Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!
Happy 54th Wedding Anniversary
Today my mom and dad celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary doing what they enjoy doing most, helping people. Mom and dad have been hosting 19 relatives since Sunday due to Hurricane Katrina.
I have to be the most blessed person in the world to have parents like I have. I've known them for 44 years and they have always been the best parents in the world.
They come from completely different worlds. Dad came from the south, South Louisiana. He was one of 11 children, raised by a very hard working little Frenchman who did not put up with a lot of foolishness. Dad took after his mom's side of the family who loved to joke and play around. I'm glad! Dad is always so much fun!
Mom came from the north, North Louisiana. She was the middle child and the oldest daughter to J.R. and Melvina Matthews. Grandpa was a quiet man and maybe that was because Grandma didn't give him much of a chance to talk. They were not a family given to much joking and jesting so I know that marrying dad, was quite an adjustment for my mom.
After the honeymoon, mom and dad settled into life in, of all places, NEW ORLEANS. Mom was a young country girl in a big, wicked city. I know that she probably shed many a tear the first few months of married life. Being away from home for the first time, in a big city, would have made me cry!
God had plans for the young couple and their two precious children who came along during their first 4 years of marriage. He wanted them out of New Orleans and opened up a job opportunity in Natchitoches. Dad took a job at the Natchitoches Post Office and they built their first house on 843 Koonce Street. IT was there that my youngest brother Kevin and myself entered the scene.
We had the most fun growing up with mom and dad as parents. Mom, being the serious one, made sure we were clothed (made them herself) and fed (one of the best cooks I know). I can still see mom leaning over the old black Singer Sewing Machine working on some outfit for us kids, dad or herself. She always had time to listen to us kids and to fix us a snack. Mom was also the frugal one in the marriage. She kept the household going on one income and that was not easy with four children, three of which went to a private school.
Dad was our source of entertainment. We didn't have a television so each night, dad would get down the big story book and read to us. The stories came alive. I can still hear Uncle Remus telling about the tar baby and the fox. I could almost smell the scent of tar as dad read to us. Mom and Dad would always have family prayer and devotions with us. I’ve since learned they did it to get us ready to bed. If you prayed long enough, we’d all go to sleep!
During the summer, we'd get busy and round up all the spare inner tubes we could find. Randy, my oldest brother, was the expert at patching and repairing them. He'd have them aired and ready to go by the time dad got home from work. We'd start pleading and begging for Dad to take us swimming and he'd usually give in because he enjoyed swimming almost as much as we!
I appreciate dad because he loved us kids and loved our mother! He would not take any form of "talking back" from us to mom. We learned that fact early in life. Dad not only took us to church, he went too and played a big role in the church. He was always on the board, and for most of the years I was home, he was the church treasurer. I know that there were times that it would have been easy for him to resign his position on the board and walk away but not dad. He could be counted on to be there. Many times he opened the doors and locked them after the last person had left. I think that he has done almost every job that could be done in a church with the exception of teaching a nursery class. I could be wrong about that!
I never saw mom and dad fight. My friends would not believe me when I'd tell them that, but it was the truth. If they ever had disagreements, they happened behind closed doors and not in front of us children. I never heard them speaking badly about anyone in the church, especially the pastor. As far as we knew, every pastor we ever had was wonderful.
Thank you mom and dad for setting the example of a Godly life and marriage before us. Thank you for loving me and sacrificing much to provide my needs and most of my wants. Thank you for the sacrifice to give me piano lessons, even when I didn't always show my appreciation by practicing! It has paid off and now I'm enjoying the fruits of your sacrifice and am able to share the love and knowledge of music with others.
Thank you for taking me in when I had no place to go! You didn't have to but you made me feel like your home was still mine. Thank you for putting up with me even though sometimes I was not easy to put up with. My life is so much richer because of you and I wish that everyone were as blessed as I.
May you celebrate at least 50 more years of wedded bliss!!
Love your daughter,
Beth
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