Happy 40th Wedding Anniversary to Mom and Dad!!!

Forty years. That's a verrrry loooong time. Especially in today's world. What an achievement, a milestone!

Ready for a photo-heavy post? Hehehe. Of course we took loads of pics! Or...Japa did, as did Mario and Oel.....but my dear sister Lai didn't whip out her camera at all! Gasp, my heart! Hehehe. I can't wait to get my scrappy little hands on the pix the photographers we hired took, though. As well as the full-length videos.

But anyhoo, let me take you through the wedding mass and reception, via pictures:

It was a very emotional mass for ALL of us. Not just Mom and Dad, but for the entire family. And when we were talking to some friends and relatives afterwards, turns out not a few were brought to tears from the very start of the processional.

As we were lining up at the back of the church, Dad was brought in from the limo outside, where he was waiting with Mom. He was in his wheelchair. The very instant he saw the Shrine transformed for their wedding mass, he started to tear up. Boydee squatted beside him and told him, "Dad, Dad, we haven't even started yet." :)

The Processional:

Flower Girl

The Junior Bridesmaids (they refused to be called Flower Girls, saying they were all too old for that. They even expressed disappointment in their gowns, saying it was more like a Flower Girl's dress than a bridesmaid's gown that they expected---flowing, graceful lines and fabric *roll eyes* LOL!)

The Bearers (Bible, Rosary, Coin, Ring)



The Secondary Sponsors (Candle, Veil, Cord)


The Groomsman and Bridesmaid

The Groom and the Best Man--there was no way Dad was going to be able to walk the 50-meter aisle to the altar, so Boydee pushed him to the halfway mark to wait for Mom.

The Maid of Honor (that's moi!) with the Best Man
and the gorgeous gorgeous Bride

And when we got to the halfway mark, Dad stood up from his wheelchair and escorted Mom the rest of the way to the altar. It was such an emotional moment; here Dad was, barely able to walk, but he was walking oh so slowly with Mom holding him up a bit. You could see the determination in his face: he was going to get Mom to the altar no matter what. It was a beautiful thing to witness and this moment would stay with me the rest of my life.

This is what love is, this is what sacrifice is, this is 40 years of marriage.

The walk down the aisle:

If *I* thought it was an emotional walk, look at my dear sisters:

pretty gals, all in a row....waiting for Mom and Dad to get to the altar (I was still on the way up with Boydee)
and the emotional roller coaster starts.....
......and......

they lost it:
totally lost it.

And this was just in the church, during the processional!

Ok, it is very very late and I'm tiiiiired. More pics and stories tomorrow!