The end of 2011 was a time of new life and new love at DHS. With weddings, new babies, and new pregnancies, the staff tells about their experiences.
On July 8, 2011 in Laguna Beach, math teacher Aaron Whitt married fiancé Kerry Gilfillan—a previous student teacher for health teacher Juliet Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz was a bridesmaid that day and recalls the beach themed wedding.
“Our dresses were aquatic colors in accordance with the theme,” Santa Cruz said. “The wedding was pure magic.”
As a Hawaiian woman sang while playing a ukulele on a cliff with the sun setting behind the altar, the bride walked down the isle with her dark pink bouquet.
“She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen,” Whitt said.
With the reception that followed, the night continued to flow smoothly. The tables were adorned with glass-blown centerpieces that the bride made herself.
Three months later on Oct. 7 at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, Andrea Sonia Roveri was born to English teacher Mercy Roveri. She was born a week before her due date with a scheduled C-section. After baby Andrea was born and Ms. Roveri had her in her arms, an immense amount of love filled the room. It was a silent moment of connection and a new memory was made
“Adapting to motherhood is challenging at times,” Roveri said, “ however, it is truly a labor of love.”
The hardest part now for Ms. Roveri will be returning to work on Jan. 25, and leaving her baby at home.
The next month, on Nov. 11, drama teacher Lars Hansen married Kelly Matten at The Fire Gardens in San Diego. This wedding had a different theme from Mr. Whitt’s aquatic one.
While the groom wore an off-white suit that he put together himself, the groomsmen wore luchador masks and fire sculptures were lit after sundown under a big tent.
“My favorite memory was when the kazoos, we had given to the guests, played the wedding tune after the ceremony was over,” Mr. Hansen said. “My wife and I really wanted to make sure the guests had a good time.”
Just like the date of their wedding, the night ended sometime around 11:11 at night.
Soon after, born on Dec. 16, 2011 at Kaiser Permanente in Downey, Canon James Bradfield is the newest addition to the Bradfield bunch. When Eric Bradfield found out his wife was pregnant, he was pleased and nervous; however, once baby Canon was born, Bradfield was speechless. When asked what he felt when Canon was born, he sat there recalling the feelings he sensed and stayed in silence. There were no words to describe the emotions of that day.
“I was proud of my wife for being strong and brave,” Mr. Bradfield said. “Canon was beautiful.”
The Bradfield’s first-born daughter, Aria, is excited to have a new baby brother. Courtesy of Canon, everyone in the Bradfield home is exhausted. He sleeps very little and, with Aria being a light sleeper, there are two sleepless young ones in the house. Even then, all are adapting to their new addition.
An excited and anxious father-to-be, history teacher, Bryan Wierzchucki, will be expecting his bundle of joy in Feb. of 2012. When he found out his wife was pregnant he got teary eyed.
“I was going to be responsible for another human being,” Wierzchucki said. “Her name will be Sofia Violet Wierzchucki.”
With a baby on the way, he is beginning to realize that things like sleep and exercise will be scarce. Moreover, his feelings of love and responsibility of being a father seem to fill his mind.
“I just want to hold her and see what she looks like,” Wierzchucki said.
As the date of his baby’s arrival inches closer, he looks forward to new memories to come.
Whether it was a spouse or a child, the various staff members had memorable moments in 2011 that will surely bring forth many more to come in the following years.
