50th Anniversary

So last week we got to go to my grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary party. My dad has 8 siblings and it has been YEARS since i've seen many of them. Some of them Ryan had not even met yet, but everyone came together to celebrate in this special day with their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. It was amazing to look around the room (the party was in the cultural hall) and see how many people were all there having a great time and reminicing. As I stood there watching everyone I noticed my grandpa doing the same thing.
I walked over to him as asked,
"Can you believe that it has been 50 years?"
He responded with a solid
"Yes."
I kind of giggled a little at his response, but he didn't crack a smile.
He said,
"It's not easy to be married for this long. And don't think for a minute that we haven't had our ups and downs. There have been many times when one or even both of us have wanted out of this. But we loved our family, and we knew that this is what Heavenly Father wanted, and looking around now and seeing the family that we have created it is all worth it, and we only love each other more for it."
I didn't quite know how to respond to this. My grandparents and I have never had much of a relationship until about 2 years ago, and even now it is not a very close one. But at that moment I had so much respect for him, thinking about all the things that they have gone through, and all the struggles that they have had, and they have always made the best of their situation, and have ALWAYS been their when their family needed them.
I am so happy that I am finally getting the chance to really get to know them, not just as grandparents but as people and I am grateful to have such great examples of parenthood as I enter into it myself.