We woke up this morning, ready to drive out to the Mission to light some candles for Kim. As we drove, I told the bambini about that special day, so many years ago, like yesterday...
It was going to be a hot day. I arrived at the Mission around 7:00 a.m. for our 9:00 a.m. wedding and it was already in the mid-80's...everything was ready. Everything was perfect. That deep blue sky, with aboslutely no clouds in sight...
By 9:00, it was 90 degrees...we didn't care. Kim looked like an angel, gliding down the aisle that morning to meet me at the altar. The ceremony was beautiful, the little old lady, Irene, who played the organ from the balcony above the church did a beautiful job, especially on the Ave Maria...we were suspended in time...
This morning, as we parked, I showed the kids where I had parked our pick up truck...and told them about the 'Just Hitched' sign that I had painted and the Tecate cans that I had tied to the bumper (do people still tie cans to their bumpers? What's up with that?)...
As fate would have it, there was a wedding going on this morning...we watched and prayed for the young couple to have a happy, healthy marriage...we lit candles in Mary's chapel, climbed the hill and prayed together...
Back down the mountain...to the church, where the wedding party had just vacated and moved to the beautiful little courtyard where Kim and I got pictures taken after our wedding...
Autumn and Tonio immediately sat down in a pew, while Cody and I walked towards the altar. I genuflected, and walked to the spot where I told Kim "I do!", all those years ago...
And that was all I could take...have I been strong? Yes, for the bambini. Have I made bad choices? Absolutely - I'm not an saint, and barely a role model. I thought I could slip the shades back on in time to hide the tears, and began to walk quickly down the aisle that Kim and I had traversed, hand in hand, as a married couple, centuries ago - in another lifetime, another world. Autumn intercepted me and whisked me out the side door...she wanted to visit the little side courtyard, where, Kim and I used to listen to Mass while Autumn and Cody, little babies, chased each other and played...she wanted to hear the story again, which, I told her, adding what a joy it had been...
To the car, where, I took the shades off to carefully erase the tears and Cody caught me with a knowing glance...
Driving off, I told the kids, it was right about now, that a delivery man from Baggins pulled up at the church with sack lunches for all of us (remember, there were only about 15 of us at our wedding). Kim had thought this day through and filled it with special touches...we'd be driving as a group out to Old Tucson...I told the kids, that, the most direct way from the Mission, was to follow Mission to Ajo and head west, taking Kinney to Old Tucson...but, Kim wanted to 'wow' our guests and that meant entering the desert through Gates Pass. So we took Mission to Grande to Speedway and then headed west...just before you make that breathtaking left that gives you that drop off and spectacular view through Gates Pass, there is a rest stop with picnic benches - we stopped there and had our sack lunches from Baggins, before heading to Old Tucson.
It was 94 degrees when we entered the studios - but it was so much fun. It was prior to the big fire that leveled most of Old Tucson and drove every shred of authenticity away, turning the studios into a 'theme park'. We participated in stunt shows and gun fights, too, that day...
And later, when the heat of the day began to die down, we made our way east, out Colossal Cave Rd, to Reddington Cattle Ranch, for a cowboy cook out under the stars...and the stars were so bright that night, especially in the reflection of Kim's shining eyes...yes, she was an angel...is an angel.
I can't think of anything I'd change about that day - other than maybe to have all of you there to have been a part of the happiest day of my life...I've been blessed to have been to some of your weddings, and they've been beautiful, I'm sure you feel the same way that I do about your special day...
Tonio and Aut went to see Thor today with Lupe, Manny and Monsi and really enjoyed it! Poor little Tonio - I was checking his homework before he went to school yesterday...he had a page, where, when you solved a math problem, it gave you a letter to use in a puzzle. Solve the math problems, get the answer to the hidden sentence. The picture was a genie lamp, the message gave you three wishes and you were to write them on the back of your paper. Tonio wrote one wish. 'I just want one BIG wish' he wrote. "For Mama to be alive"...
Cody and I were able to spend some quality time together...the mall and Viro's for cappuccino (me) and tiramisu (Cody)...he's a neat young man...
Tonight, we went to see Janene's son, Brendon, play some playoff baseball, and I managed to catch a foul ball, from the neighboring field, with my kidney. Yeh, that sucked. I asked for an autographed jersey but the Park Boss, Stacy, offered me a popsicle, which I calmly declined. -The little ones played, we brought Lupe and Manny's girl, Monsi and they played with Janene's son Bryson, while Cody hit the skate park with his buddy, Wyatt. Brendon played well, but his team lost...what a beautiful night tonight here in Tucson...
If you see me walking, with my head down, it doesn't necessarily mean I'm down or having a sad day...you see, I realize the world hasn't stopped spinning. If anything, it's spinning faster - and, sometimes, I feel the need to focus, concentrate on that spinning, so I don't fall off or trip - I cannot fall down right now - I've been trying all of my life to stand up everytime I fall...and Kim was always there to help me up...
And we made the best of my anniversary today. We did. The bambini were a huge help, especially Cody during the daytime, and Autumn at night. She'd come back from playing at the park tonight, to sit on my lap as I watched baseball...then, as we slipped out the back door to say goodnight to Mama, she grabbed my hand and said 'Happy anniversary, Mama!' as we looked up at the Big Dipper...
'For I know the thoughts I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.' Jeremiah 29:11
Love,
Dave
You are a GREAT role model Dave - not only to the kids, but to all of us who are lucky enough to know you! Thank you again for sharing your stories. This particular one truly leaves me speechless!
ReplyDeleteAhhhhh, Dan...me too man, sometime I really don't know what to say. And role model? Well, maybe in the Charles Barkley mode!!! Thanks for saying so though. And dude, they closed my Chuy's!!!
ReplyDeleteDave, the pictures are so beautiful. Autumn looks so much like her mom! Thank you for sharing such precious memories with us all. I feel so blessed in my heart. Our prayers are with you always.
ReplyDeleteEven tho I am reading this 2 months later I just want to thank you for sharing this special day with us. I feel like I was there celebrating with you.
ReplyDeleteI also have to agree about being such a GREAT role model for the children. They are so blessed to have a dad like you!
Kim looks so beautiful she reminds me of Sandy on Greece. Remember the time we ate over and I couldn't stop looking at Kim and I said it was because she looked like Farrah and you both started laughing because that was what you use to call her in High School.