Happy 50th Anniversary!

On March 11, 1971, Rodney and Penny Southwick took a leap of faith and began a journey that led through mountains and valleys...and thankfully, there is still ample road ahead. 50 years ago they were married for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City temple. In those 50 years, they had 6 kids, 18 grandkids, and 2 great-grandkids (with another on the way). I know I have said it before, but I truly hit the "in-law" lottery. I couldn't have asked for more patient, loving, and respectful in-laws. I have had the privilege of living close to them and intimately witnessing their never-ending devotion to family. They have exemplified faith, hard work, endless sacrifices, humility, patience, and so much more. Thus, it was my honor to help plan a very small COVID-friendly celebration in their honor...and to be honest, I don't think they would have had it any other way. They are not the type of people to call attention to themselves so just a small gathering of siblings, kids, grandkids, and nieces/nephews, both in-person and virtually, was just what they wanted. (Thank goodness for virtual options! It was fun to have so many other people join us on Zoom! And thank goodness for Katie who understood all that technical stuff!) It was so much fun to learn about their wedding and incorporate small details into the anniversary celebration. For example, she recorded what flowers she had in her bouquet that we recreated in the table centerpieces. Their wedding colors were purple so we tied that in with gold to reflect their golden anniversary. We also utilized some colorful kites to decorate one wall since they flew kites on their honeymoon. I found some fun 1971 trivia games to play and created a 1970s music playlist. The event was catered by Marvellous Catering and held at the Copper Creek Event Center Garden Room. 

The evening was so much fun! Unfortunately, Brad, Julie, and Stan (and their families) were unable to attend in person due to COVID related issues. However, they were able to join us virtually as well as some of Rodney and Penny's siblings. As crazy as that may seem, it was a blast to have so many people celebrating with us! We had a delicious dinner followed by some heartfelt and, at times, hilarious tributes from all the grandkids and kids. We went from tearing up to laughing hysterically. Family is at the heart of everything they do, and I couldn't imagine a more fitting way to celebrate their remarkable 50 years together. Happy anniversary!