DAY 25 OF 25 Days of HUGging:
We have all been touched by Christina in some way, and still feel her presence in our lives today. But there would be no story without September 30th, 1995, and our wedding on that day 25 years ago today, a day God certainly preordained so long ago. This day summed up the beauty and brilliance of Christina, just one more sign of how lucky we have been to have her, to know her, and to share her.
September 30th, 1995 was a beautiful fall day, with just a wisp of an early morning shower, which I was quickly told is good luck, followed by sun and comfortable temperatures. On our 5th anniversary, a friend gifted us this bottle of Dom Perignon, which we couldn’t drink because Christina was on antibiotics. But Christina as always had a plan:
“Let’s wait until our 25th anniversary to open this!!! ”
That was it! We decided that it would be saved for our 25th anniversary, her way of taking a negative, not being able to celebrate with a glass of champagne, and turning it into a positive, looking forward to many more years of marriage together, and just one of the millions of ways her thoughtfulness knew no limits. Since Christina isn’t here to physically open this bottle with me, I am sharing this moment with all of you. She would want that. So tonight, using the champagne flutes from our wedding reception, exactly as she planned and told me many times, I will open this bottle and toast the greatest and luckiest thing that ever befell me, and celebrate a great wife, dedicated partner, and best friend forever. Cheers to Christina, cheers to all of you, and cheers to finding a cure for cancer.
Here is the plan. Just like Christina’s decision on our 5th anniversary, we will not let this pandemic alter our plans to celebrate her and raise awareness and funding for women’s reproductive cancers. Over the next 25 days, today being the first day in our countdown, we will spotlight people, events, and organizations that were important to Christina and how they touch our lives every day. There will be blogs, pictures, stories, videos, laughs, and an occasional emotional tug.
In the spirit of our Christina we will not let a pandemic stop us from our Fourth Annual Celebrating Christina Event (sorry, can’t be a Gala this year) in 2020.
How perfect to celebrate Christina and also start our Virtual Event raising awareness and funds for The Christina Carinato Charitable Foundation and the causes that were so important to her.
In the meantime, at any time in the next 25 days as you may be so moved, please consider a donation to the charity at www.celebratingchristina.org/donate.
Enjoy our celebration. Happy 25th Wedding Anniversary Christina!
One day, one goal, one big hug at a time.
