Mom, Dad, and 40 Years

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a portrait of my mom and dad... today, they've been together for 40 years, I couldn't be more blessed. I can't even imagine how they raised us four siblings and not have gone crazy for it. My brother, sisters, and I turned out okay... So I'm pretty sure they're doing something right.

Their encouragement throughout the years has been seeing their love for each other, and love for us kids could overcome even the most terrible arguments. They raised us kids to be both independent and family oriented; a bittersweet dichotomy of us all moving on, moving apart from each other as a family divided tethered together ties of love.

I see them with my nieces and nephews and how much love they show to them, and every time I see this, I remember them doing the same with me and my siblings. My mother, the steadfast; my father, the playful one. Taking turns with playing with the little ones.

I'd be lucky to even have half of the affection my parents have for each other; or meet someone who I somehow can't live without. They've set the bar pretty high.

I love them both, even when they're far away.

Edit: they dated for 6 years and have been married for 40 years.