Happy 63rd Anniversary, Mama and Papa

Engaged in 1944
They met on the street, on their way to work.
My father noticed her and whistled.
They stopped to talk, and that's how the whole thing started.


Married in 1946
Right after the war. There was nothing to buy. Everything required
coupons. They were lucky to get a bed frame for a single bed with a
double sized mattress.
THAT must have been romantic!

In Holland the first serious anniversary is the 12 1/2 year one.
Here we are, all dressed up with gelled hair.
We had a nice party with many relatives and friends
and we kids did skits,
sang songs and danced.

25th anniversary
I was a newlywed myself
My second trip back home.
Here we are, all together again.
My sister on the bottom, then me,
my brother from New Zealand
My brother and his then girlfriend
They were to be married a few days later
On top our parents.
This picture was taken after a few bottles of wine

:>)

40th anniversary.
We rented two vacation bungalows
so we would all fit.
Wheelie and the kids all made the trip.
Here my parents with my son top left, Bugs on my mom's lap.
The others are nephews and nieces

50th anniversary
We didn't think we would be celebrating this one.
Dad had a few heart attacks and had quadruple bypass surgery
only a few months before.
It was a sparkling day. We rented a Rolls Royce to drive them from their home to
my sister's, where we had a small party.
In the evening we all went out to dinner at a fancy restaurant.

60th anniversary
We rented a Party Tram which took us all around the old
neighborhoods in The Hague.
After that we had high tea at The Kurhaus in Scheveningen
It was the last time we were all together
with my brother and his wife and daughter from New Zealand,
My sister and her boys
My brother, his wife and the kids

And here they are today
63 years later
Going strong
I'm convinced their faith and their unshakable love for each other
is keeping them alive. Not to mention their wicked sense of humor.

We are all aware that we're not going to be celebrating many of these
milestones in the future, but boy, what a journey it has been.

Great job, mama and papa!!!

I love you!


SGMKJ!