My dad’s nickname is Banny. In fact, my mom didn’t know his real name was Randy until they were typing up their wedding announcement for the newspaper and he asked if she thought they should use his “real name.” She didn’t believe him. He had to show her his driver’s license.
That probably should have been a clue to how their marriage would go.
My dad has thoroughly enjoyed jokes and stories at my mom’s expense for the last 46 years. And while most people describe my mom as a saint for putting up with him, I’m not convinced she’d know what to do if he wasn’t pulling some kind of prank on her all the time.
What mattered most, though—and what shaped my sister and me more than anything—was that faith was non-negotiable in our home. Skipping church was never an option (even on the Sundays I really wanted it to be). They didn’t just talk about faith; they ordered their lives around it.
They also modeled consistency. Reliable isn’t flashy, but it’s powerful—and it fits them perfectly. Mom is often asked to pray for people, sometimes with very little explanation. Dad was always involved too—youth trips, church camp, cooking for school events—whatever season we were in became their priority.
It wasn’t accidental that our house became the hangout house. They wanted it that way. Their logic was simple: they always knew where we were, and everyone there was safe. We felt so safe, in fact, that my sister and I once unintentionally hosted a co-ed sleepover weekend with no parents… which sounds far more scandalous than it actually was—and is probably a blog for another day.
Happy Anniversary to Randy and Cindy—Banny and the saint who loves him anyway.
Thank you for the faith you lived, the consistency you modeled, and the home you made safe for so many.
I KNOW MIKE WILLIAMS 
What a lovely tribute and insight into your great family! I wondered about your Dad’s email address…now I know!
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