30 years

this past monday was my parent's 30th wedding anniversary. 30th! i'm so proud of them and can think of no other people better made for each other. i realize now how lucky i was to have such a great example of love and commitment growing up, and i am so thankful for that. so in honor of my parent's special day, we, the children, planned something fun just for them.

for the 30th birthday, the gift is pearl. then i thought, how i can get my dad a pearl gift?? let the brainstorming begin. with my parents being suckers for sentiment, the idea hit. we would all write letters to them on pearlized paper, surprise them with a visit, and cook dinner.

what's pearlized paper you ask? i'm not sure if it's even a word, but i do know that hobby lobby had just what i was thinking. and of course i can't just write a letter; i had to make an envelope to go with it.

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and then i bedazzled it with fake pearls. i know, i know. classy :)



final product--sure-fire tear jerker.



and if the pearl-studded presentation didn't bring her to tears, then she didn't stand a chance with what i wrote inside.



it's a running joke to make her cry with the cards we give, and it never gets old. don't worry, my dad got his fair share of pearls too.

they were so shocked we came! me and mal made tacos and she brought dirt cake (yum!) for dessert. it was fun to be home again as a whole family, and i could tell they were soaking it up.

my dad had his present all ready of course with a note "do not open until tuesday." this drives my mom crazy because it's probably been up there for days (maybe weeks).

it was the sweetest thing. he got her two cards (gifts inside) because he couldn't decide between them, and they both said all the right things apparently. and then the water works began.

he made her read both cards out loud, including what he wrote. i will say the last card got me, and i had to fight back the tears. :)

30 years later and he's still stealing kisses. congrats mom and dad!