A wedding anniversary is a good time to roll out the barrel and celebrate! Especially when it’s the 60th!

There’s a reason why June is the popular wedding month in Iowa, just as August is in Washington. It’s the weather!  You can usually count on a pretty day in those months in those locations.

A pretty day is the way it was on June 9, 1951, 60 years ago. The storybook wedding of my brother-in-law Robert Edward Ford and Arlis Ann Kirsch was held in Charles City, Iowa, and I can’t remember a more beautiful day or a more perfect wedding.  Or a more good-looking bride and groom.

After being married for 60 years, I guess we don’t have to wonder whether the marriage will last.  

After the wedding, Bob and Arlis lived in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  Their first child – Jeffrey – was born there in 1952, and shortly after, they moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa where they’ve resided ever since. 

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Bob opened a law practice Cedar Rapids, and they settled down to raise their family.  Besides Jeffrey, they have five more children – Patrick, David, Eddie, Jenny and Liz.

Adding to the family are their daughters-in-law Vicki and Melinda, and four grandsons – Bennett, Andrew, Joshua and Jacob.  Bennett was married in 2006 to his young bride, Lauren; and Josh and Jake are both engaged.

Bob and Arlis have suffered though a year of surgeries.  Bob had major shoulder surgery, and Arlis had a hip replacement last December. She’ll have the other hip replaced next week.They are definitely looking forward to getting life back to normal and pain-free soon!

Happy Diamond Anniversary, guys.

Today is also the birthday of my niece-in-law, the inimitable Babs Ford.  Babs is married to my nephew, Steve Ford, and they’re the parents of Brian.

When they moved from Eugene to Medford, Oregon last year, Babs had to give up a newspaper job she really enjoyed. Fortunately, she got hired on at the local newspaper in Medford. Babs and Steve survived the move and are now settled in their new home.

She’s going to be a busy lady soon, because Brian is getting married soon.  Being a mother of the groom has a way of keeping one occupied!

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For now, though, settle back and enjoy the day.  Have a happy birthday, Babs!