september 8, 2001..."thanks for marrying me!"

10yrs, 6 cars, 3 boys, 2 homes, one love = priceless :0)

This is the love story of Josef Henry (Hank) and MaryAnne...it's quite lengthy. so if you are willing to take a chance, pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee or some popcorn, and have a read...

Hank and i actually met 6yrs prior to our initial date.  mutual friends had tickets to see Nancy Griffith in MA.  my friend Juju got sick and didn't want the ticket to go to waste, so i went.

little did i know that this "Charlie Manson" shirt-wearing, ponytail sporting, hippie-ish sort of dude would be accompanying us to the concert.  yup!  and i had to sit in the back seat next to him! oh my!
at that particular time, i was in a very destructive, dysfunctional (what would become long-term) relationship.

after the concert, we planned on going to a "take back the night" rally at a local college campus.
the other two girls and i pleaded with Hank to (at the very least) wear his Manson shirt inside out!
but he refused and on we went. i was literally in fear for his life and bodily harm as we meandered through the crowd of women "taking back the night!" he survived...

and on we went to a museum.  we thoughtfully walked and danced and laughed through that museum--all 4 of us.  it was fun.

on the way home, the moon shone bright.  i forget if it was a full moon. but it was bright.  so bright, that you could see our faces in the car. Hank fell in love that night...unbeknownst to me.  something about the moonlight in my eyes, i don't know.  Hank could tell it better!  he didn't persue this "feeling" in any way due to the fact that i was "with" someone, and he was a gentleman.
 
we both went about our lives for the next 6yrs...periodically bumping into one another. 
Hank was smitten.  in fact, during those 6yrs, he had a "moment of silence" everytime he heard my name mentioned. 

fast forward 6yrs....Hank had just returned from a one year stretch in Key West.  perhaps he was just visiting his brother, or perhaps he was re-evaluating his life. i was just out of that long-term, dysfunctional relationship...AND newly saved! the LAST thing i was looking for was to get involved in another relationship..except maybe for my relationship with Christ.  but, as i would soon find out, God laughs at our "plans!"

when my friend Juju bumped into Hank, she told him that i was single.  evidently, his eyes sparkled ... or something like that.  she must have saw a change in him, because she set up a dinner at her place for us to meet. i wasn't too keen on the idea, but went anyway.

that night, we had the most amazing meal, the most amazing conversations, the most amazing time! i hadn't laughed that long and that hard for what seemed like years!  it was so refreshing.
i liked him.  i told myself beforehand not to have any expectations.  but after the evening was coming to an end, i realized that i had one small expectation...that he would ask me for my number. well, he waited until the very last minute..he was literally on his way out the door...and i thought "i blew it!"  and finally! he asked me for my number!  woohooo!

Hank waited one whole week to call me.  i was thrilled to get the call!  but didn't let on that i was too excited..you know, that hard to get attitude! LOL! the following week we went on our very first date.
he picked me up in this beat up old pick up truck.  i kept telling myself not to have any expectations..again! haha!

we were off.  we chatted on the way.  when we arrived at the Old Daley Inn, it was way too crowded and very noisy!  evidently there was a bartender convention in town.  so we were off again. 
we headed up the northway...we were so immersed in our conversation, that Hank missed the exit! LOL! (something we would continue to do throughout our marriage!)

we had dinner at the Weathervane in Saratoga.  we shared interests, tales, dreams, and cheesecake!
we were having so much fun, we didn't want it to end.  so we drove on once again, ending up at the Wilton Mall for a movie.  we saw "Castaway," with Tom Hanks & Helen Hunt.  we both loved the movie!

did i mention that i lived in Albany at the time?  anyway, we had to drive all the way back down the northway...talking the whole time...and finally we were back to my apartment. Hank was such a gentleman the entire night....holding my arm, opening doors, etc.  it was nothing i was used to...and that gentle man, at my door that night (or should i say "early morning!"), asked me if he could kiss me goodnight!  what?!!  i couldn't believe my ears!  of course i said "YES!"

you all know that first kiss....so sweet and gentle and heart-fluttering!  just amazing. for the next month, we would date, and kiss, and spend time together...getting to know one another. then Hank said something to me that shook me...he said, "i don't do casual."  he said this very matter-of-factly.  for him, this was it.  i was the "one."   i was nervous and scared.

after being married when i was 20 for 7yrs, and then having a terrible 8yr relationship, i was not wanting to dive into another committed relationship. but the Lord had other plans.  i knew in my heart that this was true.  this was what God had planned for me all along.  He was the "one" for me too.

it's funny looking back now...i really cannot remember that transition from being scared to being so joyful i thought my heart would burst with love!

two months after our first date, we were engaged...and 6 months after that we were married.  one month later, we were pregnant for our first child. every night before he goes to sleep, he says, "thanks for marrying me." to which i respond..."thanks for asking!" =)

it was one of those crazy, whirlwind romances...but it was/is full of the best experiences i have ever had/will have in my life. our life together continues on that wonderful path...full of joy, hope and love.  i am so very blessed.

happy TENTH anniversary to my wonderful, amazing and loving husband!
 
THANKS FOR MARRYING ME!