60 Years

This past Saturday, we helped celebrate Ryan's grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary.

60 years.

The ironic thing is that later this year, my parents will reach the same milestone.

My parents. His grandparents. Same accomplishment. And we are part of their legacy.

His grandparents had an open house...where a beautiful lace-covered dress hung against the wall - yellowed, but still completely intact and a testament to vows spoken years ago.

 A banner hung by the door with their wedding photo...and as I passed through at one point during the day, scoping out a new place to take pictures, I heard an open-house-attender say to his grandma, "Man you looked as scared out of your mind as I did on my wedding day."

Because 60 years ago, weddings weren't paid for with loans and inspired by Pinterest and entrenched in elaborate ceremonies and registries and first looks and such. They were solemn commitments between two barely-adults who had heard stories of how their parents made it through the Depression with nothing to their name and they were about to make their own way - with no guarantees.

And sixty years later, they sat with their children behind them and proved...it can be done.

That the cake and the confetti and the spread of food and the perfectly arranged centerpieces are but a symbol of sixty years of celebration, certainly, but also of hard work and grit and sheer determination. That this crew of five made it this far because of Jesus and His grace over their home.

Their kids had kids...and then THEY began having kids, and the room swarmed with generations bubbling over with pride in the generation the followed....

And in the middle of all this mix, Ryan and I came to be part of this legacy.

And though our wedding day looked different than theirs...and we were far older when we got married, I hope all those many years down the road, we carry on this legacy of determination and faith. We may not make it to 60 years {and if we DO, we'll be well on our way to 100 and unlikely to remember a blessed thing about it} but I hope we leave behind a legacy of love!