52 Years

Tomorrow will be my Grandparents (on my Dad's side) wedding anniversary. On June 1, 1957 my grandparents promised to love, care, and stand by each other every day for the rest of their lives. Now as a married woman, I can only see the love and patience they both have to have been married this long. The stories I have heard from my grandmother have just blown my mind at the thought that this woman could take care of her husband and child, work in a very intense job, and still sneak away time for herself. For those 52 years they have stayed together, I have only known them for 19, and I do have to say I have learned a lot on what can help make a marriage grow and stay strong.
I remember my grandmother waking up at 4:30 in the morning to excercise, but she always had breakfast for my grandfather when he would wake up in the morning. She had time to clean the house and kitchen after breakfast, but then would have enough time to make lunch for him when she knew he would start to get hungry. And even after lunch she would have time to water her plants, and take care of errands, maybe even have time to have afternoon coffee to herself and would still have dinner waiting for him. Like I said, her house is always clean, I mean ALWAYS. I don't think I've ever seen a dead plant or a spec of dust in her presence. This is also the same woman I've heard stories of while she worked across seas with a gun to her head, or surviving an earthquake. She's also the same woman who has no nonsense. I heard one story where she found out my father had bought a motorocycle and she flew back to San Antonio to sell it, because no son of hers would own a vehicle on two wheels.
I remember my grandfather having such a stubborn personality he would never have a problem telling her what he thought, but would still retreat from the conversation when he knew he had been beat. I've heard stories of how he has protected her in moments of need, especially after her mother died after one of their first dates. He keeps her on her toes and will always make her feel needed. They've had trying times and wonderful times, but still they have stayed married. Even when they would live on different parts of the globe, they still made it work and continue to make it work. Watching my grandparents through all these years, as long as you have love for yourself and the other, then you can work anything out. I know in marriage there can be times where it's a little too much, but if I have learned anything in my year and a half of being married, it's that as long as I have what my grandparents have, then David and I will be just fine.