To be married 40 years: Virginia Wedding Photographer

She was set up on a date with him, the long haired blue eyed young man that was six years her senior.  She with her dark wavy locks and gorgeous but unassuming smile.  She was humble and sweet and he was young and handsome.  They had a great first date, but she was too young for him, at least that is what he thought when he didn’t ask her out again.  But she liked him and she him wanted him to know.  I think she told a friend that “Hey, I liked that guy.”

At 18 she convinced him she was ready and they got married, the two lovebirds.  Their wedding was simple, humble, but not to be overlooked was the love that underpinned the whole of it.  All that mattered was that they were getting married and would start their lives together.  As any proper hippie would, he built into a VW bus a little kitchen and a sleeping bed.  They packed up their bags and headed for Mexico.  It would be a trip of miracles that was only a foreshadowing of God’s continuous intervention in their lives.  On their honeymoon they lost the key to their van and and luckily he remembered how to hot wire a car from his younger brother.  No my uncle was not mischievous, it was for a high school project.  Later on, realizing it would be difficult to always hot wire the car, they said a prayer and found the key on the rear cushion of the van.  They also lost her purse in California with all the traveler’s checks and thanks to the goodness of a local sheriff, he gave them some money and they were able to continue on their trip.  To me their honeymoon really symbolized how they would rely on faith throughout their entire marriage.  It was an amazing thing to behold.

I hope my Dad doesn’t mind too much, but I wanted to share this sweet excerpt he wrote in his journal back in 1991 of which he gave me a copy a long time ago.  He writes: “Just so you know how I view my lot in life, my life is incredibly wonderful.  It’s almost like a dream that I would never have imagined in my youth.  Imagine the peace of being married to someone as devoted to the Savior and her family as your mother.  Why does that bring me peace? Because I can be myself.  I can try to do the right things.  When I make mistakes, she understands and inspires me to try again.  She is a real person, not a phony in any way.  She tries her best and is a wonderful example to me and to you.  I love her.  She is the bride of my youth, and my love and admiration for her has only increased from the day I met her until now.  In today’s world, who could hope for a relationship like this?”  And this entry from my dad back in 1981 was probably the best advice to share to indicate whether or not what you have is a true, deep, and sincere love.  He writes: “Leslie was the most lovely and beautiful girl I ever dated, and by far the most interesting.  I never tired of her company from the moment I met her.  To this moment, some eight years after meeting her, I know of no one I would rather spend an afternoon or evening visiting, or just being in the same room with.”

I am so grateful for their examples of love and service to each other.  I couldn’t ask for better parents.  Love you Mom and Dad!