You would think that having four daughters and a son that we, Carolyn and I, would be use to those significant milestones your children approach, reach and move forward from. You would think we would be dealing with each and every one of those milestones as “pros” when the time came! Well not so much! Carolyn and I still think that it is very exciting to be involved in their “life events” and swell with pride while tears of happiness flow for their accomplishments!

Our youngest daughter, Julia Marie (Diaz) Fitzgibbons, 30 years, recently married what we believe is the most perfectly suited man for Julia! Daniel Patrick Fitzgibbons, 32 years, and Julia were married on Saturday, June 23, 2012 in San Luis Obispo County at the Santa Margarita Ranch, Santa Margarita, California. What a beautiful setting and for what I expected to be a scorcher, but it turned out to be perfect weather for an outdoor wedding. The Santa Margarita Ranch was established in 1769 and is today still a 13,900 acre working ranch that is a perfect setting for outdoor weddings.

The 4:00 PM ceremony was held outside in a beautifully landscaped terraced area under a large oak tree where about 130 family and guests from as far away as New York and Nebraska came to share this special day with Julia, Daniel and their families. The reception was held in what was at one time a defensive fort (the four foot thick rock walls are still part of the structure) and later a barn to house a variety of farm animals from the ranch. There still are two long standing residents, barn owls, living in the barn making eating and dancing under their roosts a little stressful, but interesting! There were many memorable moments for this day; not counting forgetting the marriage license in Manhattan Beach which required the skillful “legal” breaking and entering of their home to retrieve the license by a friend!

One of the very significant and memorable moments that happened during the ceremony was my Daughter-in-Law Sarah was able to use “Skype” on her iPhone to allow our Son Phillip, now serving in Afghanistan with the United States Navy, to view the wedding of his sister in real time! For Phillip it was 2:30 in the morning and he had set his alarm for this surprise to his sister and Daniel! After the ceremony he was then able to welcome his new brother into the family. I am sure I don't have to tell you that all of us were crying uncontrollably while we viewed Phillip sitting up in his bunk at Bagram Air Force Base and talking with all of us! You just have to love and respect technology when it gives to us this ability to share family experiences!

Another great moment for me was during the “Father-Daughter Dance” when I realized Julia and I were dancing to one of my favorite artists Freddie Fender and to his song, “Before the Next Teardrop Falls!” I asked Julia how she remembered that I liked Freddie Fender and she said, “Duh Dad, you only played his songs all the time outside when we played basketball!” The song she picked for our dance was perfect and I found myself belting out the words and crying at the same time!

And finally for my last “greatest moment of the wedding” was that Carolyn's Mother Ruth was there to see her only granddaughter marry such a wonderful man! Daniel had made sure that Grandma Ruth was involved when he came to ask me for Julia's hand on Mother's Day 2011 by making a special visit to Bella's Teas and Treats in Fillmore where Carolyn had taken her Mother for Mother's Day to show them the engagement ring.

Daniel is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Terrence Fitzgibbons of Pasadena, California. Daniel is currently studying Cinema at California State University, Northridge (Graduating December 2012). Julia is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor Degree in Business. Daniel currently works at the Shore Restaurant and Lounge in Hermosa Beach, California and Julia is employed by Slalom Consulting in El Segundo, California. The new Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Fitzgibbons are making their home in Manhattan Beach, California with their dog Valentine and cat Ender.