The Old Rugged Cross Made the Difference [Live] - Gaither Vocal Band

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

Well, I can't tell you enough, how very special all our dear friends and family are for taking the time and making the effort (not an easy task in my opinion) to post on this blog. Personally, I had NO idea what a a blog was...it doesn't even sound like something one would want to do...or maybe it's just me. Ok, now I feel very with it. I have heard about them, but it took the kids doing this to get me to even think about joining one.

Your sweet messages are a blessing to Bill and me. We will enjoy reading them over and over for years to come. The kids plan to make a hard copy book of all of this, so as to make it easy for us untechies to pick up and read at our leisure.

It has been so much fun, to see our 50 years + in pictures. Many of which, I groan when I see (Big Hair, tacky long dresses, etc). How did that ever get to be the "in" thing?

All in all our 50th could not have been more enjoyable. The kids outdid themselves! We are indeed very blessed!! Thank you once again, Sherri, Dianne, and John. You are the greatest! It was so great having you here this weekend (following our actual anniversary of Nov. 5th). Thanks for the beautiful bouquet of flowers, the catered food, and especially the spoiling you did for us. Cambria was SO fantastic as well. We love you and your fantastic families so much for all you did.

Bill and Nel (Mom and Dad)

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

Whenever we come to your house I have a great time. I liked the Geo-caching adventure we went on, Grandpa. Also beating you in chess was fun (except that one time when you beat me which you wrote in your notebook). Grandma, thanks for helping me to paint Kung Fu Panda and for your cinnamon rolls. I’ve also liked the times when the family plays Scrabble and other board games. Thanks for being such great grand-parents.

Happy 50th anniversary!

Love, Joel.

Happy Jubilee, Bill and Nel,

I praise God that fifty years ago he brought the two of you together and made you one. That from this union and love for one another he created and gave you two daughters and a son. Years later he added to this family a daughter in law and two sons in law.  From those additions he has blessed you with four granddaughters and three grandsons.

Bill, I agree with what you are fond of saying: The latter is better than the former!

God is truly good.

I am grateful to be part of this wonderful family.

Love, Kelley.

God the Father through his Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit continue to provide, encourage and bless you both for years to come. 

Dear Grandma and Grandpa

I remember when I was little, I rode the sled down that one big hill and ended up running into a tree. You guys started all laughing at me after that happened. And when I played miniature golf, it took me FOREVER to get through every hole. I also remember that viking hat and I used to tip the horns sideways. I have lots of good memories of being at your house. Happy 50th anniversary grandma and grandpa!

Sincerely, Luke
PS: Grandma, your snails are delicious!

Grandma and Grandpa

Dear Grandma and Grandpa Huie,

Thank you for letting us go mini-golfing. I like it when grandpa gets his golf ball stuck in the water and he just keeps on hitting it until it finally comes out. I like all the things there like the arcade and the water war thing with the boats and the squirt guns connected to the boats. I also like the batting cages and watching them. Happy 50th anniversary! I also like going fishing with you. My mom told me that I once caught a turtle and I didn't want to catch it and so they let it go. I also remember the time that I caught that one fish and when I yanked it, it flew up into the air and then landed behind me inside this one pit thing. We took a picture of it. I think I still have the picture somewhere. I remember that we wanted to clean it off but it accidentally slipped out of my hands and swam away. I also remember that old tree stump with those thousands of rings and that one clock tower with all those holes in it and all the acorn shells in the clock as well. It was funny. I remember the zip-line. Once again, happy 50th anniversary. Thanks for that one treasure chest for Christmas with all that $$$. Also, I like feeding your fish. Your back yard is big as well. Happy 50th wedding anniversary grandma and grandpa Huie!

Grandpa - the worlds best car collector and fixer!
Grandma - the best fly swatter in the world!

