Story Time!

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away called Savannah, Oklahoma, lived a young man named Larry. Larry was a cool dude. He had a black leather jacket, thick curly black hair and was a ladies man. He was on the volunteer fire department and would set small grass fires at lunch time his senior year just to get out of class. He was the cool one to know and hang out with. He was also in a rock n' roll band with a younger boy named Jimmy. Jimmy looked up to Larry.

One day in November, Jimmy took Larry to his house for dinner and was really embarrassed because there stood his sister, Gloria, at the sink washing dishes in a house coat and her hair in curlers. Gloria was the oldest of the four kids, a senior in high school and didn't care what anyone thought and told Jimmy to basically get over it when he said something about it. She was in her mama's house and she didn't like Jimmy hanging out with the older guys anyway. After all, Larry had already graduated high school and Jimmy was only 15. She thought Larry was a hooligan and didn't want him around her brother, even though this was the first time she had ever met him. Larry thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Larry continued going over to the house with Jimmy but Jimmy soon realized Larry was interested in his sister. Jimmy didn't like that at all. Larry was a cool guy but he was in no way good enough for his sister. Gloria finally consented to go out on one date with Larry in January. Jimmy was furious.

Larry was on his best behavior trying to impress Gloria on their date. Gloria had never had anyone pay that much attention to her before. Neither of their parents were impressed with the match. Gloria's parents "knew" what Larry was after and Larry's folks thought Gloria's family wasn't good enough because they were poor. None of the parents were impressed when Larry and Gloria announced their engagement a month later. Larry and Gloria didn't care, because they were head over heels in love. Gloria's parents loved their daughter enough to trust her judgment and not protest too much. They were willing to try and accept Larry as family. Larry's parents offered him a solid gold watch and a college education if he'd dump Gloria. She was white trash to them. Larry told them what they could do with said watch and that unless they wanted to lose a son they would back off.

Five and a half months after their first date, Larry and Gloria got married. They were the only ones at the wedding that were happy about it. As they were leaving to go to the reception, Gloria's 3 brother's made their feelings known by grabbing their sister from her new husband and driving off with her. As they were getting her into the car kicking and screaming, Larry was trying to get to her, Gloria's mother was trying to hold Larry back to keep from killing her sons, Larry's father was trying to get Gloria's mother off of his son and Gloria's father took offense to him man-handling his wife. Once the car sped off, they had to hold Larry back from jumping into the car and taking off after them. They were only gone for 30 minutes before they brought Gloria to the reception hall. She had kicked and fought so hard the entire time, they had to get her there or she was gonna get them all killed. After the reception, Larry and Gloria's parents never spoke to one another again. Not even when the grandchildren came along.

13 months after the wedding, their first child was born. Larry, Jr. was born 2 months premature. Newly married they had to watch their new son go through several surgeries and they were told he may not live. They persevered and Little Larry finally got to go home. The stress was a lot to handle as Gloria was only 19 and Larry was only 21 when their son was born. Larry turned to playing poker with his friends and drinking to escape the stress of family life. When Little Larry was 2, Gloria went home to her parents. A few months later she went back to Larry because she was pregnant and that's where she belonged. They worked things out, expecting to have a little girl and what was considered the perfect family. Three years after Little Larry was born, Gloria gave birth to Scott, their second son. Larry now had a 3 yr old toddler and a newborn son. Once again he turned to his buddies and drinking.

A few more years of this and Gloria threatened to leave him again. Her parents loved the boys and were willing to let her stay with them. Once again, on the verge of leaving Larry, Gloria discovered she was pregnant. Larry realized how he was acting and finally straightened up. He loved his wife and children and didn't know why he was being the way he was. He got a steady respectable job and provided well for his family. They were thrilled when their 3rd child was born and they had their little girl.

Larry and Gloria had rough times after that but their love saw them through very sick children, being broke, almost being homeless and a number of other things that plague marriages. They took their wedding vows seriously and realized all they had to do was love one another enough to get through it. They passed their love, strength and sense of commitment down to their children and they were good parents. They loved their children unconditionally and they were very active in their lives as they grew into adulthood. They never missed an open house or a school activity. They never failed to tell their children how proud they were of them. When their children grew up and got married, they accepted the spouses as family because of how they had been treated. They aren't perfect parents, but they are mine and I am very proud of this fact. On June 4, 2006, my parents celebrated 41 years of a (so far haha) successful marriage.

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad. We love you both very much.

Your little girl