On August 10th, my parents, Ken and Fay Martin, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
THEN....(1957 going on honeymoon)
NOW...(2007 wishing they were going on a 2nd Honeymoon!)
To celebrate, we had a reception on August 5th. 
About 150 people attended.
About 150 people attended.
My parents deserved every compliment, blessing and accolade they received and more.
(yes, that is my mom's wedding dress on the wall.)
Friends from Florida, Washington D.C., Illinois, & Missouri...
...and family from Alabama and Missouri came all the way just to celebrate the day with Mom and Dad.
And how many couples are honored to have one of THEIR parents celebrate their 50th Anniversary with them. My grandma, my mom's mom, was there with bells on!
We had a great time of fellowship, food, and reminiscing. 
Our friend and former Pastor's wife, Audrey Clay performed a surprise "fun" renewing of vows.
A little excerpt..."I Ken, take you Fay...for better or worse...Just don't forget your PURSE!"
"I Fay, take you Ken...In sickness and in health...Just leave me all your WEALTH."
And my dad was ever so eager to get to the KISS THE BRIDE...and gave us a good show on that one!
Those who were there that were in their wedding party 50 years ago, all came and stood with them again...
Those who were there that were in their wedding party 50 years ago, all came and stood with them again...
When they married, my mom was 18 and my dad was 22. They immediately moved to Germany where my dad was stationed in the Army. They were there 2 years...and for those 2 years lived in a one room apartment and slept on a TWIN BED!
When Weston heard this, he replied, "I don't even feel I have enough room sleeping alone on a double bed!" He was impressed.
Mom and Dad traveled all over Europe when they were there, enjoying their early years of marriage.
After returning to the states they had my brother, Ken, and me...enjoyed being parents...put in an in ground pool when we were young so everyone would hang at our house...and they did.
They never missed a sporting event (which between my brother and me over 15 or so years...there were hundreds...baseball, football, track, basketball, volleyball, wrestling, )...
and never missed a incredibly boring band or orchestra concert, or a play I was in or playing for or any other activity we were involved in.
ON TOP OF THAT and both of them working 40 hours a week, plus my mom made cakes on the side...WE NEVER MISSED CHURCH on Sunday morning, Sunday night, or Wednesday night. THAT was always the first priority and the MOST IMPORTANT!
They instilled in us a LOVE for the LORD, loyalty and faithfulness to GOD, to ONE ANOTHER, and to the HOUSE OF THE LORD.
They have never hesitated to loan my brother or myself a car when needed...even when I scraped the side of Dad's immaculate vehicle on the mailbox...or was hit in the school parking lot while driving their van (THAT TIME it was not my fault by the way)...
When Steve and I went to pastor in Mt. Pleasant...a church of about 10 people... and were living on faith until our church grew and was established...they were there in more ways than I can begin to list...from vacations in Florida in their time share to driving 2.5 hours on a Sunday morning to watch one of the kids because they were sick, and I was the only one to play the piano at church.
They LOVE being grandparents and loving and supporting their Grandkids...
they would drive 2 hours for a one hour grandparents day program or an hour 1/2 soccer game...
...or for 12 hours for Grandpa to embarrass Natasha on Graduation Day...for one of Alicia's band concerts, or just to visit Ken's family in Missouri and checkout Natasha's new boutique..
I could go on and on...and that doesn't even include how they have blessed other members of the family...
Cousins - Alicia ( my niece), Weston, and Jordan, (my aunt Darlene's son)
...and everything they have done as a part of their church, Bethany Assembly of God.
WHAT A LEGACY I HAVE BEEN GIVEN!
Steve, Brianna, Weston, Me, Dad, Mom, Ken, Alicia, Phyllis
(missing: Natasha, Ken & Phyllis' oldest)
Mom & Dad, CONGRATULATIONS on 50 wonderful years. I love you.
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