The 35th Anniversary

Here we are at a Knights of Columbus Dinner at La Posta last year. This was also our anniversary night. Bishop Ramirez gave us a blessing that evening. Thirty-four years of experiences and life shared sometimes closely and sometimes as two individuals sharing the same path but on different sides of a vast river that separates us. We keep each other in sight, but time, obligations, and lack of care have at times taken their toll, each on our own path, yet in the same direction.
Sometimes so close that we are truly one person. Sometimes strangers in the same bed. But always committed to the same sacrament that united us for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health until death part us.

This year was so different. Frankie went to the Knights of Columbus Corporate Communion. All the Councils meet to participate at Mass together and to receive the Eucharist together. I didn't go, but Frankie said that it was so beautiful. Each month they choose a different church. This time it was the mission in San Isidero. Then he went to Dona Ana to pick up the twins and then he picked me up and off we went to the 11:00 o'clock Mass at St. Genevieve. Nana made us an excellent lunch. I wished that she had taken a picture of the lunch because it truly looked like art and it was too beautiful to eat. We asked Nana if we could take Father Richardo, because it was his birthday. So he joined the feast. Then we went home to change into our hiking clothes and Father and the twins joined us for a hike up to Dripping Springs. The boys took off like rabbits. Fearing that they would be lost, we had to run to find them. They didn't pace themselves and soon became tired and cranky. So Father and Frankie completed the trail and the boys and I waited on a rock under a beautiful shade tree. Soon Father and Frankie met up with us and then the twins suggested that they needed horses to take them back to their car. Poor Father and Frankie carrying a twin on their shoulders as the boys barked orders to their "caballo".

We took the babies home. Lia and Berto had brought them guitars which delighted them! On the way home, Frankie asked if I wanted to go to the novena that had been started for St. Jude. We went and said the novena and the rosary. How blessed we both were that day! Later, I told my husband and friend of 35 plus years that this was the best anniversary ever. It was such a wonderful gift from the heavens.

Also at the end of Mass as Father's custom, he asks "Donde es la fiesta?" The community is encouraged to announce birthdays, anniversaries and celebrations. The applause is always louder for the wedding anniversaries because some marriages are difficult and some are more difficult than others. I asked Frankie not to raise his hand. It was difficult for him to keep his arm from waving about like a flag for the 35 years he has lived through. I felt that the graces necessary to stay together were from Our Lady who intercedes for us and that personally I didn't merit any of those graces and surely didn't merit any (heaven forbid) applause.

Later after the rosary, the people sang "Las Mananitas" to Father. Then sneaky Father asked them to sing it again to commemorate our anniversary. Frankie got a big smile on his face. I thanked our Holy Mother for such a great grace.