Saturday, April 21, 2012

From the Beginning - to the Present - Now Married in the Catholic Church


A little over 3 weeks ago a 5 year uphill battle to push through an annulment process culminated in a Catholic marriage ceremony on March 28, 2012 that honestly became one of the highest moments of my life in Cagayan De Oro City, Philippines. Anyone who tells you that everything can come easy is just fooling themselves. The process that it took within the church to successfully receive an annulment is almost painful, and very intrusive. But if you have faith in God, the will in your soul, and the unending love for your mate, you can succeed in the process together. Life is just one test from God. Apparently, my wife and I just passed the test.  We defied ALL odds.
Again as stated, it didn't come easy. My wife and I first met online, on a fairly new mating website called Mate1. At the time, it was a very unusual site, mainly catering to Asian women searching for a soul mate. When I signed up at the time, I didn't know that fact, but also little did I know that I would find the love of my life, right there on that website from the other side of the world. One night because of that website, the will of God, and two people who just happened to be on the website at the same time, we found each other and my life would be changed forever. The chances of finding someone like Virginia in this fashion is like taking a chance of winning the million dollar lottery.
It took about 1 year after meeting my wife Virginia in person for the first time in the Philippines did she finally set foot in the United States. I went back a second time and accompanied her at the U.S. Embassy in Manila for the long awaited interview that granted her the papers to leave the country. Armed with a 90 day fiancee visa, she knew that if she wanted to stay in the United States with me, she would have to marry me within 90 days, or fly back to the Philippines. She also knew that if she did marry me, the process would continue and that she could not ever return to the Philippines without a Permanent Green Card which was still allot more money and would take time in the United States to acquire. But if she became homesick and decided to go back anyway prior to receiving the permanent green card, she would loose the privilege to return to the United States. Going back at this time would only mean one-way travel.  None of these facts stopped her from marrying me civilly on May 11, 2007 at Gwen and Charles Lout's home in Odessa Texas, just 4 days after arriving in the United States for the first time. As stated in the beginning of this story, the journey was a test from God, as a little under 5 years later we finally re-married again, this time in the Catholic Church on March 28, 2012, exactly one month past my 60th birthday in the Philippines. Now were were both able to travel freely to the Philippines and back.
Truly a test of time, a test from God, regardless of anything that happened, nothing would make us part. My wife and I can say that now we've been through just about everything, but we know that every day may bring something new. We are both up to the challenge, and who knows, maybe a new family will form. Regardless of what will come our way, we are ready to face it together as one. 

Wedding Dance on March 28, 2012 in the Philippines
Virginia and I just after the Wedding Ceremony


YOU and Me

You and me
we've been through everything
We've stood the test of time
We've weathered every storm
and still, here we are










You and me
we've had our ups and downs
We've gone around and around
We've seen it all
and we're still here.







Virginia walking down the Isle



You and me
we've been good together
and we've been on our own
but we are at our best
when we are where we belong

It's you and me
We are meant to be
No matter what may come our way
We'll be together always

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

A Promise to My Wife

A Poem called 'I Promise' by Danny Blackburn is a Love Poem about Marriage. This sacrament of marriage, most cherished by members of my church, the Catholic Church, gives many reasons to celebrate. The poem displays the passion and love that a husband should have for his wife. Married civilly in 2007, now remarried in the Catholic Church just a little over a week ago in the Philippines on March 28, 2012, renews my vows to my wife for the rest of my life. Noone is more important, and noone deserves my love more completely than my wife Virginia. She is my life and will be my breath until I cannot breathe anymore. Without her I am nothing, and I have nothing. Many people will tell you that promises are made to be broken, but when you keep your promises, they become very special. Many times I tell her that I live for her now, and I feel blessed to have her. Everything stated in this poem is my promise to her...


I Promise

© Danny Blackburn

I Promise
To take time for you and pursue you passionately
And I promise to love you compassionately


I do seek to understand your needs so deeply
And I promise each day to love you so completely


I will provide a home of love and emotional purity
And I promise love, laughter, honesty and a life where you feel security


I will make time for you, for without you I have no time
And I promise you to cherish, honor, respect, admire and be kind


Time may take us down a path where you need to be taken care of
And I promise to hold you, clean you and continue to admire you with love


If life places pain in your heart I will be there to fill it with love
And I promise each day to pray for our health and happiness from God above


I will awaken each day to see your sweet smile and feel your touch
And I promise to bring you happiness and laughter, I love you so much


I will be there for you each day of my life
And I promise to make you happy for you are my wife


I give you my heart, I love you girl that can’t you see
And I promise to you to be very attentive and caring indeed


I have ran for miles swearing my love to you for life
And I promise to God to honor you, my beautiful wife


I Love you

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Time for Reflection at Easter - A time to step back into reality - A time to Pause

It's been a long time since I've written here, and time and time again I try to gather time to continue writing on this blog. This past year and up to now have been extremely busy for me and my wife Virginia. Only just one week ago, my wife and I celebrated our long awaited marriage in the Catholic Church, and we accomplished this in the Philippines. Originally, we were married by a Justice of the Peace in 2007. Virginia and I have been blessed, and I know I must be one of the luckiest men in the world. I plan to share pictures and videos of the wedding on this blog very soon.
Yes, allot has happened, including something that I almost hate to mention here. The word 'hate' to me is an ugly word, but best describes how I feel about another situation in my life and my extended family. My nephew Dominic from San Diego contacted me to inform me that his mother, who is my sister Cindy has passed away. She died last Tuesday, April 3rd at 9:25AM. Little did I know that she had passed away at that time as I had just returned from the Philippines, trying to get back into gear at work. My sister passed away from a bout with cancer, and she fought it for almost a year. Even though we were not close siblings, I truly miss her, and I will always wonder if there could have been something I could have done that could have brought us closer together. But wondering accomplishes nothing. Noone on the face of this earth has the power to change what happened yesterday and in the past.
All I can do now is to try and live my life a little better. I've mentioned it many times in the past, I live for my wife now. She is the most important person in my life. I have two grown children, and they live on their own, and live their own lives. I just hope that they do not foget about me as I grow older. It's been a long time since I wrote a poem, and in a sense, I feel that I let my readers down. But each day, I realize I'm getting older, and it's time for me to slow down a little. I will start writing again, as writing poems is a great way for me to reflect on issues and on my own life.

I hope readers continue to come back and enjoy this blog...

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