Las Vegas and Mazatlan were amazing, and this certainly will go down as the greatest week of my life... for several reasons.

Anyone guess the first?

Yeah, yeah... so I finally gave in and got married... but then again, I did ask her. Her father's happy to be off the hook.

I married the one woman who will put up with me, but will let me know when I need to shape up. Neither of us are perfect, but when I'm with her, it doesn't seem to matter. She's the one whom I want to be with, have children with, and fulfill dreams with. She's creative, ambitious, intelligent, and determined. Why she picked me, no one knows, but now that she's locked in, I know I got the better end of the deal.

To me, the ceremony couldn't have been more perfect. The setting was an outdoor garden sitting alongside the river on a perfect summer afternoon in Las Vegas. Surrounded by our closest family and friends, Rebecca and I exchanged vows on a day I'll certainly never forget.

The minister was a Mexican cowboy from Texas with a fantastic sense of humor, but I believe he was an ex-con. While his robe concealed 95% of his body, he appeared to be covered with prison tats, creating a laugh for me that I can't wait to pass on to our children and grandchildren. Luckily, Rebecca didn't noticed until I mentioned it after the wedding, or an unfortunate mishap might have occurred. He was great, none-the-less.

Rebecca and I were so pleased at the turnout of guests. With few exceptions, everyone we wanted to attend made the trip. It was wonderful seeing our families, but even more fun to see them interact so positively, especially with the such varying backgrounds. It was great to have everyone make the trip from Texas, South Dakota, and Florida, but even better to see how much fun our friends were having together. People whom have never met seemed like they've known each another for years.

Odis and Nate got along great and Kim brought her energy. But it undeniably is not a party until Odis brings the crowd to life. While he's a brother to me, life isn't the same without him around. Everyone loves him, everyone wants to see him, and everyone unquestionably wants to be his friend. I'm blessed to have him in my life; now, more of you know why.

Kim and Barb have been great to Rebecca for years, and getting to meet the people that are the subject of so many childhood stories is spectacular. While we've met before, we didn't have the opportunity to spend time together. Rebecca and Kim compliment each other so well, and her mother Barb is proof that good people do still exist (outside of Texas).

The only unfortunate element was that of time. For a while, we were so concerned with getting Rebecca's hair taken care of, or whether the pizza was ordered, we didn't have as many opportunities as we would have liked to spend more time with everyone.

Rebecca (our friend, not my wife) and Kurt, for example, came to the wedding, but combined with the reception, we weren't able to see them again. At least we had that time.

Maybe we're growing up, maybe we're starting to mature, but our friends have chosen good people to spend their life with. I'm happy that Rebecca found Kurt. In front of 30+ people he's never met, he seemed very comfortable and acted like a gentleman. Rebecca is one of my favorite people in the world, and it brings me great joy to see her happy.

Jonathan couldn't have found a better woman in Marie. I am proud that Jonathan found the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with, and even though he had to get one from Buffalo, they truly are perfect.

After a year of marriage, Matt and Diana seem to be doing as well as expected. From all accounts, they've begun a very prosperous life together, and will have lots to celebrate for years to come.

And could Bryan have found a more perfect catch than Ginny? She's sweet, beautiful, and a blast to be around. Having them both in Las Vegas to celebrate was a genuine bonus for the weekend.

Somehow, we all found women way out of our leagues. Just don't tell the ladies... they might get smart.

Having Paul and Kerri make the trip was especially exciting for Rebecca, and getting to see Grace and Dawn after such a wonderful experience in Orlando was great for me. I wish we could have seen more of each other.

I'm excited to have two new sisters-in-law, and look forward to getting to know them, as well as Tres and Tyler. Tres is in the picture long-term, and hopefully Tyler will get locked in soon. They're a fun group of people to be around, and I'm so happy it will continue.

For Tres' parents to attend was wonderful. Jeanne and Dennis have been so kind to us since we met a couple years ago, and have offered a beautiful friendship, and soon, a wonderful new family. During our engagement weekend one year ago, they gave us use of their condo in San Antonio, and Jeanne has made it very clear that any assistance needed will be handled with exceptional care. It was great to see them again.

We had aunts, uncles, and grandparents make the trip, and it was wonderful to see them all. We were especially happy to see an uncle whom I have in Florida and haven't seen in almost three years, and Rebecca's Aunt Donna from Minot, North Dakota. We understand it was costly, but to see everyone truly made the day more special. It's difficult for the both of us, since we're so far away from our family, so the time we spend together is very precious. I cannot convey how much we miss everyone and cannot wait for the next opportunity to be together.

Getting to see my brother, and seeing his life going in the direction that he's been hoping, absolutely brought enough joy to my weekend, that everything else -- with the exception of marrying my new bride -- was a bonus. He's worked hard, gone through tough times, but never given up. I have been so proud of him in recent months, and have no doubts that he'll be as successful as his potential will take him. I was so happy that he was with us to share this special day, and cannot wait to stand alongside him when his day comes, as well.

At the reception, Nate's speech was everything I expected from the person I chose as my best man. It was thoughtful, sincere, and painted the perfect picture of what it's like to be around Rebecca and I everyday. I cannot express how appreciative I am of his humor, advice, hard work, and friendship. He truly is my best man and my best friend.

For our honeymoon, Nate's parents gave us use of their timeshare which allowed us to take the trip to Mazatlan. The generosity found in Steve and Bev is plentiful, and while I hope we can someday pass along their kindness, their example is a lesson for us all. I hope they know how much they mean to us, as well as how special they made us feel. They're genuine, exceptional, and we're profoundly blessed to have them in our life.

And finally, to our parents. We cannot express enough appreciation for what they've taught us. While my parents near their 28th anniversary, and Rebecca's parents celebrate their 25th, the best we can promise is to take their lessons and make them proud, because over the course of our lifetimes, they've given us so much to be proud of. They have set a precedent that give us a solid foundation, and their love for each other shows us how to make our marriage prosper. With their guidance and support, we cannot fail.

Seeing Rebecca's father walk her down the isle, singing to Rebecca with my fraternity brothers, cutting the cake, riding the roller coaster at New York, New York in our wedding attire, and spending a week in Mexico are memories that we cherish forever. We want to thank each and every one of you for making it such a special time.

Keep us in your prayers -- that's the best gift you can give.

Labels: Family, Friends, Life, Nate, Odis Welch, Rebecca, Wedding Plans

Posted by M. Derrick Davis on Wednesday, May 30, 2007 at 11:27 PM | Permalink