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wedding just got back from Arizona where
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my younger son got married this past
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weekend and as the father of the groom I
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was able to give a speech to the people
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reception i had no idea I would be so
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emotional i had no idea that I would end
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up crying but it told me something about
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the father-son relationship and for that
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matter any parent the relationship they
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have with their child and getting
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married is such a huge turning of the
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page another chapter if you will after
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all the chapters that you find as they
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grow up from the day they were born to
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now the day they got married so I
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thought I would read the talk that I
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gave it's about two or three minutes
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long uh at the reception and not only
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did I cry but there was a lot of teary
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eyes in the group of a couple hundred
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people who were there at the reception
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which was extremely heartwarming and
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made the whole experience very emotional
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so here we go hi everyone i'd like to
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extend a warm welcome to each and every
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one of you as we gather to celebrate the
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wedding of Gracie and Connor i'm David
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George Brooke the incredibly proud
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father of the groom Mr connor David
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Brookke it is a true honor to stand
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before you today and be part of this
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joyous occasion one that is filled with
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love laughter and the promise of a
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beautiful future i want to express my
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deepest gratitude to all of you who
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traveled some from far distances to be
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here your presence makes this day even
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more special and means the world to our
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families to have you here witnessing
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this unforgettable moment
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as I reflect back on Connor's journey to
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this day I'm reminded of the resilience
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strength and determination that have sha
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have shaped the man standing before us
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life presented its challenges to him but
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Connor never backed down instead he
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embraced each twist and turn learning
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and growing along the way i once asked
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him what he was proudest of in his life
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and he told me quote "The fact that I
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could pick up and move from Seattle to
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San Diego to start my own life on my
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own." End quote and when he told me that
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one thing he wanted from me was for me
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to be proud of him I want to say this
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clearly Connor there is no father
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prouder of his son than I am of you
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watching you forge your own path leaving
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Seattle earning your degree at San Diego
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State and more recently completing your
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MBA has been incredibly inspiring and
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then along his journey he met Gracie
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Montana Slaughter from the moment I met
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her I was blown away she is bright kind
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sweet generous and intelligent with a
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warmth that draws people in i remember
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saying to Connor "Why don't you go out
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with Gracie?" And in classic Connor
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fashion he said "Dad we're just
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friends." Well we all know how that
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turned out that just friends phase
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blossomed into something truly magical
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leading us to this incredible day and as
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an added gift I had the pleasure of
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meeting Rick and Barb Slaughter Racy's
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wonderful parents who welcomed me into
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their family with open arms they gave me
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a special nickname Daddy Brooke which I
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wear with great pride
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i wanted to take this moment to
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acknowledge several very important
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people in Connor's life first his
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older brother Kyle kyle set an
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incredible example for Connor by blazing
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the trail to show him how to live with
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determination thank you Kyle for being
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such a guiding force in your brother's
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life second I'd like to express my
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heartfelt gratitude to Connor's San
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Diego dad Mark Kaitton mark your
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mentorship and unwavering support helped
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shape Connor into the remarkable man he
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is today and for that I am forever
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grateful lastly my sister Gina who was
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instrumental in helping me raise Connor
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when he was and when he was young thank
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Gina connor from the moment you were
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born I dreamed of this day the day that
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you would find someone who truly makes
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you happy and in Gracie you have found
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just that someone who brings out the
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best in you who shares your laughter and
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who will stand beside you in every step
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of life's journey gracie I'm so grateful
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for you and the love you and Connor
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share you are the perfect match for my
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son and I welcome you into our family
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with all my heart by the way you don't
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have to call me Mr brooke
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anymore may your love be strong enough
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to weather any storm yet gentle enough
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to always cherish the little moments may
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your days be filled with laughter your
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nights with love and your years with
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endless joy and I'll end with a quote
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the best thing to hold on to in life is
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each other so let's raise our glasses to
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Connor and Gracie may your love shine
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brightly for a lifetime
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cheers so I was fortunate enough to give
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that talk at the reception
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many nice comments and thoughtful
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gestures and and u things that people
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had mentioned after the talk and it just
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it of course made me cry but it made me
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realize about the relationship that we
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have with our children for those of you
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that are fortunate enough to have kids
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and you know that you would throw
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yourself in front of a train to protect
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that child and as I watched both my sons
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Kyle and Connor go through the different
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stages in life it just hit me that you
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can't really explain that to somebody
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who's never had the experience of having
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children to be that close to somebody
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and watch them and be so proud of them
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and you want the best for your children
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in fact I've noticed no matter what
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somebody how somebody comp compliments
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me or says nice things about me a
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comment or a compliment about my two
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children my two sons is a thousand times
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better than anything they can say about
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me so so important to remember that love
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is just an incredible expression of how
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we connect with people and I feel as a
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father to and two incredible sons I call
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them my rockstar sons i'm so fortunate
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to have had that experience so thank you
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for listening and remember be grateful
