A love story for the ages

My mom was recently out in the garage and found a box of the letters my dad had sent her during their courtship (if you could call it that). She's taken the time to learn how to scan these letters in and send them to my sisters and me for our enjoyment. Let the story begin.

My dad was stationed (military term) in Germany with my mom's brother and sister-in-law. My dad had recently joined the Church and was serving with my uncle in their local branch. My mom was serving her mission in Oklahoma. My aunt had the greatest idea that this young officer should write the sister missionary. It's been great reading the letters my dad sent, reading the difference between the letters he sent while she was on her mission and after. I also learned that my dad's go to word for describing things was tremendous.

They had their moments in the letters. My dad had sent back one of her letters corrected with red ink, she stopped writing. My dad basically proposed to her in a letter, she stopped writing. My dad sent her an old maid's handbook for her birthday, my mom stopped writing.

Now remember, this was back before email. And it was international mail. The first letter was sent in June 1977. The last letter my dad sent out prior to their meeting was August 1978. Yes, they wrote 14 months before seeing each other. Well.. my mom did. My dad saw pictures that my aunt and uncle had around the house, but he didn't have any pictures to send to my mom.

Finally my dad suggested that my mom come with my grandparents on their next trip to Germany as they were going to visit my aunt and uncle. She wasn't so sure about it, but her favorite aunt told her to go ahead, plus, when would she ever have another chance to go on an all-expense trip to Europe. (little did she know she would be spending a large portion of her life in Germany later on down the road). So she accepted his offer and joined her parents on their journey across the big pond.

Things really didn't go according to plan. As my mom was walking with my grandparents up to meet my dad my mom whispered to my grandma, "he's an old man!l" (really he's only 3 years older). My uncle had to go into the field so it ended up just being my grandparents and parents traveling around together. A day or so in she told my grandpa she wanted to go home. They had purchased a ticket for her to leave earlier than planned. During this time my mom broke her shoe, their luggage chased them down the escalator, the car window broke and then was impounded in France. Ten days later they were engaged :) My mom stayed a few days longer and then headed back to California. My dad stayed in Germany and flew in a few days before their wedding that November. Seriously? Seriously!

They got married, went on their honeymoon (that's a whole 'notha story), and then headed back to Germany for my dad to finish his "tour". Almost 32 years it's pretty safe to say they're more in love now than they've ever been. It's just amazing to me.

I love my parents. I love that they love me. I'm so grateful to them for their wonderful examples and all that they have done. My mom is the most giving person. She will drop everything to help someone else. She has this rock-solid faith that if I had an ounce of it I'd be set. My dad is all I could ask for. We've had our moments, but I wouldn't trade any of them for what we have now. I know that he would do anything within his power for me. I've been "on my own" for almost 8 years. Our visits have been shortened to summer vacation and Christmas with the occasional trips here and there. I'm hoping to be able to live closer in the near future so I can spend more time with them, but I'm so thankful that they're only a call away. I can always count on my mom telling me things I know, but don't want to hear. I can always count on my dad talking me through decisions that I need to make. I just love them. That's all!