A huge weekend for us

Tomorrow is a major milestone in our family. My parents are celebrating their 50th anniversary! I can't wrap my head around being with the same person for half a century! We are having their party on Saturday afternoon. I have planned it, made all the arrangements, sent out the invites and will decorate tomorrow as soon as we can get into the fire hall where we are having the party. I have RSVPs from almost 100 people. It will be huge, but laid back and casual, just like my parents. They didn't want a big catered affair, that's not who they are. They opted for wings, ham and a variety of salads that family and friends have offered to bring. There will be lots of singing from the guests, as well as stories of how they met from the ones who were there.

I'm creating a scrapbook for them and have asked everyone to write up a memory of their lives before I came around and it will be a beautiful way to share their story for generations to come. It's very important for me to have this. My parents, especially my dad, value photos as a way to keep the memories alive. I'm sure the stories will be funny, sweet and completely them.

Randy and I have been married 26 years, so we are slowly catching up. :) His parents were married well over 50 years. We were brought up knowing the marriage was a true life-time commitment. Divorce isn't an option. When life gets hard, you don't throw in the towel, you work harder at it. I'll freely admit it, our marriage hasn't been all roses and moonbeams over the last two and a half decades, but we didn't give in. We dug in and worked a little harder.

I'm so proud of my parents! I will post photos from their party on Saturday. I have already received a Citation of Congratulations from the PA State Senate as well as our local County Commissioners. I have another big surprise coming for them, but won't put it here in case Mom happens to read it.

26 years ago

In a hotel not very far away from our current home, I woke up for the first time as Mrs. Randy Rokosky. WOW! Where did my other name go? We got together literally 2 days before I was leaving for college in upsate NY. He was a US Marine stationed in NC and had been one since he graduated from high school. He was home on leave. We knew each other from school, he was 2 years ahead of me. We were friends and had a lot of the same friends. He was even our paperboy and lived just a few blocks from me! We worked on chemistry homework together a few times in high school and went for drives. Just friends, except for one time he kissed me. I NEVER forgot that kiss. It was one of those kisses that goes right to your toes, but he had a girlfriend at the time and was leaving for boot camp, so it didn't go any further that time.

My mom said she always knew he would be back some day and it would be forever. I honestly never expected it. My dearest friend and I were uptown, just spending the last weekend of our time together. She was leaving for cosmetology school in Erie and I would be in NY. I also had a boyfriend at the time, but when that dashing Marine looked at men and asked if I wanted a drive home, that was it. I couldn't imagine being with any other man. I got more of those toe~curling kisses. I had to break up with my long~time boyfriend that night. It wasn't easy and he was furious, wanted to come down and beat up my soul mate. I told him to just let it go. He didn't have a chance, it was over.

Randy and I wrote and called constantly and I finally flew down for a weekend visit. I had never been on a plane or traveled alone before, but he was worth the fear I had. He drove home for weekends as often as he could and when I didn't fly down there, I took the bus. Being a very tiny, size 1, blonde girl traveling all alone to the South was scary at time, but I had my Marine and those kisses to think about.

We had fun when we were together, so when he asked me, "Will you marry me?" There was no way I could say no. We were so young! I was 20 and he was 22. I couldn't even buy a drink, but I could get married. I have been with him my entire adult life and even though it hasn't always been easy (nothing that is truly worth it is ever easy, is it?), we are still together and I'm still getting those kisses.