A cup of Coffee and a Toast to my Parents

Hi everyone! Where did this week go??? I love Spring Break and it did nothing for me except get me that much more excited for summer! Tomorrow my parents will celebrate 57 years of marriage. So pull up a chair, your favorite cup of jobe and let me share with you some things about my Mom and Dad.



1. They met in Pampa at a drive-in called the Windmill. My Mom had gone there with friends after church and my Dad was eating in the car next to her.
2. They married in Pampa, TX.
3. They had a very simple wedding.
4. During their marriage, they have had 3 children.
5. For several years, they lived on a farm in Pampa. These were rough times. Money was tight and they had three children to care for. At one point, they had a child in college, high school, and elementary.
6. One time during a blizzard on the farm, my Dad and Mom were out breaking water and my Dad thought he was going to go across some rough road. He told my Mom to hang on and the next thing they knew, he had thrown her through the windshield. (He hit a bank instead!)
7. There were times during my childhood that I thought they'd never be married 57 years.
8. After leaving the farm, my Dad became quite successful in the oilfield.
9. My Mom was my Dad's secretary for many years.
10. My Mom got up and quit one day and Daddy told her she couldn't, she walked out anyway.
11. She went back to work as my Dad's secretary after a few days.
12. They love to listen to old gospel music.
13. They love animals.
14. They had a dog named Shorty that died a year or so ago. They made a memory book for him and had him buried (headstone, casket, and all!)
15. Unfortanely, I have seen and heard them argue like none other!
16. Fortunately, I have seen them love each other like none other!
17. They would be lost without the other.
18. I watched them grieve the loss of my brother 10 years ago. I didn't think they'd make it through and I believe the only way they did make it through was God and each other.
19. They have the utmost respect for my sister and the business that she has built. They brag on her all the time. ( I'm pretty fond of her too)
20. They LOVE their grandchildren and great-grandchildren (11 in all).
21. At Christmas, they always make homemade candy together.
22. At Christmas, they always have gifts for any "extra" people that might come in.
23. My Mom has cooked 3 meals a day for MOST of these 57 years.
24. They don't have a dishwasher and don't want one. (this is something I CAN'T understand)
25. The table is fully set for every meal. Buffet style is out of the question and so are paper plates!
26. My Mom makes the best pies and my Dad loves to eat them.
27. Shoot, my Mom is the best cook I know!
28. They are very giving people.
29. They are very old-fashioned in their thoughts.
30. Even though they don't really have to, they like to live the simple life.
31l They would help their kids through anything. (we might get a tongue lashing, but they'd still help us!.
32. They have a set day for laundry and it is usually all done by 10:00 in the morning.
33. My Dad has supported my Mom through Breast Cancer.
34. My Mom has supported my Dad through heart problems.
35. They met my daughter's birthmom.
36. They watched me march during many half-time shows in high school.
37. The still have their original microwave.
38. They are caretakers to some stray cats.
39. My Mom makes hamburger patties to feed the stray cats. (is it any wonder they're not strays anymore?)
40. They really are each others best friend.
41. They "expect" to hear from every child and grandchild on birthdays and anniversaries.
42. They make me laugh.
43. They laugh at me, I'm sure of it!
44. They used to own race horses.
45. They love Taco Bell tacos.
46. They can barely eat 2 Taco Bell tacos.
47. On their wedding night, they went to eat shrimp and have eaten shrimp on every anniversary since then.
48. They have supported me through some very dark times in my life.
49. They have cheered me on during some very bright times in my life.
50. They love me (I know I've already said that but I believe they love me alot!)
51. They worry about each other.
52. They go to church most Sundays.
53. They love to go back for "5th Sunday Singing".
54. They love to tell us stories of "back then".
55. They love to watch "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?"
56. I think they're two of the smartest people I know ( and yes, there was a time in my life that I didn't think this)
and finally.....
57. I love them so very, very much!


Well, there you have it. A long list of things that may matter nothing to you but are the mere essence of who my parents are and have been together for 57 years. You don't find marriages that have sustained that long, too often these days. It hasn't always been pleasant, but it has always been. Happy Friday friends! Thanks for letting me share about two wonderful people in my life!