Marriage, Weddings, and the Exclusive Story No One has Heard

This weekend I am going to reflect about how blessed I am. My cousin is getting married tomorrow and I am so exited to go. Her husband to be is a wonderful guy. Talk about a power couple ....

I am no stranger to marriage. Even when they don't work out, they can still work out. It's strange and this is why I'm so blessed. Here's a story to illustrate.

This picture on the left is my niece (actually my ex-wife's half-sister's best friend's daughter, but niece is shorter) and I dancing at my wedding in 2001. She was the flower girl and though the bride was apprehensive about choosing her and was looking for another option, I held my ground on this one because though she isn't related by blood, she was family. If you read my blog, you'll know who my niece is.

So the real story goes.... Approximately one month after my split in 2004, my ex-wife's half sister and I were driving to the hospital to visit an ill aunt when she asked me if I could stay in her family regardless of how it turned out. She mentioned that she and her best friend were talking and they would really like me to remain in their lives as a brother figure, and it would really be good for their kids as well to have another uncle.

I told her that I would leave it up to the kids because I didn't want to be one of those "hangers-on" that always looks like they're in denial. So I took Melissa and Sheldon (above, holding his sister Kiara) out to see Catwoman, and then Melissa out for dinner at Kelsey's because I didn't know if it would be the last time I'd ever see her. I wrote my number down on a piece of paper and said if she needed anything she could call me anytime.

A few weeks later I was sleeping in the afternoon (I was working nights) when my phone rang and I was thinking "Who the hell is calling me at this time." I answered anyway and a shaky voice on the other end said "Hi, is Randy there?" It was Melissa asking me if I could take her to the Red Sox game because she had no one else to take her and I was the only person she could think of that would want to go. I changed my schedule around and we went. It was the year the Red Sox won the World Series, their first one in a gazillion years. The game was awesome and the rest is history.

Anyone I dated after my divorce, had to accept my nieces and nephews as part of the deal. Only one woman had the self-confidence to realize that Stacey, Tresia, Sheldon, Melissa, Jayden (above left in camouflage), Kiara (beside Jayden), and Ebony (on staircase) were not going to steal me away from her. So I married Tricia in 2009, and we're one big happy family.