When it rains, it pours.

For sure.

This week has been one of the most insane of my life. Ladies’ dinner Thursday, my parents’ 25th anniversary dinner Friday, a wedding Saturday, and a church dinner today. Whew. I’m worn out to put it lightly.

The last few months has consisted of my sisters and me scheming and planning my mom and dad’s anniversary party. We decided to do it big, so with the help of many of their/our friends, we have given them a trip to Europe. To my knowledge, the last time they went on a proper vacation (ie: no business, no kiddos) was when they took their honeymoon. And in my opinion, they didn’t even go crazy with that. They just traveled a few hours to Williamsburg, VA. I guess that it doesn’t matter very much where you go for your honeymoon though, as long as its clean. We haven’t taken ours yet (though I’m hoping we won’t have to wait another 23 years…) but I can’t imagine that you’d have to go anywhere very special as long as you are with your new spouse. But this is different. They need culture. You have to do at least one good traveling vacation before you pass. Note: someone remind my kids of this in a few years.

Well, I wasn’t intending to get off on that tangent. Thursday was awesome. I spent most of the day with my mom shopping for food for Friday and for a dress for her! I love love love shopping. Its in my DNA (Thanks, Nanny!). I am a little out of practice since having Miss Layla Grace, but I think Thursday might have gotten me back on track. We started off at her favorite store just looking for summer clothes (something she seriously lacks). After trying on atleast 75 items, I think she decided on maybe six. This is how we have to do things with her because otherwise she would only pick out what she thought would look good without bothering to try on new things, and thus leave the store with nothing. That is not how real shopping works. Real shopping is your cool daughter going with you to your favorite store and piling the dressing room with one or two of everything and then narrowing things down from there. Just to let you know. :D So after some discouragement, we found some keepers and moved onto Dillards. I’m not a big Dillards shopper, but they have some super cute dresses. I had in mind the perfect dress for her, and she had another thing in mind. So just like the previous store, we just packed our arms with hangers and went to the dressing room. After breaking her stubborness, she let me in to see every dress. (I’m kind of bossy to her, like a mother to her child standing outside the dressing room saying in a soft but firm voice, “You better let me look at that before you complain and take it off.“) There were some okay ones. There were some cute ones. And then there was the, “Mama! You look like a first lady. You are so buying that dress” and her answering “Wow, I look good. This is the dress.”

So then we left, right?

Come on. Is shopping ever that cut and dry? We are women. We don’t always wear the same size in every brand and item like men think.

Yes, she looked at the price tag and said, “Are you crazy?! Why did you hand this dress to me? I’m not buying this!”

“But mom! You look soooooo beautiful. Its your 25th anniversary! Splurge!”

Then she made me search out an alternative. But anyone who has every found “the one” of anything should know that anything after that just won’t compare. There was only one other dress she loved, a little black dress she looked downright sexy in, but she insisted she would have no place to wear it. (Yeah, just let me interject. At that point I was thinking “Dang, Mama. Look at you!” and also, “gah I wish I could tell her she was going to Europe and she would just be quiet and buy the dress.” But I just couldn’t spoil the surprise.)

After much debate, she decided to go with the first dress she fell in love with. And I’m so happy she did. She was gorgeous. Stunning. I’ll never forget the way she looked in that dress because she felt so good and it was so perfect for such a special occasion.

Once Friday rolled around, we were just ready to scream to the world that they were being surprised with the trip of a lifetime. We did manage to keep it on the down low until the proper time. And let me tell you, keeping a secret has never been so worth it. Another thing seered in my brain is the look that was on their faces as we handed them a framed vintage map of Europe and a piggy bank containing the funds. Truly, that was a priceless moment as we all teared up and choked back all the other tears when my dad turned to me and said after a moment of silence, “Is this a joke?” Uh no, Daddy. That would be the meanest joke ever (in front of 40 people, no less). Why didn’t my batteries charge for my video camera?!

All I can say is, despite the busyness of the week (and whole month, really), everything was worth it for that moment. I love my parents more dearly that I could ever put into words. Everything I know to be true about marriage, I have learned firsthand from my Mama and Daddy. They live everything they believe and love each other more dearly than any two people I have every met.  I wish them all the best and pray that in 25 years they love each other more than they ever have before. I hope the next 25 are even more rewarding than the last. I will always have something to learn from their tender love for each other. My dad is the sweetest man alive. He is my hero. He is quiet, but possesses such strength and exercises leadership in a very gentle way. My mom is very honest, caring and submissive to my dad. She is so much fun to be around. I miss all those nights around 12am when she would sneak into my room just to talk. I know I’ve more than made up for all talking I didn’t do back then. It turns out you do need your mother’s advice….

Mama and Daddy compliment each other in a way that I can only strive to compliment Justin. I hope that’s what we look like to our children. Congratulations Mama and Daddy.

This post is about a thousand words longer than I intended it to be. I hope getting a small glimpse into such a successful marriage has been encouraging to you; their marriage is always an encouragement to me.

Enjoy your night. We’ll be back to sewing talk tomorrow.

xo, Mere

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