Todd Anniversary

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to photograph a very special milestone for two very special people - LA & Phyllis Todd celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Saturday. The Todd's are collectively a very special group of people and are truly like a second set of parents to me. Their daughter, Sue Ann, was my best friend and as kids we were inseperable. In fact, my own daughter bears her name.

On display were 50 year old wedding photographs, Phyllis' actual wedding dress, head piece, gloves, hankerchief, and going away dress. It was amazing that she'd saved all of that for so many years. Their boys had even had an 8mm film of the wedding converted to DVD for everyone to watch.

There is not a time in my life that I can remember not being involved somehow in the Todd family. In fact Saturday - the moment that I pulled up, one of Sue Ann's many cousins was parked in the car next to me. We jumped out and hugged forever - both sharing a special secret - we had both named our daughters after the same girl. I could hardly hold back the tears. The tears fell freely Sunday afternoon when I made my monthly trip to the cemetery to lay flowers at Sue Ann's grave and I had found that Alicia had beaten me earlier that morning, leaving her own set of Sue Ann's favorite signature pink flowers with just the sweetest note. I knew I shouldn't have read it, but I just couldn't hold back. I felt even closer to that family at that very moment and so honored to inadvertantly be a part of it.

While the faces have changed and matured over the years, the good, kind loving nature has never faltered. The Todds - all of them - from Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Missouri and beyond are all just extended family of my own.

Just as Phyllis said - there aren't many people who can say that at their 50th wedding anniversary their 3 aunts and own 90+ year old mother attend. What a precious, special honor for them to have what I'm sure was over 200 people come and share & celebrate their day with them. It was a true testament to the incredible people they are and the amazing family they belong to.

I love them all from the bottom of my heart.