Greetings from West Covina, California, USA!
Photo taken on Saturday, June 13, 2009.
This year baby rattles have replaced wedding bells. Almost halfway through 2009 I have yet to receive a single invitation to a couple’s nuptials. Instead I have attended two baby showers as well as a funeral. Before delving into the births, I reflect on the wedding stats.
In twelve years (1997-2008) I have received twenty-four invitations, averaging two annually, although both 2005 & 2007 had three apiece, making up for 2002, which had zero. Some friends did not invite me to their weddings, a blessing in disguise, as my count would have likely doubled. Also my wallet would not have handled the additional flights, hotels and gifts. In fact I did not attend three weddings – the first in Australia, another in San Francisco, the last in New York City – due to travel costs.
While doing the math would result in 21 weddings attended, the more accurate answer is 20 ceremonies and 22 receptions. Typically the two activities go together. But one couple had a small private ceremony, then a larger reception/celebration two months later. Also the couple that wed in New York City held a second reception in Napa Valley for West Coast guests who missed the East Coast event. The remaining weddings were mostly SoCal affairs while a handful was in Northern California and one was in Mexico.
I remain in touch with 21 of the 24 couples, although divorce has split two pairings, a great ratio compared to the United States’ 50% divorce rate. Additionally both ex-husbands have each remarried and I attended the wedding for one just last year. Only time will tell how all these marriages will fare and if my wedding lull is a temporary situation or the end of a 12-year trend.
As the doves rest, the storks work overtime. For the 19 couples who are still married and in touch with me, 11 of them have become moms and dads to a combined 20 children – 3 born since January – while another two couples will become parents by December, both adding one each for a total of 5 in 2002 and 22 overall. Yet I know other couples expecting that will easily bring the year’s total into the double digits.
At my second baby shower of the year, I steered clear of the contests except for one – designing a diaper with toilet paper. Modeled on a teammate’s young son, our creation lost. The contest of guessing the “dirty” diaper contents had a six-way tie. These people really knew crap. Pun intended. The week’s photo shows the tiebreaker – drinking from a baby bottle. From the sidelines, I happily watched and drank from a beer bottle. Baby shower, bridal shower, wedding, whatever. Here is a toast to them all. Bottoms Up!
Angelo
