Spring has sprung and love is in the air

The first day of spring - it is amazing how flipping over a page of the calendar can be so very exciting.  How it can bring a smile to your face as warm as the gorgeous spring sunshine.  In reality the season of spring has been here for a couple of weeks now, but there is something about the first of September that just makes the world a little bit brighter.

The first of September is a significant day in my family not just because it heralds blossom, sunshine and the promise of summer, but because it is my parents' wedding anniversary.  Yes those two gorgeous people at the top are my parents on their wedding day.  The rather romantic date had more to do with the fact that it was the first Saturday of the school holidays (Mum was a teacher) than the change of season, but the symbolicness wasn't lost on anyone.

Do you remember the 90's sit com "Mad About You"?  The very last episode was told from their daughter's perspective about how her parents had the perfect relationship.  Perfect not in that it was all roses and stardust, in fact there were fights and silences and hard times.  It was perfect in that no matter what happened, what challenges life threw up, through the good times and the bad times they got through it all together.  That they were stronger as a unit, each was part of the other.  My parents are just like that.  The past decade or so has been a rollercoaster.  Mum and Dad have had amazing challenges, it has been tough.  But you know, I look at them and I see that couple in the picture, still smiling full of love even if there is a bit more experience behind it.  I often wonder if I have the strength that would enable me to survive what they have and I hope that I can live up to the amazing example of a real life together that they have set.

I guess most people celebrate their wedding anniversary quietly as a couple, but being my family, no celebration is really complete without the whole crew in tow.  Add in that Thursday is family dinner night and there really seemed to be no option other than for us to all celebrate together.  So tonight, us kids are taking Mum and Dad out to a rather gorgeous restaurant.  It will be a fitting way to celebrate what is and will always be a very special date.

I know this picture is a little bury but I had to include it to show the magnificence of my Dad's maroon suit - they had wedding cars to match.  And the bridesmaids wore avocado (as in the colour not the fruit).  Ahh the beauty of a wedding in the 70's.