Sincerely Sawyer

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

Thank you so much for everything you do for us. You always have those kind smiles on your faces, and there is never a hint of stress. (Just ask for a back rub now and then!) I have lots of great memories of coming over to your house and spending time with you. You would always take us fishing, or out to the park, packing the yummiest turkey sandwiches ever. (I always like the brown bread you have). 

I always feel spoiled to have such great grandparents like you, always spending time with us, and being a great example of how we should act. I love the moments of laughter we have together, and Grandma, those yummy bowls of peaches and milk that we eat. And of course, Joel and I always loved playing with your stuffed animals. Grandpa, thank you for teaching me how to put a worm on a hook to fish, even though I wasn’t very fond of it. You also tell such descriptive stories, that I wish I could tell that great. Grandma, thank you for teaching me how to paint, you’ve encouraged us to be creative with your beautiful paintings. You have the knack for art, and we’re glad you take the time to teach us. I love the way you hug, it makes me feel so special. There is never a moment without entertainment at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. I could go on and on about all you do for us, but that would take a book to write. (Maybe I will sometime!) 

Thank you for all you do for us. I don’t know why I got such great grandparents, but all I can say is that God blessed us VERY much.

Happy 50^th Anniversary! I hope you have a fantastic day filled with love and laughter together.  

Love,

Allie 

Grandma and Grandpa are AMAZING!!!!!!

I love you Grandma and Grandpa!!!!

You are so amazing.  I love you Grandma for your servant spirit.  You're always in the kitchen cooking, cleaning, or just serving us.  I have all kinds of wonderful memories of you having fun with us.  You had the tea party for us girls, and we still have the water bottle fish that we made at your house!  The fish are going to decorate Tessa's room. You're great, Grandma.  You always love us (and spoil us-- but that's a Grandma's job) :)
Grandpa, you are such a stupendous Grandpa because you are always making us laugh and having fun with us.  I remember the rocket that we fired off at the park.  You love to entertain, and we love it. You both are a wonderful godly example for all of your grandkids.  WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Happy 50th Anniversary!!!  I hope that you will have a great time celebrating your fifty years together.  Thank you for being WONDERFUL grandparents.


Gorgeous                        Great
Really special                  Revered
Amazing                          Awesome
Marvelous                       Much loved
More amazingness         Praiseworthy
Imaginative                     Admirable
Excellent


With TONS of love,
McKenna

Bill and Nell --

Congratulations on 50 years together!

 

Ever since you moved to Visalia we have been blessed by your friendship.  Bill and Nel, you are a wonderful example of a godly couple with the love and admiration you have for your children and grandchildren--also the support and kindness you have for your neighbors, church family, and the community.  We love you both and you are very special to us.  (Plus, you are great traveling companions.)

 

I (Martha) especially enjoy our time together during our walks.

 

Bill and Nel, you are both such sweet caring people.  Continue to love and honor each other and serve God.  May God bless you with many more years together.

 

Much Love,   Rusty and Martha Bolton

 

Happy Anniversary!

Dear Bill and Nel,

Congratulations and Best Wishes on your 50th anniversary. You are such an inspirational couple to all who know you; the very image of faithful, loving servants of God. I'm so very thankful that you got married!  Otherwise, I'd have missed out on one of the greatest blessings and friendships in my life -- Sherri. You did a fantastic job of raising three beautiful and Godly children. You have always welcomed me in your home and treated me with such love I've felt like one of the family too. I fondly recall trips to your home with Sherri for Christmas, her wedding, and other occasions.

I hope God blesses you with many more anniversaries and I hope you get to celebrate this one in style!

Much love,
Dawn

Dear Bill and Nel,

Congratulations on your 50th wedding anniversary.  It is truly wonderful to watch the both of you go through life so happily together - you are an inspiration to all of us.  I wish continued happiness to my best and dearest friends.
Love and Blessings,
Jerry Tolbert

Happy 50th Anniversary, Grandpa and Grandma!

