Love that Lasts a Lifetime

My grandparents celebrated their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary last month.

I just love this picture of them taken on their wedding day. Sixty-five years...amazing! A big celebration was planned, and I had resigned myself to the reality that we would just have to celebrate with them from afar.

 

But then at the last minute, we were able to get a deal on a ticket for me to go out with just Eleanor! My grandparents met Anna Kate and Caroline last summer, but they hadn't met Ellie yet, so we were so excited to have the opportunity to go. Here's Eleanor helping me pack!

 
We had such a great time seeing family, meeting and introducing new babies, and of course, celebrating the special couple! I took way too many pictures to put up on the blog, but here are a few of my favorites.

Great-Grandma rocking Eleanor in a family heirloom rocking chair

Great-Grandpa with Eleanor

Grandma and Grandpa with #13 (Rebekah) and #15 (Eleanor) of their seventeen great-grandchildren!

My sister Sarah said she never gets to take girly pictures...so Rebekah and Eleanor were good sports!

This child's rocking chair has been at my grandparents' house forever. All of their children and grandchildren and now great-grandchildren have rocked in it!

Playtime with Grandma

 

Playing with cousin Archer (just a few weeks apart in age)

Eleanor and Bekah

Getting ready for the big party with Great Aunt Patty

Display of memorabilia about my grandparents' wedding, honeymoon, and lifetime together

The wedding dress that my grandma made herself!

As my gift to Grandma and Grandpa, I wrote a song entitled "Love that Lasts a Lifetime". My brother was gracious enough to accompany me on piano while I sang it at their party.

Love that lasts a lifetime

For my grandparents, Glen and Georgia Burgin

on the occasion of their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary

August 15, 2014

As college kids, he won her heart

Always playful, right from the start

They knew nothing

would keep them apart

So began a love that lasts a lifetime

Time went on, a family began

Three children given by God’s own hand

Memories made on the river and sand

So remained a love that lasts a lifetime

Thank you for your example of love

A portrait of that Christlike

love from above

Thank you for your example of love

An always giving, faithfully serving

Believe the best, forgive the rest

Picture of a love that lasts a lifetime

  

As years went by, their love multiplied

Grandchildren brought such

joy and pride

A new generation to teach and to guide

Living out that love that lasts a lifetime

Yet another season of life

Now we’ve come to year sixty-five

Seventeen greats for this man and his wife

The legacy of a love that lasts a lifetime

 

Of course, when Anna Kate heard that I was writing a song, she wanted to write one too. I explained to her that she might want to make it a poem instead, since she wouldn't be there to sing it and we wouldn't know the tune. Without missing a beat, she responded, "No, Mommy, it's a make-up-your-own-tune song and Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa can make up their own tune!" They were happy to oblige and we videoed it for her!

A Make-up-your-own-tune Song

for Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa

By Anna Kate Tolbert

  

You’ve been married for sixty-five years

We’re so glad to see you’ve been married for sixty-five years

We love you

We’re so glad to see you’ve been married for sixty-five years

You are a fantastic great-grandma and great-grandpa

We love you

We love you Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa

After the hustle and bustle of the weekend, we had a couple of quiet days with just a few of us left at Grandma and Grandpa's. My dad took Stephen and Rebekah (my brother and niece), and Eleanor and me on a nostalgic drive to a couple of places very near and dear to our hearts.

The Columbia River Gorge

Crown Point

Stephen and Rebekah looking up at...

Multnomah Falls

Introducing Eleanor to the beauty of the Pacific Northwest

On our last day in Portland, we rode the Max downtown.

And went to Powell's - the largest independent bookstore in the world.

And then we walked around Pioneer Square - "Portland's Living Room"

Ellie wanted to take a selfie...

After a wonderful 5 days, it was time to head home. We sure missed Daddy and the big girls! Ellie got a nice bath in a big Tupperware container in the laundry washbasin so she would be nice and clean for our airplane ride home!

 

Speaking of airplane rides, Eleanor did fantastic flying out and back. She was really in a great phase where she wasn't mobile yet (that's changed in the last 3 weeks!). So keeping her entertained in my lap wasn't too difficult. All in all it was a wonderful trip. Happy Anniversary, Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa! We love you!