Dear Mom,

I just sent a text to Joe:

Deja vu!! Hell froze over 34 years ago, too! Happy Anniversary.

Haha. He always said that he'd get married again when hell froze over... and he teased you about how you actually got it to happen!!

I always thought that you sure made it easy on him, getting married on the anniversary of your first date and your birthday! Three big Dates To Remember all in one.

We agree that you'd be in total denial about being 81. It's even hard for me to imagine.

We're hopefully experiencing the last day of a Polar Vortex (they didn't call it that 34 years ago, at least not that I remember), which we seem to be having a bit more frequently lately. At least there's snow on the ground. Though we were never farmers, we both knew how important it was to have snow on the ground when the temperature plummeted.

In searching for a photo to post today, I came across this one... you look a little carefree, there! It looks like you were up north, probably at Hiawatha Resort on the Flowage... so you should be looking a little carefree! I love the warm, summertime vibe... the cabins, the boat, all those wildflowers.

I love you, Mom. I miss you so much.

Love, Vicki
xoxo