I love that you always have plenty of  food (especially the cinnamon rolls). Grandma, you are a wonderful cook, and Grandpa, you are great at making me laugh. I love playing with you, and even if we don't watch Dragon Tales every morning any more, we still have lots of fun. Grandmas are for spoiling, and Grandpas are for helping the Grandmas spoil, and you have done great jobs  .Here is a story I made up (kind of) about you.

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl named Nelda. She lived in a simple cottage. One day, a dragon came to her house and was about to burn it up, when a brave knight, Bill, came out from nowhere and ran as fast as he could through the woods, dashing past trees, jumping over logs, and pushing past bushes and briars. The sound of galloping horses in the distance behind him were coming ever closer. Bill jumped over a fallen tree, and landed on a root, falling face down in the dirt.  Scrambling to get up, he noticed that his ankle was throbbing terribly. The horses were coming nearer.  Bill struggled up, only to fall  writhing in pain on the ground again. Suddenly he noticed that there was a young damsel in trouble only a couple yards away. Army-crawling through the brush, Bill finally reached the cottage just as the dragon stuck his claw through the window to skewer the damsel in distress. Using his last strength, he bravely jumped up and killed the dragon with his sword.  When Nelda saw how brave he was, she married him, and they had three children, and in time had seven beautiful grandchildren. (One of which was a very great writer.)

Happy 50th anniversary Grandpa and Grandma,you are wonderful Grandparents, and I hope you have a happy anniversary!
Lots of Love,
Tessa Dawn Coker
P.S. I love you
P.P.S. very much
P.P.P.S. I always will.

Happy 50th Anniversary, Grandma and Grandpa!

Hi Grandma and Grandpa,
Happy 50th Anniversary! I hope you both have a great anniversary!
You are great grandparents.

Grandpa,
I love how you make me laugh.  Your jokes are really funny.  It's great how you can make us laugh every time you say them.  You are just so happy and funny, and you are a wonderful grandpa to all of us.

Grandma,
I love how you bake things for us every time we come up to your house.  They are always so yummy. When we come up to your house for Thanksgiving, you always have very yummy food.  Also, I love how you take us out to go shopping with you sometimes. It's really fun going shopping with you.  You are a wonderful grandma.

"Hm...which one of you do I love the best?  Hm...I think...you!" *points to both of you*. :) I love your jokes, Grandpa!! :)

I love you! Hope you have a great 50th anniversary!
Love you both,
Caitlin

50 Years, Sure does not seem that long.

Brenda and I were new to the Lompoc area in the early 70's and got to know you both as members of a Strong Little Church that we love so much. The 4 years we were at Vandenburg AFB was a very nice time in our married lives and you both are cherished memories of that time. We are right behind you with 43 years together. God blessed us with strong examples of Christians in you, Bill and Nelda. May He continue to bless you with many more years in life and as a couple.

Love You,
Tom and Brenda Staggs

Dear Nel and Bill:

Happy was the day that you moved to Visalia, so that our paths
crossed.

We both love your firm handshakes and warm smiles, when we
meet. You are always fun to be around and conversation with you
is always easy and pleasant. We have never heard an unpleasant
word from either of you. Your helpfulness to others is well known
and greatly appreciated.

We have enjoyed the times when we have shared pot luck and
ideas when in the same "small group studies."

Nel, you are one of the friendliest persons we know. And, you are
an excellent cook!

Bill, we enjoy your inciteful comments in Bible class. You are a
great story teller and we enjoy, second hand, your love of old cars
and buying and selling things at auction. Warren appreciates your
help in the recent elections: just figure out how Bill would vote and
then vote the opposite!

We love you both.

In Christ,

Warren and Helen

Congrats on your 50th!

