To Mom and Dad on their Thirtieth

More Valuable than Pearls

And Stronger than Ivory

Words are the backbone of vows

Without them you could not have promised…

Promise

You promised

To have and to hold

To love through the midnight hours

To be there waiting when work was done

You promised to love

And you did

You promised

Through sickness and death

Through laughter and new life

Through the pouring rain and scorching sun

You promised to love

And you did

For thirty years you promised

And through another thirty more

To never forget the day you made your

Sacred promise before both God and family

Before both Love and Happiness

So they could bless you

With enough grain to sow your fields

And enough water from the well so they would not wither

You promised

To have and to hold

To give and receive

To push and pull

You promised to love

And through it all you did

Thank you for your promise

To bring joy to each other

To comfort each other

To be an example of love

Because you did