43...43?...43!

Hello friends!

This day in 1963 a young woman of 19 and a young man of 24 tied the knot. New to the country after a boating trip out of the old world (Cuba). With nary a penny to their name, love in their hearts, and a future in their minds, these two individuals, whom you will now know as Mom and Dad got hitched, prevented two other people from being miserable, fill in your own blank. Here we are 43 years later and they are still as one. I am not quite sure how the hell they did it!

Timing is an amazing thing...I was born exactly nine months and 20 days after the 'I do's'...which is exactly why Dad has always been referred to as the 'Genetic Cuban Jackhammer'.

All kidding aside I was told a few things for the first time on my last birthday...Dad discussing how many hours had elapsed when pacing the floor in Hoboken NJ...How the amount of my weight at birth almost killed Mom ( 9lbs 12 ounces)...About to go into service, and how much praying Dad did at Mom's bedside. Two more would arrive in the next five years, and rest assured that our family never had to do without.

My parents ALWAYS put us first. Mom and Dad would have some knock down drag out arguments, usually over us, but we never mistook arguing for not loving. Seems Cubans have the need to be right. To this day I can't tell you who is more headstrong.

In a day and age where statistics say after one year you'll be in divorce court, latch key kids are at an all time high, one parent households are a sad reality, I look back and ask myself 'What in the world did these two crazies see in each other to hook up?' I ask that question now at 43 years. Put a different way Mom and Dad have outlasted nine presidents, 11 elections, five decades, the color tv, MTV, from Ozzy and Harriet to Ozzy and the Osbornes, Steve Allen to David Letterman, 11 World Cups, Liz Taylor, Liv Tyler, LSD, DSL, Sugar canes and hurricanes, teaching life full boat after almost missing the boat, literally!

I am proud to say that my parents level of dysfunction is a hell of a lot lower than what passes as the norm in this day and age. We had it pretty well...It is in saying all of this that I wish Mom and Dad a very happy anniversary. I can't think of two people who deserve each other more! Mom always gets the last word, and Dad has found religion...We have now begun a new meeting hall called RCA-Recovering Catholics Allied...

Over and out in Big D

Mr Will