Letter read to Kelly at Wedding

For those of you that were not at the wedding and wanted to know what the "letter" was, I will try to put it in writing. When the preacher ask "who gives this women to be married to this man" I stepped forward and told the following story.....

Kelly and Regan, early on when we found out Jackie was pregnant, we knew it was going to be a difficult pregnancy. We were sent to a high risk Dr. by the name of Dr Thelma Yamboa. Over the course of the next months we would go in every week or so to make sure things were going ok. Dr Yamboa would encourage Jackie and tell her "Jackie, you can do this" and over the next eight months she was basically in bed flat on her back. During that time we had many family and friends come by to encourage us and help us through this time. The day Kelly was born, Dr Yamboa sat on the edge of the bed and watched to make sure things were going ok. At the end of the day, later that night Kelly was born. And you were perfect...and beautiful....just like you are today.

A few years later, Dr Yamboa was killed in a plane crash in Africa along with several other people from Amarillo. She never knew the impact she had on our family, because she was just doing her job. Let that be an example to the people in this room that if she had not done her job on that ordinary day, we possibily would not be celebrating this "extraordinary" day.

Kelly, you have seen your mother wear this though the years. (I have a gold nugget diamond drop in my hand). We have really never told you what it is all about. I gave it to your mother the day you were born in the delevery room with Dr Yamboa. It was always the plan to give it to you on your wedding day. Along with it, is a letter I wrote and will read it to you now.

"Jackie,

What a day of celebration! Take this token and cherish it forever. Let it not only be a sign of our love for each other, but also a symbol of the love that has been shown to us over the past months by both our family and friends. May it be passed on from generation to generation to show the love that was needed to create this special child. Because without that special love, this day of celebration would have never been! May we cherish our babies forever!

All my love, "


This was written on July 24, 1984. I wrote it on the back of an oil can box lid while changing water in a sugarbeet field, and later transferred it to this card. A very ordinary day to be read 26 years later on "THIS DAY". Today we celebrate all the people in this sanctuary that just live "ordinary" lives and "just do their job"that have had an impact on each of you to make you the people you are, and unit together to become a special couple.

June 26, 2010