Tara and John's Wedding

Tara and John's Wedding, April 11, 2015

Last summer John began working as an executive at HPI where our daughter Tara does contract work occasionally.  People there immediately started matchmaking, saying "Wait until you meet.  You are so perfect for each other."  This time the matchmakers were right.  From the first date they knew they had something very special.

From the start John assured Tara that it was all right to talk about her deceased husband, since after all, Stephen was the father of her sons and would always be remembered.  That takes a secure, empathetic man.  Basil and Levi are seven and five; John's sons, Max and Sam are eleven and nine.  The four boys get along great.  So now we have four grandsons for double the fun.

There is nothing cuter than four boys in tuxes.

The wedding was very small, but simply beautiful.  Don walked Tara out onto the veranda of Lake Nona Country Club and delivered her to John and four boys, stunning in tuxedos, white tie. 

Tara and John exchanged vows they wrote.

Then all six of them poured separate bottles of colored sand into a frame, creating a lovely art piece symbolizing all of them joining together to create a beautiful life together.

Tara and John then made vows to the boys, John telling Basil and Levi that while he would never replace their daddy, he would love and care for them as the best Papa John he could be.  Tara told them that before he died their daddy said that he hoped there would be another dad to care for them.  She told Max and Sam that she would be the best bonus Mom she could be and would give them love, happiness and fun.

The six of them then went down onto the lawn and released balloons to Stephen.  There was not a dry eye on the veranda as we watched.

The new family with Grandma and Don and me.

And they will live happily ever after.