Mother of the Groom

This is my son.

I knew the day would come, but nothing prepares you for this moment. The hours driving up to the event you're busy with all the little details. But the day of, your heart, as the mother of the groom, is in your throat and you can't shake the memories that flood your mind. Memories I haven't thought of in years. The first memory that popped into my mind was of him in Disney World at the age of 9 or 10. We were in Magic Kingdom and the garbage can rolled over to us and struck a conversation with us "talking trash". It was fun for the moment but it wasn't fun pulling my sons head out of every garbage can after his encounter with the talking trash can; questioning why it wouldn't talk.

During our time of the preparations I must admit I had many proud moments where people approached me to tell me how wonderful my son is. So when I saw him waiting for his bride the thoughts flooded me, of all the struggles that lead to the well mannered character that he has become. He was 5 holding my hand worried about me walking alone in the parking lot. Too young to be worried over his mom. Our many date nights, so he could practice being a gentleman when it was time to take a girl out. His first heart break.

There was this one time when he was 11 years old and walked into my bedroom to fix his hair and he noticed me standing in front of the mirror with that months bills in my hands and I guess the look on my face was transparent as it stopped him in his tracks and we stood there for a moment that felt like forever staring at the bills. Then he grabbed my hand and I looked at us in the mirror and he said, "Walk by faith mommy not by sight".

Then the final memory that pushed me to the rest room to get a grip on myself was a the Christmas he made me cry. He had a 50.00 gift card to the mall and he asked me to take him to the mall so he could spend it, but he wanted to shop alone. I knew his kind little heart wanted to get me a gift so I sat at the Starbucks near by reading. Ten minutes later he showed up with a little box and I opened it to find a pair of silver earrings with pink stones. I said thank you and hugged him and proceeded to shop. But I found the earrings at the Piercing Pagota and I noticed the price. He spent 45.00 out of his 50.00 card on me. I turned around and he was so upset that I saw how much he spent and I asked him to return it because it was his Christmas present and he should have spent it on him and he looked up and said, "You deserve a good Christmas too mommy".

Then there is this moment, the moment he is no longer my little man and he becomes someone's husband. I didn't think it would be so hard. But any moment I found myself alone, I found myself in tears. Even writing this blog entry I'm in tears.

He is going to be a phenomenal husband. I'm not worried at all. Everything, every circumstance, every struggle, every pain, every happy moment he was molded by it and it turned him into who he is today and God's isn't done yet. And I'm impressed. So Jaimie is a really lucky lady as he is going to love her in a way that will make her the envy of many. But I have to be honest I liked it better when I was the only woman he loved. lol

Uli, has overcome so much in his life that I'm not worried. He smiles through everything, doesn't take things personal and laughs at himself. He will have some hurdles to jump in marriage but he is more than prepared for them.

So I guess this blog post is for the all the mommies out there with little boys. Brace yourself for this day as nothing prepares you for it. I will keep you all in my prayers.

Here is a small preview of my son's wedding. Oops... My son and his wife's wedding.

Groom: Raul Z Robles

Bride: Jaimie Robles

Venue: Holley by the Sea Rec Center