To those who don't believe in high school sweethearts--meet my parents (actually, if we're being honest, they were junior high sweethearts). The 31st of January this year marks 31 years of marriage for these two! Which means it's their golden anniversary, even though my dad so kindly pointed out to me that a golden anniversary means 50th anniversary, but I'm stickin' to my guns and saying it's their golden anniversary (my dad is also kind enough to point out other things to me... like that I have a potty mouth and that I'm never on time, but that's besides the point).
And if you're wondering why they don't look old enough to have been married for 31 years, have 5 kids, AND 5 grandkids, it's because they aren't. They married young, but their love was way beyond their years, and still is today! I know that these two were meant to be together, and I'm so grateful they are! They've set the standard so high (like almost annoyingly high) for what a happy marriage is supposed to be like, and I'm so grateful for that, because it makes it that much easier to point out to Chris what he's doing wrong (just kidding! just kidding! I love my Chris). But seriously, my parents have a love like no one I've ever seen and it just keeps getting better with time.
Mom and dad, I hope that me and Chris are even half as happy as you are in 30 years. You've shown me what true love looks like--despite my many, many protests against your PDA--and even what true love sounds like with your weird made up language that only you guys seem to know how to speak, the sound of hot chocolate being made every morning, your hysterical laughter at night while you're watching a show together, and most of all, the fact that you've never missed a day saying "I love you" to each other. You guys will always be my greatest example of true love.
Happy GOLDEN Anniversary!