Bill and Nel,
The morning we left California to move to North Carolina, we had breakfast with you as we were leaving town.  Bill ordered the 'Rooti Tooti Fresh and Fruiti'.  We were not eating at the resturant that advertised that, but you knew that, and just ordered it to see the look on the face of the little gal that was waiting on us.  As she was trying to tell you that they didn't serve that, you were laughing, Nel was embarassed, and I was thinking that this was just another day in the Huie household. We got our food, ate, and you prayed for our safety as we said our goodbyes. That was 8 years ago and although we have talked a few times, we have only seen each other a couple of times. But with good friends it doesn't matter.  Good friends are always close even though they don't see each other much.

 Thank you for your example to us on how to be a Christian family, for the hospitality you two always showed us, (and everyone else), thank you for excellent car advice, and thanks for showing Nancy and me how wives and husbands should treat each other.


Congrats on your 50th.  
Dave and Nancy

Congratulations to you both!

Although we have not been able to spend much time together, you are always in our thoughts and hearts. We often talk about times from the "good old days".  And we want to thank you -- it was at your wedding we met and have had a great 50 years together.  

Love to both of you, Gordon & Jean

Congrats, Bill and Nel!

We have good memories visiting your family and of course the once a year Thanksgiving gatherings.  We wish you a very happy 50th and many more years of health and happiness.  I hope all of your family is doing well.

 

Love, Hugh and Sandy

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So it's been that long already? Doesn't seem that long to me. Oh yeah, I missed the first few years, didn't I? What can I say? I wouldn't be the man I am today if it weren't for you. I owe my life to you?

I've heard it said that the most important thing for a kid growing up is to know that their parents love each other. Of that there has never been any doubt. You kinda show it funny sometimes. But the affection is always there and it's 100% genuine. You still hold hands. You still go for walks together. Dad still climbs up on the peak of the roof during the holidays and risks his life to put some kinda of....what is it...garland or something up there. Mom still makes custard pie for Dad (which I still don't really understand). Mom lays on the couch and tries to appear to be awake while they are watching late-night television. Dad puts up with Rush Limbaugh echoing through the halls during the day. Mom doesn't seem overly concerned when Dad brings home yet another Diesel VW Rabbit pickup (his 23rd).

What but love could cause that kind of behavior?

I was going to put some anecdotes from when I was a kid but I can't remember anything before my junior year in high school. But I'm reasonably sure you took good care of us during that time. I do have some kind of vague, whispy recollections of playing that Slap Stick board game you guys bought us where you take turns hitting each other with sticks. We couldn't play the other games because they were all missing parts but it was sometimes fun to try to make stuff out of them. I think you still even have the Probe game. Has anyone ever played that? And there was that kid who beat me up on the way home from school that Sherri eventually named one of her girls after. Oh yeah and the other kid who shot a big ball bearing up in the air with his wrist-rocket and it came down right on my head and I screamed bloody murder. And Dad tried but failed to teach me to swim (sorry Dad) by flipping me backward into the deep end of a pool on our way to Florida or somewhere. But, those incidents aside, it was a good childhood mostly because we knew we were loved...and because you were there. Together.

Oh, did I mention Dianne kicking her shoe into her own head and coming into the house looking like something from Friday the 13th? Or Sherri "driving" her bike through the sidelight window rather than coming in through the door? As someone has already mentioned down below, we weren't always the smartest kids. But there was always a goodly supply of bandages or at least old shop rags that we could use to mop up the damage with.

And life is still good because we know you are there. Together.

You guys have modeled what it means to have a strong relationship and I hope some of it has rubbed off on us kids. I do try to hold the door open for Laura still when we are getting in the car and she puts up with my late nights working out back (sound familiar?). We may not have too many really big great adventures but those that we do have we have together. And we have you to thank for showing us how it's done.

Happy 50th Mom and Dad. We love you both (even if it does embarrass you to say it back Dad, we know you love us too).

Uncle Bill and Aunt Nel,

Congratulations on an event very few now days can say that they have done together. Fifty years with a partner and love one is surely a blessing. God bless you both and have many, many, more!!

Keith J. Walters