Thursday, July 21, 2011

7-21-11... Happy 10 Years, My Sweet Husband!

Jeff's Best Man (his Dad) giving a toast... and my Matron of Honor
(my sister) with us at the reception...
I am blessed!

10 years ago today, Jeff and I came together as man and wife in the most beautiful mass at the Mission San Juan Capistrano with beloved Father Martin... followed by a perfect Southern California reception... a cool ocean breeze making the palm trees hum... the orange, red and yellow of a watercolor sunset... and 200 of our loved ones dancing the night away.

I'm not sure that when we said our vows, "for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad..." that our first decade of marriage would give us so many challenges... and at the same time, so many incredible blessings, so much laughter, and so many silver linings after all those cloudy days!

Mom, Dad and little me...

Today, I want to share a few special moments in time that, I believe, led Jeff and me to each other... long before we even knew it was coming...

September 22, 1970... the day after I was born.  Mom and Dad sat together in the hospital, staring at me and soaking in the miracle of this new little life.  Mom said, "You know, Joel, there is a little 1 or 2 year old boy out there right now that will fall in love with and marry our little baby someday."  And Dad, with a stern look on his face said, "... or there is a 9 or 10 year old boy..."  Little did they know... Jeff is 9 years and 50 weeks older than me...


Scott and Jeff installing lights
at Canyon Crest Estates in
Mission Viejo... I would
manage this association about
20 years later!
Is it weird that I find Jeff wearing
his tool bags... sexy...?

May 1997... Mom asked me for an electrician referral to hang a new crystal chandelier in their front entry.  My sister, Mary, was getting married and Mom was getting the house ready for all of the entertaining they would be doing leading up to the big day.  Of course, I recommended Jeff... he had been my electrician for years.  (Remember, at this point, I had been married for 7 years...)  As Jeff was doing his work, he asked Mom if she had any other daughters (besides me).  Mom said, "Yes, just one, and she is getting married in a few months."  Jeff replied, "that is too bad because I really wanted to find someone just like Tracey to marry."  Mom never told me about this conversation until years later...

 A dark winter day... early 1998... my husband was having an affair with the girl that lived next door, which he adamantly denied at that time... the night before, I heard them together through the paper-thin walls... the next day at work, I sobbed almost all day.  Jeff just happened to show up to check on the tennis court timers... it should have been a 5 minute service call... seeing that I was so upset, he hung around... he listened to me... he talked with me... he kept pretending to check this light or that fixture to stay around and make sure I was going to be OK... for several hours... he was my guardian angel that day...

 One of our early dates... meeting lots of Jeff's family and
friends.  Ohhhhhh, I loved this man!

April 21, 1999... our first date.  We had known each other, professionally, for almost 10 years.  I was so nervous and was sure he could feel me shaking when he arrived and gave me a hug.  We spent the first 3 hours NON STOP talking at El Torito... we actually closed the place down... and had NO IDEA of the time.  We went to see a movie and were the only two people in the theater.  And... then it was time to say "good night."  Was he going to kiss me...? I didn't know what to do... remember, it had been over 10 years since I had a "first date."  Sure, I was an adult... SHOOT, I had 2 kids... I OBVIOUSLY knew WHAT to do, but there I was, shaking again.  He reached out to me... and gave me a GREAT hug... again... did he feel me shaking...?  I remember getting into my car, gripping TIGHT onto the steering wheel to make my head stop spinning... there were a colony of butterflies that had fluttered from the bottom of my belly to my head and were flipping through my thoughts.  I didn't realize that I was breathing hard... trying to catch my breath... and that a big smile had come across my face... as one IMPOSSIBLE but absolutely CERTAIN thought kept bouncing in my brain... "I'm going to marry that man... I'm going to marry that man... I'm going to marry that man..."  I knew that was crazy... I didn't believe in love at first sight (or first date)... I had kids... I had to be careful... but I knew... THAT NIGHT... with 100% conviction... I was going to marry that man... 2 years and 3 months later... I married my best friend.
  
Our family photo shoot last month...

I love you with ALL MY HEART, my SWEET HUSBAND!  What started with just the 2 of us has turned into a family of 5...then will be 8 (with spouses)... then, who knows how many grandkids and great grandkids we will be blessed with... all because of that first date... a shaky first hug... and a very special love. 

I'm adding our first dance song to the music list over to the right...


                     "When A Man Loves A Woman..."
                      Miracles CAN happen!

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