By Solis                                               H.R. No. 812
         77R11593 PCM-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, Santiago and Maria Solis of Harlingen will observe
 1-2     their 44th wedding anniversary on July 7, 2001; and
 1-3           WHEREAS, High school sweethearts, the two met when Maria was
 1-4     just 16 years old after she had been spotted in a local store by
 1-5     Santiago, who became determined to make her acquaintance; after
 1-6     waiting for her outside of school, he asked if he could walk her
 1-7     home, she agreed, and a friendship was born; and
 1-8           WHEREAS, Though Maria was not allowed to date, Santiago
 1-9     escorted her daily to and from school, and the two worked together
1-10     for two years at a local grocery store, where he was the butcher
1-11     and she was a clerk; and
1-12           WHEREAS, Romance blossomed, and though the story of their
1-13     proposal and acceptance varies slightly between the two, Maria
1-14     ultimately accepted and the couple became husband and wife on July
1-15     7, 1957, at St. Francis Xavier Church; and
1-16           WHEREAS, After a honeymoon trip to Monterrey, Mexico, Mr. and
1-17     Mrs. Solis settled in La Feria, Texas, where the eldest of their
1-18     seven children, Diana, was born in October 1958; they purchased
1-19     their current home in Harlingen in March 1960 and continued to add
1-20     to their happy family with the births of their children, Delma,
1-21     Jim, Dina, Leonel, David, and Michael; and
1-22           WHEREAS, Led by the example of their parents' devotion, each
1-23     of the Solis children has married, and today Santiago and Maria
1-24     Solis are the proud grandparents of 13 beloved grandchildren:
 2-1     Larissa, Stacey, Lauren, Nathan, Zeke, Nikki, Annaliese, Derrick,
 2-2     Anamarie, Sierra, Juni, L. J., and Jimmy III (Tres); and
 2-3           WHEREAS, For more than four decades, Mr. and Mrs. Solis have
 2-4     shared a strong and lasting marriage filled with many happy times
 2-5     and cherished family memories; built on a foundation of mutual
 2-6     love, trust, and support, their life together has been a source of
 2-7     joy and inspiration for a great many people; now, therefore, be it
 2-8           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
 2-9     Legislature hereby congratulate Santiago and Maria Solis on the
2-10     occasion of their 44th wedding anniversary and extend to them
2-11     sincere best wishes for continued happiness; and, be it further
2-12           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-13     prepared for Mr. and Mrs. Solis as an expression of high regard by
2-14     the Texas House of Representatives.