After contemplating what to write for this blog post, I've come to the realization that I don't remind myself often enough how lucky I am to have the parents that I have.

I am lucky to have happily married parents. Having been together for over 30 years they still ... to this day ... enjoy one another's company to the fullest. They hold hands, they travel together, they laugh together, they miss one another. What seems to be (especially to me) simple ordinary things, is not the case for most marriages. It's incredibly disheartening and can easily be seen as an impossible task. Yet, I try and take it as inspiration, as I think everyone should. As a goal to attain ... something to look forward to and not give up on. To one day have that person who you will want to hold hands with everyday, who you will want to travel the world with, who you will miss when you are apart.

I thought of this because these traits are what I saw in both Allison's and John's parents, who are both still married. For me, it is comforting and encouraging. I am grateful for Allison and John and their parents. Their partnerships inspired me with hope and caused me to realize just how fortunate I am to have grown up with my parents love for one another as a model.