The grandest year of them all. If the remaining years of my life mimic the joy I experienced in 2024, I will have lived a life that is full and joyous.
This past year had a few moments that I'll remember for my life.
In the 2023 year in review, I spoke of my proposal to Becky. This year got away from me some as it flew by with wedding planning and I fell off track of documenting my life journey. That said, Becky and I were married on September 22nd. It was the most wonderful day of my life and I only hope that each person in the world can feel the love and support of their friends and family as we did on that day.
Marriage
On September 22nd, I married my best friend. The day is still surreal and I'm indebted to Becky for the planning that was invested to make the day perfect. Leading up to the monumentous day, it appeared that we would be graced by the tears of the world falling over us. However, we were graced with weather a big boy could only dream of, overcast and in the 70s. The morning of, I was graced with Frankie's presence as he stayed with us the night prior due to living in Cleveland. I thoroughly enjoyed having him stay with us and join us to celebrate the night prior, with Becky's family. Frankie has been a dear friend since the 6th grade, one who's friendship I treasure. Back to the morning of... Shockingly little to no jitters, which came as a pleasant surprise as I had anticipated I'd have my heart racing for the finish line throughout the entirety of the day. The morning flew by and before I knew it, it was time to embrace the moment. As I walked down the aisle, still no nerves, I was doing A-OK and would not cry as was wanted of me. Well, at least not yet. Becky was, is, always will be stunning. When the door opened to the venue and she took her first step, everything became real. All of the memories, emotions, and hopes for our future flooded over me and began to slither out of my eyes. The moment was pure bliss, the penultimate moment of happiness in one's life. One that I am graced to have felt.
The ceremony itself was one that quickly became lighthearted. That wind that a big boy loves did a number in breaking the nerves in the air. As the wind coursed up the hill, the fabric on the pergola began to whip. Even catching our officiant, Steve, in the head as he read our vows. I appreciated the wind, it was a reminder not to take life overly seriously and to enjoy the moment. I was blessed to embrace the moment and join in the unity, as one, with the love of my life. The wedding night truly flies by; one minute it's just Becky and I looking into each others eyes the next we're saying good bye and preparing for our next journey together, Greece.
One quality to Becky that I adore and admire is her thoughtfulness. When I initially pondered her thoughtfulness in depth was after meeting with Steve, our officiant, for the first time and he asked me why I loved her. The thoughtfulness piece of that puzzle sticks out among the many reasons. It's not necessarily the large things that she does for me or others, but the small things. As she prepares to embark to work in the morning, a pot of coffee will be brewing for me to awaken to or even just offering to assist in my stretches. These are just a few of the many thoughtful actions she takes as the best partner I could ask for.
One of the most thoughtful actions towards me in my lifetime occurred on our wedding day. As we were planning the wedding, the idea of bringing the pups was thrown around, but ultimately dismissed as well as having some sort of memorial to those that have passed whose presence would have been cherished at our wedding. In a future blog I will go into detail the impact Nana had on me, however, I currently do not have a box of Kleenex on hand to go into detail. That said, on our wedding day I am brought her gifts to me and words would fail me in describing the overwhelming emotion that rushed over my psyche as I opened them. Firstly, two cufflinks with pictures of Odin and Shelby - a memento to my wanting our best friends to be with us on our day. The next gift I opened made the world stop as if we were in a void. A simple lapel pin, one with which my grandmother's face is on so she could be with me that day. As I sit here typing this, I desperately am in need of those tissues. Lastly, a simple three paragraph letter that re-assured she was the match for my soul and the partner that I'd embark on all my future adventures with. I made the right choice that day, I've found my match. Regrettably, my fault that day was also not writing a letter in turn, which was a clear oversight on my behalf.
Honeymoon
Greece. The land of Olives. The land of the Gods. The land of Philosophy. The land of ancient history. The most beautiful land I've had the pleasure to rest my eyes upon.
Our trip to Greece was a marvel and a privilege to see with my first international trip. The history, the food, the sights were all they were cracked up to be and more.
Athens is a beautiful city, more specifically, Plaka and Monastiraki. The age of the city is all around you in a way that does not exist here in America. Restaurants serving the freshest Tzatziki I've ever had while sitting on the ruins of the ancient city. Restaurants such as KFC, and surprisingly, TGI Fridays sat just down the road from arches and columns that held the city together millennium ago. Athens certainly was a sight to behold. I entered the country not sure about the cuisine, outside of gyros, and fell in love with olives, moussaka, pastitsio, souvlaki, fresh tzatziki, dolmades, and gelato. Incredible food all around and every bite has a crisp freshness to it that is not prevalent here in America. The Acropolis is astonishing. To think that this ancient site was destroyed due to modern war seems like an affront on it's own. I was simply a few hundred years too late to see the once beautiful temple to the God Athena. Underneath the acropolis, is the Odeon of Herodes. The first music hall known to man. The story goes that this wealthy man had everything in life; money, fame, influence. He did not however have a wife, so he married a 13 year old girl and on their wedding night, she suspiciously died. To pay homage to the Gods and to (coverup her death) remember is wife, Herodes built the Odeon in her memory. The site is a spectacle. The entire hall is made of marble and there sat the nobles of old, along with myself and my beautiful wife. The once domed structure is now open air and makes for a lively environment. Becky and I were fortunate to be able to see Mario Frangoulis on our last night in Greece. While it was not a show I'd typically seek out, it was wonderful to be in attendance that night.
