Happy 5oth Anniversary Mom & Dad !!!

It’s celebration time coming up for my parents. On June 7th they will be celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. They made it about 39 years longer than I did.

For their anniversary my brother, sister and I wanted to do something special for them. They usually don’t like a big fuss to be made over them but come on, man, it’s their 50th!

We decided to create a menu of gifts for them to make a selection from. On the menu was listed five different gifts and they were told to select one of them. The gifts were things like a trip to Hawaii, a party for 50 of their closest friends, a marriage ceremony to re-new their vows, a cruise, or the last item was Dealer’s Choice where they could chose a trip to anywhere they’d like to go. After a lot of prodding, (I thought they would take the party) they finally decided to take a cruise. This will be a first for them since they have never taken a cruise.

Another treat for them is that my cousin and her husband (they are close to my parents age) decided to go with them. (I thought they’d take the party) They all get along great, she is retired and he a retired Navy officer (used to fly those fighter jets) and they have been on many cruises. My folks will be in good hands.

They’ll be leaving from Tampa and going to the Cayman Islands, some island in Mexico, Belize and the Honduras (what’s wrong with a party?). I was over at their house to book the flight the other night and it was very entertaining. My folks don’t fly too often and it’s been a while since Dad has been on a plane. He wanted a window seat but he also wanted a seat in the exit row for more leg room. The window seat in the exit row looks out over the wing. He doesn’t want to look out over the wing. But he wanted the longer leg room (they should have taken the party). After a few hours of intense decision-making we bought the flights and printed the tickets.

Now we are having discussions like this: “ I saw online that there are a lot of robberies and kidnappings where we’re going”. “Mom, stay with the cruise excursions and you’ll be fine”. “I really have never liked the water, we’ll probably get seasick”. “Mom, we’ll get the wristbands and the Dramamine from your doctor before you go and you’ll be fine”. “What if they won’t let us sunbath on the deck in the nude?” “Dad, leave me alone, I must go and throw up.” (Take the damn party!)

I’m sure they’ll have a wonderful time and want to take another cruise the week after they get back. I am just delighted that they beat they odds and have spent 50 wonderful married years. My kids are lucky; chances are they won’t have to get me anything for a 50th anniversary. But if, by some strange chance I do get remarried and end up celebrating a 50th anniversary….I’ll take the party.