第二天(九月8日)開始駛往Eureka

休息站下來歇歇

我們的蜜月小屋 Carter House Inn

老公早早睡了； 我下樓到前廳去應酬，「順便」炫耀一下兩個孩子發來的短訊...

.....以及咱倆40年前、生命中的第一個海邊蜜月

四十年前剛剛當新娘子的蜜月旅行，由於和公婆一家人同住，我們不敢遠行，只是選擇在離咱家台北市不遠的金山海邊，三天。

40年後的今天，丈夫選擇的周年慶祝地點，正巧也是三天。

第一晚，船餐，偏也是離咱家福里蒙市不遠的舊金山海灣。

當晚下船後，我們開過了霧濛濛的金門大橋，又跨越了燈光幌眼的San Rafael橋，住進一棟極為精緻的小小旅館。

馬克吐溫曾說，全世界最冷的冬天，是在舊金山的夏天。

更何況時值中秋，可把我在甲板上凍個夠！ (丈夫有點感冒，早早進了船艙避風去也)

第二天，晴空一轉、亮麗溫暖。

是中秋節，也是我倆的40周年紀念日。

繼續往北開，經過紅木林，目標Eureka； 一路上，老公說甚麼也不肯入照。

丈夫一向不愛照相，但幫我照幾張，他還是願意的。尤其兩年多前有一陣子、我心情不大好，他特意買了一個小小相機；老兄總是給我拍，不讓我給他照。

Eureka在舊金山以北大約五小時的路程，以前我們經常開到奧勒岡(Oregon)海邊去玩，每次必經過這城，卻從來沒理過它。

這一次，丈夫興奮地在Eureka訂了一家有名的旅館(Carter House Inn)；除了午後大廳內有茶點相聚、晚間壁爐旁有雞尾酒會之外，正式餐廳也看來即極為羅曼蒂克。

可惜咱倆昨天整個晚上在餐船上面，香檳美餚、已經夠情調，而且老公吃西餐、是不能忍受一連吃兩頓的。再說，有點感冒的他早已上床睡覺、晚飯都不想吃了，最後還是我把他硬拖起來，找了一家附近的中國餐館，好好地餵了他幾碗熱呼呼的湯...

月亮，一直沒出現。

剛把丈夫再送上床，我收到兒子發來的熱情短訊：

I miss you guys so much. Thank you for being married so long and being great parents. I hope you guys enjoy your time in Eureka and the moon tonight on this mid-autumn moon festival. Happy anniversary！

這是他們婚前兩年、咱媳婦兒初看上我兒的時候；在新墨州大學的BSU(Baptist Student Union)

傻小子如今已是5個孩子的強壯父親。 雖然這美麗女孩是他生命中的至愛至寶，

但十二年來，我兒對他父母之親密、與深深的愛，未曾稍改...

還有，他姊，我那最貼心的小背心兒、我的寶貝女兒，也發來電郵：

I really am so blessed that you are celebrating 40 years.

It is a great testimony and a blessing from the Lord. I wrote a short note about it on Instagram today. Now that I have been married for 16 years, I can attest to the fact that marriage is one of the most challenging things we could endeavor.

We are thankful that you two chose to honor the Lord and love one another through all the joys and sorrows.

Troy and I want to send you and Baba to dinner with a gift card, but I couldn't figure out where you would think is special to go. Will you let me know and I can send you a gift card? What would be fun for you? 

Mama, I didn't call you today because I knew you shouldn't talk anyway, and it's always hard to hear on the phone. I look forward to seeing you when you come visit.

Ai ni, and happy anniversary to you both!

以及她放在instagram上面的照片、和一段話：

「39年前，媽媽腹中懷著我....」女兒說。

My parents celebrate 40 years of marriage today.

They only had 1 year as newlyweds before having me, and between a new baby, moving to a new country, and complex and deep personal wounds, this marriage was right away in need of redemption.

And who, but God can years later, bring them both to saving faith and cause the next generation to love The Lord and turn from sins of their fathers.

Like you, my story is messy. But celebrating my parents today is a reminder that the story is not over until He says so.

(過兩天我會把孩子們寫的翻譯成中文)