Life in Athens is also different. There are specific neighborhoods in this city of 11 million, some which you are welcomed as a tourist and others which are best avoided. We saw a glimpse of the struggle that the Greek people face with their current economy. The average monthly income amounts to around $800 per month, a measly wage that makes living scarce. People don't own land and have suburbs, but live in high rising buildings in close proximity with their families. Do you know 5 languages? Well, you could be a waiter in Greece - there aren't many great jobs for the locals, unfortunately. While the city is beautiful and the weather is second to none, I feel for the people and wish the best for them in turning their economy around.
Delphi - Beautiful, but kind of a scam? Firstly the site itself is not a scam in that there are true ruins and temples and history to be found. The navel of the world is located in Delphi and is just a rock, no higher than your knee or wider than a yard, but that was the center of the Greek world. The scam I reference is the oracles. The prophecies they gave to the seekers were that in which could be interpreted several different way and no matter the outcome, it was correct. The oracles themselves and the aura the possessed was also due to being high. Firstly, there was a fault in the region releasing air out of the crust of the earth that would intoxicate the oracles, along with the chewing of bay leaves that would add to that high. That said, still absolutely beautiful to see the temples, the artifacts, and the first gym in recorded history.
The Island of Paros is where we spent a week of our trip. Our AirBNB was a little deceptive in that we were above a local grocer and would be awoken to the delivery trucks delivering the goods of the day. The island itself was spectacular. Beaches were second to none. Being able to see your individuals toes when you're chest deep in the sea is awe inspiring, to top that, being able to see mountains just beyond the sea is an experience I never thought I'd experience. The island life was one I enjoyed much more than anticipated and would highly recommend Paros and AntiParos to anybody. (Realizing I didn't finish this until 2026 so the Paros excerpt is lacking.)
The Next Adventure
The biggest change was revealed to me on 11/26. Brittany and Blake had been over during the day where we played what will likely be his favorite game as he gets older, Mario Kart on the Nintendo Switch. Shortly after they had left, Becky comes running down the steps. She shows me the device in her hand and sure enough, she is pregnant. It is beautiful for everything to start coming together. Early on in our relationship, I knew that she was the perfect match for myself. So much so, that I confidently had told her several times I was going to marry her and we were going to start a family. Now the time has come and we are soon to be blessed with a child. Some may dislike the responsibility that comes with fatherhood, however, I find for myself that additional responsibilities outside of self have created the greatest growth in my being. I thoroughly look forward to fatherhood not only for my own growth, but the immense gratitude to be had in raising a child.
Given the announcement that Becky and I had to share, Christmas was wonderful. This Christmas was certainly pinnacle of my lifetime. As I mature, I now understand that Christmas really is about giving and not about receiving. There is little better than surprising a loved one with something that they'll love and cherish. All three Christmas' this year were the same in the way we gifted. First, we gifted a digital photo frame with pictures from the wedding. Second, we gifted a framed 20" x 24" family picture on canvas. Lastly, after all the gifts were opened we "remembered a gift." Inside was a onesie and the picture of our baby. The excitement from each set of our parents was palpable and we can't wait to celebrate with our child next Christmas.
Goals and Accomplishments
In 2024, I was a much more avid reader. I've really enjoyed diving into the books. The big Kahuna this year was the ASOIAF series which comes in around 1.7 million words. While reading the series, I was wondering whether I was a slow reader - turns out it was just a dense read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have hopes that George RR Martin finishes the series, however, I wouldn't put a bet on it. As we enter 2025, I am going to continue reading. This year I anticipate reading more non-fiction, but will likely read Dune or The Witcher series.
2025 will also be the year that I officially become a father, with that comes great responsibility. It would be a bad example for my child, if I were to remain overweight and while I have lost ~20 lbs this year, I will lose another 20-30 prior to the birth of my child. I fully believe I have had a psychological switch in my head that has flipped in the past week. While I had been working out for over a year again, the workouts haven't had quite the same fire and thrill as those of old. However, this week has been incredible and I've strung 4 fantastic workouts in a row and believe this will continue as I feel the confidence in myself that I once possessed. 2025 will bring a notable change in my appearance as I prepare myself to be the best father I can be.
Late in 2024, my best man, Lou introduced Becky and I into pickleball. While this is nothing like sports of my past - I've thoroughly enjoyed it and anticipate that Becky and I will play a lot of it in the coming year. This is my first team sport since my Rugby days, and while it comes with much less physicality - it provides an avenue to release the competitive spirit and also a great cardio workout. We have consistently crossed 15K steps in a 90-120 minutes session of pickleball. For Christmas, I've purchased pickleball paddles for my father. I hope he grows to love the sport as my parents are in a pivotal time for health where much can be mitigated by being active.
As was 2024, 2025 will be my year. I am beyond blessed to have Becky by my side and look forward to the journey we have embarked on. I leave you this quote by Tolkien - “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” Let's make the most out of 2025.