It all started at a basketball game (1968)...

Olivia (Lilly) was at a Dysart Demons game with her older sister, Carmen, when Antonio (Tony) set his eyes on Lilly. Lilly, at 14, certainly did not have eyes for him but Tony was hopeful!

Even though Lilly wouldn't talk to Tony, he quickly figured out that she attended Dysart Jr High and they were just a hop, skip and jump away from each other as he was across the grass berm at Dysart High School. Lilly is pretty sure he got this information from Carmen, who told him everything about her little sister. Tony, being persistent, was constantly being chased off by Mr. Darnell or Mr. Villa, reminding him he was not allowed on the Jr High grounds, but he always managed to chat with Lilly for a few minutes before being shooed away.

The High School years (1969)...

One summer in El Mirage, looking a "hot mess", Lilly was cleaning house when guess who appears at the door! Tony, after working the day at Circle 1 Cattle Ranch, decided he would drop off a 5-gallon bucket of "huevos" - and no, not chicken eggs but bull b@lls! He must have known Don Nacho would have been happy to get those but what gal would want to be seen as a sweaty, stinky mess?! BIG mistake Lilly thought but Tony's eyes saw more than that.

Tony and Lilly dated throughout high school, sometimes "on" and sometimes "off" but were mostly "on" -even when they were "off" people didn't realize it as they always looked like they were "on" LOL. Regardless if they were "on" or "off", they later realized that those years of arguments, dislikes and even jealousies strengthened their relationship.

Even after Tony graduated, he would still come back to school events so that he and Lilly could spend time together. They even sometimes doubled with Lilly's sister, Gloria and her boyfriend Ray Duran. Tony and Lilly continued to see more of each other and their relationship continued to grow.

Even though Tony knew several of Lilly's sisters, Lilly would see Tony's mom, Carrie, and be scared witless! Carrie had that "I mean business" look at the post office, CAP office or even the grocery store. Lilly went out of her way to avoid seeing Carrie, because they had hadn't been introduced yet and Lilly certainly was not going to introduce herself!

Tony, on the other hand, LIVED to torment Don Nacho. Tony would deliberately hang around after quinceaneras, weddings and other events until Don Nacho would ask him, "Why are you still here?" Tony would find reasons to stop by the house when Lilly was home; sometimes to visit Lilly's boy cousins, sometimes to drop off "huevos", always finding a reason for a quick stop.

Tony's tenacity and persistence paid off. During their courtship, Lilly had wanted a chocolate cake for their wedding and Don Nacho was not having it, "No, that's not right. Wedding cakes are not chocolate." Well, the day Tony and his parents, Baltazar and Carrie, came to ask for Lilly's hand in marriage, the subject of the cake came up. Don Nacho declared, "No way!" and Tony looked Don Nacho in the eyes and said, "Yes. If Lilly wants chocolate cake for our wedding, she will get chocolate cake." On that day, Don Nacho not only conceded but knew that his daughter was getting a good man, one willing to stand up for her and to make sure she was happy.

The Wedding (1974)...

Even though weddings are a lot of work to prepare for, Lilly doesn't remember doing a whole lot. Tony remembers it because he was doling out money like it grew on trees!

Lilly's older sister, Cruz, and her other sisters handled just mostly everything and Tony's parents, his Tio Freddy and Tia Lucy cooked all the food - and there was A LOT of food!

The special day took place on November 30, 1974 at St. Mary's Cathedral in Phoenix. It was a BIG event for both families, coming together and celebrating the newly wed couple.

Our Family (1977)...

Several years after they were married Tony and Lilly decided to give parenthood a go.... and they were blessed with two healthy boys; Michael Anthony in 1977 and Jaime Andres in 1980.

Over the years they took many vacations, had an array of family experiences and created memories that would last a lifetime. Tony and Lilly love their boys unconditionally, are proud of their accomplishments and all that they have become, warts and all!

One of the best gifts we've received from Jaime (and Bri Garcia) have been our grandchildren: Jordan Analysia, Aramis Alexander, Demetrius Andres and (Michelle Prado) Solomon Michael (✟).

Our kiddos are smart, kind, funny and talented in softball, baseball and volleyball. We've watched them grow and are proud of all the "adulting" they are doing. Nana and Tata especially miss all the impromptu lunches they used to take when the kids were younger but also realize the kiddos are hard-working young adults now and are proud of their accomplishments as well.

Sadly, just four months after Dona Licha's passing, Solomon went to heaven to meet his grandfathers and reunite with his grandmothers. Our forever-six-year-old is kept alive in our hearts and memories by reminiscing about him, laughing at his antics, remembering his favorite food (swordfish casserole!) and even some of his swim lesson meltdowns. Tata Tony being Tata, didn't mind his meltdowns and they would get french fries and nuggets to make things better. He will always have a special place in our hearts.

Tony's parents, Baltazar and Carrie, were the "bestest" in-laws a gal could ask for. We gave them their first grandchildren and they were great grandparents to the boys, always helpful and loving. Lilly wished she would one day be as good a mother-in-law as Carrie was, never bossy, nosy or mean just always ready to help out.

Don Nacho (Ignacio) and Dona Licha (Maria Luisa), Lilly's parents were generous and loving. Much like Tony's parents, Don Nacho and Dona Licha never told Tony and Lilly what to do or how to do it, allowing them to mold their own family. Lilly's parents always made time, and room, for more grandkids and helped build family traditions.

Tony and Lilly love and miss their parents every day and are happy they gave them a marriage model to follow: Build on the things that are good, and throw out the things that are not.

On their own, Tony and Lilly have discovered that a rope made of three strands stands the test of time. As a couple, they make two of those strands. God makes up the main and strongest strand. He binds Tony and Lilly together, supporting them through "good times and bad" and most importantly, always there to lean on.