found you in black & white

To the man I picked out of the hundreds of personal ads in the City Pages...  your words spoke to me, eloquent and wanting to find love.  When my phone rang so early on a Saturday morning, I never imagined it would change my life forever by answering.

You love to bake and cook; 
I love to eat and thankfully, don't mind the clean-up.
 
You love to enjoy a glass red wine;
I learned to expand my palate and discovered I love it too.
 
Your passion for singing, theater and the arts equals mine.
 
You weren't afraid of a challenge;
I brought along instant family (well, then again, so did you!!).

You were raised Catholic, me Lutheran; 
together we join to raise our boys in faith, bringing us closer to God.
 
You love adventure and travel, so do I;
mix in my spontaneity, and we will always find adventure!

You proposed to me, over the loud speaker,
during the 7th inning stretch at a Saints game
and sealed the deal with your cigar band. 

We got married at Judge Albertson's farm with just a few family members present.
On a crisp October afternoon in 1996.
Simple, beautiful, blessed. United together.

I am so very thankful for the path my life has taken, and that you are in my life.  
Happy 15th Anniversary, John Paul.  I love you!

Who knew that after our first date at the Loring Bar, 
and all the bantering we did that first night together,
that we would still be so much in love and bantering still, almost 17 years later. 

For all the richness, love and never-ending adventure...
thank you.

For not calling the crazy farm when I said I wanted to have more babies,
for someone else,
thank you.

For agreeing to stick by my side while I choose to follow my dreams,
thank you.
 
For the beautiful family we created, and continue to nurture, share & raise,
thank you.

Some may call us crazy 

and wonder how we manage... 

but I get you, 

I get us.