August 1992. My mom and dad were wed in an intimate ceremony in Northern California — just the two of them. This was only the beginning! God had so much in store for my parents: one daughter, two sons, and three beautiful decades of marriage.
August 2022. We celebrated my parents’ 30th wedding anniversary on a balmy late summer evening in the city. It was a sweet, emotional time filled with laughter and tears, great food and libations aplenty, and a lot of love.
The night began here, at our home. It was our first time hosting since the move, and the best possible occasion to do so. I put together a big board piled high with cheese and charcuterie, Andrew poured glasses of chilled wine, and my sister-in-law, Nichole, stole the show with a stunning flower box from The Secret Garden. We all dressed up, the girls in white dresses and the guys in button-downs.
Just after six, we headed downtown to RL for our dinner reservation. The seven of us — my mom, my dad, Sam, Jack, me, Andrew, Nichole — were seated in the middle of the buzzy dining room. It was a dinner I will always remember. My brothers and I had prepared a list of 30 things (how did we even narrow it down to just 30?) we love about our parents, and we tearfully read it aloud. The prevailing theme was their deep love for Christ and their passion for sharing the gospel of grace. I don’t think there was a dry eye at our table!
My parents have walked with my brothers and I through all of our ups and downs as we’ve grown up — from joyful moments to painful trials. They are our best friends, our biggest fans, our encouragers, and in all things, they have pointed us back to Jesus. Their home is still our favorite place to be: a retreat from our busy lives and a space where we can be our truest selves.
Now, as a wife and mother, I look up to my mom and dad more than ever as I navigate new chapters of marriage and parenthood. They are my role models, through and through, and I know that their advice is always rooted in truth. What’s more, it has been a joy to see them embrace their role as first-time grandparents to Holly — and soon, to another grandchild, as the generations of our family continue to grow.
Here’s to 30 years, Mom and Dad. It is a gift to be your daughter, and I love you more than words can say!
Photos by Courtney Cimo
