a marriage celebration

i returned to my roots; or at least a half of them. this weekend our family journeyed back to omaha, nebraska to celebrate my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary. although i have never spent more than a week there and know few other streets besides dodge street, much of my family’s history and my family, for that matter, can be found within the city's borders. as we drove along the interstate, my dad pointed out the apartment he was living in when he first met my mom, the jobsite where they met, and the church they were married in 26 years ago. my history began here too.

stratman family gatherings are never small. my grandparents raised 9 kids of their own who each went on to begin their own families. if i counted right, that gives them 34 grandchildren...can i tell you how full their christmas tree is? and the next round of great-grandchildren has only just begun. needless to say, there are no dull moments in their old, restored farmhouse. i have made so many memories between those walls and in those fields. but another post will have to tell those stories.

i love going back. i love being surrounded by family. a large part of me wishes i could have grown-up there as well, around all of them; rooting myself there. family is a funny thing, though. it doesn't matter how long you've been gone or how much you've changed, you still know you belong with them. they still support you and stand next to you.
God knew what He was doing; He knew we needed each other.

i once asked my grandpa what is his secret? what could he pass onto me after 50 years of marriage? "give 100% and expect nothing back," he said, "anything else is conditional love. marriage doesn't work on conditions, only unconditional love." i want to love like that.


grandpa jim & grandma aggie cutting the cake once again

two cute cousins and a special grandpa moment

the only thing better than traveling with the windows down and the radio up at 70 mph is not driving so that you can take pictures out the window