October 21, 2004

Happy Birthday, Selkie! A line about you is well worth a hundred Daylogs. Thank you for continuing to be my best friend, I wouldn't be complete without you.

Love,
Matthew

An open letter to Anna, I hope you read these words one day but then again, more importantly, I hope you know we lived them.

So today is your 10th birthday. I guess what they say is true, time flies when you’re having fun.

I really don’t know where to begin to say thanks. Do I say it for the infinite smiles that you’ve brought to my face over the years? Do I say it for the memories that I have and for those that are sure to come? Do I say it for all of the little things that you do that makes my life what is ? I don’t know the answers to these and many other questions. I doubt anybody does.

I do know this though, I wouldn’t be the person that I am today, right now, at this moment, if it wasn’t for you. These words which I commit here, which used to come so hard, now seem to come so naturally. It’s as if I was blinking my eyes. I shudder to think what I might have become had I been left to my own devices. I always had a knack for shirking certain responsibilities in the past but these days, it seems there’s one that will always take precedence and that one is you. Someday, if you're willing to listen, I’ll the stories of what life was like before you came along and how adrift I felt.

I gotta admit, when you came along, I was nervous at first. This whole single dad thing scared the living daylights out of me. Today, I couldn’t picture it any other way. Along our little journey, we’ve both had our ups and downs and life for some stretches, hasn’t been easy for either of us.

Judging by the way things are turning out, it looks as though we’ve weathered our first storms. There will probably be many more but our little station in life has been something of a proving ground. The storms haven’t weakened us as they would a building but instead, have made us stronger. We will put our face against the wind and brave whatever comes our way. We will not persevere, we will thrive. That is the promise that the father makes to the daughter. As the ensuing years go by, you must hold me to it.

So to you my little girl, so wise beyond your years and yet willing to learn more about the yourself, other people and the world every day, I say thank you and happy birthday. We have ridden it out this far, hopefully calmer waters await us as we turn the next corner.

All my love,

Dad

Okay, so much for the sappy stuff. When I announced my kid's intention to node here at E2, I promised that I wouldn’t C! any of her stuff. I’d let you fine people be the judge and if history is any indicator, your judgment has thus far been favorable. I’m not one to break rules, especially those I impose upon myself, but as a small token of gratitude and to bring a smile to her face, she deserves it.

Tempted Again

Plagued by thoughts
of what could have been
she dances on the head
of the dream
of the sin.

Twenty-five years ago today we woke up to a rainy morning too, by the time the afternoon rolled around the sun was bright and the grass refreshed. Our wedding, as most weddings do, refused to go off without a hitch. No pun intended.

Mom was intent on having the best. It was in retrospect the wedding she never had and I suppose it was the all too compassionate part of me that simply let it happen. She had heard from other Officer's wives that the florist who had done Princess Grace's wedding had retired here. Dad saw through this gambit and stormed out of the shop. Without missing a beat the florist suggested that perhaps I would like to leave it up to him. Fall is my favorite season, I explained I would like a bouquet of flowers that look as if they had been gathered from a field and we left. Things eventually blew over with Mom and Dad, but I had no idea what the flowers would look like. The beautician cancelled at the last minute, the photographer just happened to look at his calendar that day and notice he had a wedding scheduled. The pastor was late because a church member had a heart attack that morning and it was a Sunday besides.

Nevertheless the flowers came out gorgeous, Floyd the photographer cut through parking lots, arriving with razor in shirt pocket asking for shaving cream and every time he snapped a picture Hubby would whisper Floyd is a turkey!. The two most surprising wedding traditions I learned that day was that weddings are rarely performed on Sundays and that men who dance with the Bride pin money on her veil. Everyone is working today, but next week we are planning to have dinner at Fleming's steakhouse. It’s new here in town, they’re looking for managers and we are very curious if it’s a place that is worth working at.

A dozen roses arrived this morning and I called Hubby to tell him thank you then I asked to speak to the other manager. I told her that my husband was TOO shy to say so but that I was calling him to thank him for the roses and that today is our anniversary. I asked if would she please share that with the rest of the crew. When she started crying Hubby was laughing in the background.

Here are some well wishes from friends. You guys make me laugh!:

kthejoker says Congratulations to the both of you! Here's to 25(000) more! : )
allseeingeye says oh Kissy FACES! Congradulations! Mr. Lometa had some bitchin' sideburns, and your Farrah hair can't be beat ;) Heres to another 25!
borgo says 25 years! Congratulations - may there be at least 25 more!!!!
yclept says YAY! *throws birdseed*
Servo5678 says Congratulations on the big 2-5.
Oolong says Congratulations! *beams*
jasonm says yay lometa! you made it!
diotina says Yay! Congratulations Lometa!
GrouchyOldMan says /me makes a flybye smile at Lady Lo in celebration of a quarter century. Woo Hoo!
IWhoSawTheFace say Lometa you so rock.
Halspal says Holy Crap, Lo, 25 years! I'm so happy for you and yours. I'm misting up a little. I need to lay down for ahwile.
mkb says \m/
69lovesongs says Congratulations on your 25th anniversary!!! Such a beautiful photograph too. This seems to be a very good day for many people - it's a happy daylog :)
olmanrvr says Congratulations..obviously the best deserves the best..and that's you.;-)
jessicapierce says Aw, I love it when you get sappy. It's good.
Wiccanpiper says Congrats Mrs and Mr Lo! May all couples be as happy as you two.
SharQ says Woooh! *hug*
iamkaym says Oh, my - how lovely. I am happy for you. K
TheDeadGuy says Congrats on the 25th anniversary. The power of things that last in this world of temporary things is desperately undervalued.
graceness says happy sharing of anniversary days! you deserve only the best.
Habakkuk says Congratulations on your big day! May the best of the last 25 be the worst of the next 25.
Eusebio says Congrads on your Silver Anniversary, I pray that you shall have a golden one! :)
sneff says Happy, happy anniversary!! What? Did you get nuptualized at 7 years old?
Jet-Poop says Aiiee, I completely missed your daylog from a couple days ago. Congrats and merry anniversary!
princess loulou says i know it's a little late, but i just wanted to add ot the congratulations and ihope you had a wonderful celebratory dinner. and where is the photo people are talking about. come on, let's see it! though you know although it's fun to celebrate anniversaries, i believe that it's the day to day loving and sharing that makes a union so special :)
BlueDragon says Congratulations. I've recently passed the 20-year mark. I also love autumn, but wanted wild daisies in my bouquet. I got orchids - cos, like you, my mum had her own ideas on how my wedding should be. I got married on a Friday - (another rare day to marry) - that choice felt like the only control I had over our special day. It was special, though, and our anniversary was special too. Enjoy your celebrations :)

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
-1 Corinthians 13: 13 (NIV)