A poem by Alexis Toews and shared by her at the 50th wedding anniversary of Anne and Lex Smid.

For fifty years those
two people have been friends,
lovers,
spiritual confidants.
In a time when the divorce rate is 50 – 50,
they are still together.

Now,
from my point of view,
getting married is a gamble,
50% of sticking it out, or
a 50% chance of not.

To see and know a couple who has defied the odds
is something
of an inspiration
to me. And,
to see
and know this couple well enough

to know
they have been
through many hardships and troubles
and then
to see them still stick it out
means even more to me.

Anne and Lex, Pake and Grandma,
You’re an inspiration to all.

I’m happy to promote this very touching poem to the First Family Brag (FFB) status of 2017.

Alexis Anne Toews is the only daughter of Erwin and Janice van Diermen. She is married to Aaron Toews and have one son Magnus, with a baby-brother on the way.

Alexis is partly named after me, and her second child will be named Hendrik.

She is a successful real estate agent in B.C.