It is hard to believe that 45 years ago today, my parents were married in a Western Maryland Courthouse with a witness, and they are still here. It seemed like a marriage that would never seem to mix, but they are still around and because of them I am here. I didn’t always believe that I had the best parents, but eventually, I have come to terms with the fact that things could have gone completely differently if they had not gone the way that they did.

Even though the family dynamic was unique, having siblings from my father’s first marriage and then myself and my sister from my mom, we were quite a blended family. Eventually, my parents moved to the family farm, near where my dad set roots with his first family, it was something we never really thought about, it was just there, and we all just did what we did to get by.

Growing up, my parents didn’t have a lot of money, but they made sure that we were clothed, fed and had a roof over our head. Eventually we had moved from a mobile home and had a real house that my parents still occupy today. There were many memories made in that house and while they all weren’t great, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Life for my father wasn’t easy. He had his own issues growing up and I was an negative generational effect of parenting. He was the one that took care of me when my mother was sick after I got out of the maternity ward and noticed the signs that something wasn’t right with me. With both him and my mother, they advocated for me like no other team of parents could and with my siblings and their families, I had a village within a village.

They always did what they had to do to get me the help that I needed and even thought at nearly broke their marriage in the process because of different beliefs whether I could turn myself around and get my behaviors under control, it was with belief, faith and trust that I would and with them working as a team, it was done dually and uniquely.

They each had their own talents and deficiencies but they somehow balanced and even though at times I couldn’t understand or accept their dynamic, I eventually learned to forgive it while understanding that I could live independently and while they have and continue to help me in their own ways still today, it would not be for their continued steadfast encouragement and willingness to bend their lives a bit to compromise for my needs.

While things are different now, it goes to show you that things can change in an instant and it is being grateful today that I still have two very loving parents who are still married and think of nothing but the best for me and my needs. I know that they love me, and I love them and continue to cherish the memories we made and make what memories we can still.