Good morning family and friend!
I couldn’t have asked for a more memorable day to mark the first blog post for the revived Flora’s Legacy website!
Today, January 7th, marks 66 years since my parents had been engaged in the sacrament of holy matrimony.
I still can remember some of the stories I’d heard about the event from people who’d been there. Some had described it as the party-of-the-year at the time!
Back then, 1956, had been a different time … from what I’d imagined, the world had been smaller and warmer … all the way around.
And that year had begun with a milestone that had marked the beginning of our family as we know it today!
They had been married on that early Saturday morning at Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church in a part of town known as the Grove, by a Jesuit priest in front of many of their family and friends.
Historically, a number of generations had family members who’d married in the same, once thriving parish of immigrants. So many people from Pueblo likely had roots in that parish. And while Our Lady of Mt Carmel is still going strong in 2022, a vast number of families and traditional have come and gone from the community.
Still, the memories I have of the images of that beautiful day in 1956 keep the significance of that piece of our family history vivacoius in my mind!
Like, I can hear my prima, Teresa, who’d been the flower girl at the ceremony, tell me that she’d thought she’d been getting married to the ring bearer, my Mama’s nephew, Ernie! I’d heard about my Mama’s beautiful ivory satin gown and about how Daddy had been so distinguished looking, with his dark wavy hair. Daddy had been the last bachelor in his family at the time so his relatives had been excited to know that he’d been getting married to a good Catholic girl.
I’d also remembered over the years growing up in the household that Mama had often said how lovely Daddy’s hair had been and Daddy had often said how he’d always known Mama had been the girl for him!
One of my favorite stories had been how Mama had shared that she’d had to go on a hot dog diet to fit into the wedding dress. A HOT DOG diet! Can you image how THAT would go over on the diet scene today! Wow!
Following the mass and the ceremony, the wedding party and a few close family member had gathered at my grandma Sofia’s small home. There, they’d shared a homemade breakfast around the dining room table … the same table I would have all of my thanksgivings and family gatherings at. What a sweet memory!
On that nostalgic day in 1956, my parents had gone to get pictures taken at a professional photography studio and then had attended the reception. They would spend their honeymoon at the elite, exquisite town hotel, The Vail … the place movie stars, dignitaries, and other highfalutins would stay when in town.
And, at the end of day, Mama had left her childhood home to be the wife of Paul Ramirez Rodriguez.
So when I look back in this date … January 7th … it is a reminder of the inauguration and inspiration of two people who loved each other … God … their faith … and begin the journey to spring the family of which their legacy continues on today!
This day … January 7th … so fitting that this day marks the first blog post for the revived website! This is my sacred holy day to those people like my family … my legacy … my faith … my traditions. Like the Phoenix rises from the ashes and Flora’s Legacy rose up from a hiatus … continuing to believe in and remember our ancestors, their stories will arise again through us.