Did time fly so fast since you were both born 25 years ago? Allow us to paraphrase a song sang by the parents in the film The Fiddler on the Roof, “ Aiko, when did you grow to be a lady? Ali, when did you grow to be so tall? We, your parents, can’t remember growing older, when did you?”
Aiko, after several false alarms due to so much excitement about having you, our very first baby, after several singing bouts in between Lamaze breathing and also to allow Dra. Herminia Panlilio, our lola doctor, to join us at the delivery room, and after Papa Orly’s great effort to support my back with his strong shoulder as the hospital’s bean bag did not work, you finally decided to do your grand entrance into the world, amidst the chorus of singing voices of the attending nurses and mine!
What a joyful event your arrival was to us, your parents. What a great occasion for thanksgiving to the Lord for sharing you with us that evening of Friday, April the 13th!
Ali, for sure, your mom Baby and your dad, Bong, shared the same grateful and joyful feelings as soon as you, their first baby, joined them that morning of March 18, 1984! They may also, like us, have experienced feeling humbled and honored at the same time about the privilege and blessing that the Lord God, our Father, has bestowed upon us and all parents, of being His co-creators!
Ali and Aiko, just as man became a living being when “ God… breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,” (Genesis 1: 7), your first breath came from the Lord as well which He kindly shared with your Lolita/lola and lolos, which they in turn, shared with us, your parents, and from us, with you both as well as with your younger brothers, Karlo and John.
As mothers, we had to hold our breath, even to the point of giving up our own breath, our own lives, so that our breath would become your own breath, our lives, your life. As fathers, your papas also held their breath to support us through our labor of love to have and welcome you both joyfully into our lives, into our family!
And on this joyous first day of August, 2009, your wedding day, we are all reminded about the start, the alpha and omega, of all our relationships, including yours, ours. We are reminded about the source of our first breath and our lives: The Lord God our Father who loves us so much, He continues to give Himself, through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Today, on your wedding day, we are all reminded about the power of love, of God’s love that is sufficient for you both, for us as well, each day throughout our lives together. May all your guests, relatives, and friends also remember God’s love for them on this beautiful wedding day of yours.
Remember God’s love that brought us all together, that brought you, Aiko and Ali, together. Remember God’s love as you both start a new world of your own together!
Today, God is blessing you with His grace to help Him build a bigger family of love for Him. Today, God is blessing us all with an even bigger family- Ballescas-Sanchez- based on His love. We happily welcome as well Bong, Baby and John Sanchez into our big clan.
Today, we hold you both even tighter in our arms as you start on your own to build and expand God’s family with your love. And we pray the roots that we have tried to share with you, with God’s grace, will be firm enough to allow you both to continue to fly with wings of faith and love, to start and build your own God-blessed nest and home and family.
On your memorable, God-given day of marriage, we share with you what we have ever since been sharing with you: ourselves, our love, our gratitude, our faith in the Lord.
God bless you both with His abundant grace. Always “delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Continue to go then, with love, faith and gratitude, with and for the Lord and spread His love always!
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Email: cherryb_thefreeman@yahoo.com