Love Creates Serious Blog Posts.

I've had a marvelous past few days. I've started some new friendships, rekindled some old ones, and created some pretty dang good memories. Last weekend is certainly not going to be forgotten anytime soon -- for many reasons.

My friends Andy and Katiy got hitched up in Estes Park on Sunday. It was a breathtaking setting, with wonderful people. My two friends are truly in love, and it certainly showed this weekend. Nice job, guys.

Friends and family from all over made the trek to attend, predominantly from the Kansas City area where my wife and I lived for a few years before heading out to Colorado. And it was great to see all the familiar faces from KC--some with new significant others that were welcomed into the old circle with open arms, much like I was about six years ago.

My wife, April, lived in KC for a few years before I made my way up there. She had a circle of fantastic people that she spent the majority of her time with--mostly co-workers. That's where she met Andy, as well as several others that were in attendance on Sunday. This group of friends has treated me with the utmost kindness and respect since I came into April's life. By entering April's life, I entered theirs. And although they were my wife's friends before they even knew that I existed, I honestly consider each of them my friend now.

Andy's dad, Mickey, whom I have met a handful of times prior to this weekend but never really got the chance to know, was Andy's best man. Andy has a very close relationship with his dad--obviously--much like I have with mine. Not only family, but great friends as well. I got to know Mickey over the weekend--several cold beers, a glass or two of whisky, a competitive game of washers, and some unforgettable comradary with Andy, Mickey, and their circle of friends. It was genuine, and appreciated.

Another old KC friend in attendance was our friend, Bob. Once again, April knew Bob as a co-worker well before I entered the picture. But like Andy and the other members of the KC circle, Bob welcomed me into the gang without hesitation. And although Bob and I probably didn't get to know each other as well as we would have liked to during my time in KC, when we do cross paths we're both genuinely happy to see an old face that we both consider a friend.

Bob's dad passed away unexpectedly about a week before the Colorado wedding. And for that--I honestly don't know what to say right now.

But I got the chance over the weekend to talk to Bob, and to express my condolences. He said that when he was young, one of the vacations his folks would take the family on was to Colorado. He said it's a wonderful memory. So, in a sense, Bob felt it meaningful--and possibly symbolic--to load up his beautiful family and come out to Estes for his friend's wedding during an incredibly difficult time. That, in itself, I find truly admirable. And I know for a fact, while watching Bob swing his two little girls around on the dance floor at Andy and Katiy's reception, with ear-to-ear smiles and laughter, that it was the right decision. Sounds like Bob and his dad had a close relationship--much like Andy and Mickey...and Matt and Rick.

Honestly, I'm not positive where I'm going with this story. All that I can tell you is, while wiping my eyes, is that the events over the weekend touched me in an extremely powerful way. Powerful in a sense that there was an incredible amount of love expressed by people that I know.

Husbands, wives. Old friends, and new. Moms...and dads. Celebrations of old memories. And celebrations of future ones.

Whether it's friendship, bonding, comradary, a great first impression, or a deep love and respect--it was all expressed over the weekend.

People reading this, wondering what the hell I'm getting at...

Don't take anything for granted. Not love, not your wife, not your kids, not your dad, not life...not anything.

Good shit, man. Good shit.




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