01 July 2008

An anniversary card

This post is just a note to say Happy Anniversary to my parents, who have been married now for 36 years, but who both look as if they must have logically gotten married shortly after birth, instead of in their 20s. I think that's a common benefit of a good marriage defined by mutual respect and a resilient sense of humor.

I figured a candid shot was best to capture them in their essence. Here they are at my Dad's retirement party a couple years ago, before he went into business for himself (and just after he had taken a big drink, it would seem):

My parents at my Dad's (semi-)retirement party a couple years ago
I can only hope J- and I are headed towards a similar fate so many years from now.* I like to think we're well on our way, but we'll see if we can escape The Teenage Years without having to spend ourselves into debt on duct tape, ear plugs, heavy-duty-vault-grade door locks, chastity belts, and legal fees.


* Of course, my brothers and sister and I were angels as teenagers, as you might have guessed from my obvious class and grace, so we made it look easy for them, but knowing J-'s wild streak, we may be in for a bumpy ride that is completely the fault of her genes alone.**

** I also blame the "Terrible Twos" and the "What the F--- is YOUR Problem? Fours" on her genes alone.***

*** The term "her genes alone" in the previous two instances may include, but not be limited to, anything else I later declare as an additional cause that even more certainly absolves me of any and all blame or responsibility. Please sign here.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I blame that stuff on my hubby's genes, too. I think that's the safest bet.

When you find out where to buy the best chastity belts let me know. Maybe they discount for multiple purchases...

Candid Carrie said...

I heard about people like your parents but I didn't believe it to be possible. I checked out your story on snopes and apparently it is true. Americans do have the ability to stay married thirty-six years.

Aren't you the fortunate one to only have one set of parents?

Natalie said...

wow! they do look young!

my parents have been married for 44 years. wait...are they really that old? wow! i guess they are. they sure don't look it though!

happy anniversary literaldan's parents!

Rikki said...

Happy Anniversary!

Your parents DO look young. Bodes well for you...maybe you will age gracefully instead of looking like shoe leather.

Mama Dawg said...

Wow! Your mom is beautiful! And they both look so young!

Anonymous said...

Awww...that's sweet. They DO look young! Happy Anniversary to them. It's always an inspiration to hear of people that have made it...happily at that.

Momo Fali said...

They don't even look 36 years old! Must be a really good marriage!

Leslie said...

Impressive!

Question, are you expecting the "legal fees" to be incurred during teenagerdom to be for you/wife or the kids? ;)

Goodtime Charlie said...

wow. your parents must have had really sexy children. right? right?
how could they not?

Pam said...

congrats to your parents. hope they had a wonderful anniversary. i'm on marriage #2, so i don't have any advice for making marriage last LOL i have no kids w my current husband, but i do blame their dad for some of my girls' actions.

i'm sure that you were just the 'perfect angel' *cough, cough* as was i...still am. :)

TerriRainer said...

My daughter who is almost 8 is ALL me...my 6 year old, however, is sooooo her Dad! Funny how each child gets some of their not-so-great traits from the "other" parent though!

Congrats to your parents!

(And thanks for the welcome back)

:) Terri

Jenny said...

Lovely couple. Just lovely. They look like very genuine, happy and nice people!

LiteralDan said...

Thanks on behalf of my parents for all your wonderful comments and good wishes. They had a great celebration and seem ready to take on many more decades together.

MamaNeena: They'd better discount, cause I think I'd be buying at least three, just in case.

Candid Carrie: Depends on your perspective-- my wife has two stepfathers, so now the kids are grandfather-rich.

Natalie: You win, and I totally get what you mean about, "Are they that old?" I always have to quickly calculate how old my parents are whenever it comes up, because the numbers don't seem plausible and thus they aren't ready off the top of my head.

I'm starting to have to do that with my own age as well, actually, but that's just because I live in denial.

Rikki: I think I might have shoe leather in my future, but just because I worry too much.

Mama Dawg: Hey, don't talk about my mother like that!! Oh, wait... thanks.

Christy: I definitely feel inspired by them, and also encouraged that J- might not tire of putting up with me and my antics for that long of a time, after all.

Momo Fali: See, that's what I say! But as my oldest brother is 31 and my next oldest brother will be 30 later this year, I have to face the knowledge that my parents are almost at retirement age (I think my Dad semi-retired early just so he could have two parties) and I'm probably officially An Adult by this point.

Laggin: A little of column A, a little of column B, I think. I just know that I'll have to answer for my parenting choices before a judge some day. Laziness and schadenfreude are crimes, aren't they?

Goodtime Charlie: There are many, many people who have thought so... how did you know?

ciara: Hey, there are those who would argue that having multiple marriages makes you more of an expert on what works and what doesn't than someone who only married one person.

Would you like a lozenge? Your ill-timed coughs seem to be mistakenly indicating your lack of faith in my sincerety. Always nice to meet another perfect angel!

TerriRainer: My children seem to have gotten all their less favorable traits from my wife, curse the luck. But I love her anyway.

Jenny: They are that, though I'm sure they're not above enjoying your saying so. ;-) Thanks for stopping by!
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But more importantly, what about ME?? You all stop by and don't have heaps of praise for me, too?? That just seems rude.

nonna said...

don't worry if things don't work out between you and j- in the future, because there is always hope, even after divorce. if you go by their 1st wedding anniversary* my mom & step-dad have been married 30+ years also.

~~~copying microbiologist copying literalDan section~~~
*they were married and divorced THREE times, but they count the original wedding date as their anniversary. yeah, and you thought you were weird!