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dedication ceremony


kimblanchard

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The dedication ceremony was very nice. I was sad that I didn't have a single friend from San Antonio there. None of my classmates or professors came. If my messages sounded despondent or depressed on Friday, that is the reason. I wish some had come, and even if they couldn't, I wish they would have at least said something to me about not being able to come. Only two people did so much as that, and that does make me sad.

But rather than reflecting on who wasn't there, I should say that there were a lot of people there I care very much about. My aunt and uncle came down from Temple, and Becky's aunt and uncle came from Wichita Falls with her grandma. I hadn't seen Irene since the funeral. Of course, my brothers were here, and one of Becky's best friends from high school and her roommate the first two years at Trinity brought her husband. A couple of our classmates from the math department were there, and the rest all sent word because one of our classmates got married today. She picked today for the same reason I did - since it was alumni weekend a lot of people would be coming anyway.

Becky's mom couldn't make it; she was sick. That was the real downer. Charley and Louise came, but they left right after the ceremony. So I hardly had much of a chance to talk to them. So nothing was resolved, for sure, but nothing was made any worse. And as much stress as this has put on me, I think that is all I can ask for.

Most of the math department professors were there, especially from our time, which was cool because at least three of them are retired now. Becky's advisor gave a very nice little speech, and so did the department chair, though it was less personal and more about the vision he has for the scholarship. And then I spoke for a couple of minutes, and basically had the whole room bawling with me. I told a couple of my favorite stories from our time at Trinity. The tear-jerker was about the first time Becky fell asleep with me. It was the week before finals, and we were watching the John Denver-Muppets Christmas special. If you can believe it, Becky had never seen it. (It was the first time I really questioned whether we had a future. How could you not have watched this every year? What better Christmas show is possible than John Denver and the Muppets. The best of everything all in one package!) The first thing I remember thinking is "I want the rest of our lives to be just like this. I want to protect her from the whole world, and keep her safe, and to myself, and love her forever." And after a minute or two, I realized how stupid a thought that was. Here was the most intelligent, poised, powerful woman I had ever met. What I really wanted was to be beside her as she was unleashed on the world. It is the greatest sadness that I have ever known not to be able to do the first, not to be able to protect her from the world and from the cancer that took her away far to soon. But at the same time, the only stories of my life worth telling are the ones where I got to be beside her as she was unleashed on this world, as she helped those around her become better people. She was taken far, far too soon, and with so much more to accomplish. But it was my greatest joy to be beside her as she was unleashed.

So that was pretty emotional, of course. But a couple of my college buddies came over and my brothers, my mom, and us played poker all afternoon while Katie ran around nuts being entertained by all the visitors. And I won some money, so that was good, too. And enabled me to calm down from such an emotional day.

Hopefully, I will get the math department chair to send me the dedication announcement that outlines the mission of the scholarship. It was very nice, and I will post it here if I can get it.

And so now, exhausted, I am headed to bed. Good night.

Warmly,

Curtis

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Thanks for sharing with us , Curtis. Becky I know is so pleased. Last evening at church we prayed and sang the litiny of saints. We have developed a tradition of singing all those who we have buried from our parish this past year, we are large and the list was also. Becky pray for us. All you saints of God pray for us.

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