Mom and Dad have awesome photos of themselves from high school, back when they first started dating. I, on the other hand, have this -- not a fabulous picture, but it was a candid moment of them talking by the pool a couple summers ago.
My favorite text this week came from my father this morning.
Today, Nov. 9, is the 50th anniversary of his and Mom's first date, he said. They would've been 16, when Dad was on the Glade Hornets football team and Mom was a cheerleader.
It was homecoming night, and Glade apparently trounced Mt. Olive High School 42-0, after which Mom and Dad went to a youth fellowship at Glade Baptist Church, followed by Cherry Cokes at the Frosty Treat Drive-In on South Magnolia Street in Laurel, Miss.
In May 1966, they were married at Mt. Vernon Congregational Methodist Church. Three years later, my brother, Jay, was born; I came along five years, six months and one week after.
I asked Dad if he had any photos from their high school years to send me so that I could post it on my blog.
"Photography was much more difficult then," he said -- "exploding gunpowder and all that, you see." Apparently, sarcasm runs in the family.
Hopefully, longevity in love does, too. I'm very blessed to have two parents who love one another and call one another best friend. One day, I hope to find a long-lasting love like they did. And I better hurry because, if I had my first date tonight with the person I'll spend the rest of my life with, our 50th dating anniversary won't happen until I'm 87.
Peace, love and Cherry Cokes ... XOXO
