42 Years

Harriet & Chandler are two of the most loving and fun people I know. They have taught me how to love, how to enjoy life, and how to rely on a partner to help better yourself in this crazy world. My parents constantly tell the story of their first meeting time and time again on this day 47 years ago. It all started in a Lunchroom with a "I was told not to talk to you" which resulted in one of the most extravagant games of "Hard to Get" I've ever heard. But one fortunate day about three years later after a party, a nightcap resulted in a lifelong love story for the books.

Love makes people do crazy things, but both of my parents have been propelled to better themselves over the course of their lives which included my fathers focus on Engineering resulting in his graduation from Western Michigan, and my Mother birthing two beautiful successful children.

They continued to show the work that goes into a marriage, as well as the fruitful bounty that results from loving each other the right way. Discussing what bothers them, and holding each other accountable helped promote growth and opens the line of communication.

Understanding each others strengths and weaknesses allowed my parents' love to constantly evolve in a world where change is evident. Through countless moves, and unexpected set backs, they remained very much in love, and confident that everything would work out, as it has. I dubbed this historic milestone The "Jackie Robinson Year" (For the number of years they have been together) and celebrated it with a trip to Great Falls National Park.

The tranquility of the water is symbolic for Harriet & Chandler's love that started way upstream back in the early 1970's. A lot has changed since, from a stagnation in the 80's, the dot com boom of the 2000's, a housing bubble collapse of the 2010's and the recession pandemic dynamic duo that is most commonly known as 2020. Each of these "Rocks" bumped the Lee's off course, forcing the stream of water to redirect in order to make it down to the other end of the stream safely.

A loving marriage full of travels, and once in a lifetime opportunities, gives these two lovebirds plenty of memories to tell time and time again to remind themselves why they pledged their love to one another so many years ago.

Congratulations to my parents for their 42 years of love, and I raise a glass to 42+ more!