, sick. Susan and Linda did the majority of the work on this, and it was a lot of work). I'm gonna finish this story, before I tell you that one. As a matter of fact, that story will become "The Making Of". Also, I hope to have the video where it can be watched, before long. Check back.
They were in awe, they couldn't believe it. They were sitting on the edge of their chairs.
Then they just set back and enjoyed it.
There's a very long story about "The Making Of", but I'm determined to finish this one first.
This was a message for them, at the end of the video.
This group of pictures are from 2000 and then 1950.
Feeding each other cake - 2000.
Feeding each other cake - 1950.
The 50th Anniversary table.
More pictures of Mother and Daddy.
The next day, this was featured in the paper.
After all was said and done, I made a small picture album for each of us, detailing the past few days activities.
This is the opening page. "It is not good that man should be alone". That is what is says on the left inside cover of the album. Daddy heard this at a church sermon, and that is how he convinced his parents, and hers, to let them get married. (They didn't even HAVE to).
This is a Thank You card that each of us girls received from Mother and Daddy.
The next year, 2001, their party had been rescheduled to Saturday, September 15, that was the 1st time we could all get together again. Then 9/11 happened, and we didn't have a party. This is an email card I made them for that anniversary.
By their anniversary in 2002, we were ready again. This time Linda wasn't able to participate very much. Susan and I made a collage of their lives together. It turned out beautifully.
This was the unveiling, at Susan's house.
This is the party Susan made. "WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR".
This is Ben serenading them , can you believe that?
This is where the collage is now hung, in their Dining room. It looks beautiful there.
It was a box of tissues for each of them. Mother was very excited, apparently they were running low on tissues. (We all got our own box, too).
Of course they knew something was up, they thought it was going to be "This Is Your Life". In a way, it was. It had taken months, possibly even a year, from Susan's idea of what to give them, to reach that day. Next, I presented Susan with a baton. The baton was for keeping time to the music. We put our own music to it. Music that meant something to our family.
Then came the video tape. This is a video tape of our parents entire lives, up until that moment. It also included both sets of their parents. This was definitely a labor of love. (I have to say this before I go any further, I had been sick, really sick, in the bed, can't get up, had to quit my job, sick. Susan and Linda did the majority of the work on this, and it was a lot of work). I'm gonna finish this story, before I tell you that one. As a matter of fact, that story will become "The Making Of". Also, I hope to have the video where it can be watched, before long. Check back.
They were in awe, they couldn't believe it. They were sitting on the edge of their chairs.
Then they just set back and enjoyed it.
There's a very long story about "The Making Of", but I'm determined to finish this one first.
This was a message for them, at the end of the video.
This group of pictures are from 2000 and then 1950.
Cutting the cake - 2000.
Cutting the cake - 1950.
Cutting the cake - 1950.
Feeding each other cake - 2000. Feeding each other cake - 1950. 
The 50th Anniversary table.More pictures of Mother and Daddy.
The next day, this was featured in the paper.After all was said and done, I made a small picture album for each of us, detailing the past few days activities.
This is the opening page. "It is not good that man should be alone". That is what is says on the left inside cover of the album. Daddy heard this at a church sermon, and that is how he convinced his parents, and hers, to let them get married. (They didn't even HAVE to).
This is a Thank You card that each of us girls received from Mother and Daddy.
The next year, 2001, their party had been rescheduled to Saturday, September 15, that was the 1st time we could all get together again. Then 9/11 happened, and we didn't have a party. This is an email card I made them for that anniversary. 
By their anniversary in 2002, we were ready again. This time Linda wasn't able to participate very much. Susan and I made a collage of their lives together. It turned out beautifully.
This was the unveiling, at Susan's house.
This is the party Susan made. "WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR".
This is Ben serenading them , can you believe that?
This is where the collage is now hung, in their Dining room. It looks beautiful there.
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