Happy Anniversary

I can't believe it's been 11 years. Sometimes it seems like just yesterday we were embarking on this journey of life together. Other days it feels like we've been joined forever!!!! But, this Saturday, we will celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary.

Getting to the point of marriage for us seemed like a short trip to some. In fact, it was a long, heartbreaking journey for us.

Glenn and I met the summer after my freshman and his senior year of high school. I remember walking into my grandmother's trailer, looking to my left, seeing him and actually feeling the air rush out of my lungs. I WAS IN LOVE. No other way to put it. Our paths did not cross often that fall, but by Christmas we had become closer. I have pictures sitting with him on Christmas day. He got me drunk on Christmas eve. One of the few times I've ever been drunk. I would do anything for and with this man. I was grounded for some inane reason that Christmas. Glenn snuck me out on Christmas Day (gotta love big families) and we drove around Fort Myers. I desperately wanted him to kiss me. But to him, I was jail bait and he could not risk that for even me. I understand, but I was still longing. He was such a major crush for me.

In January, my father let me off grounding long enough to go to the KISS concert with Glenn. We consider this our first real date. We were supposed to be chaperoning my cousin and his best friend. I'm not sure how well we did. We made it to floor level for the WASP show (opening act) then to our seats for KISS. I was so tired, I fell asleep in his arms. Now who here can say they actually slept through KISS? I certainly did. My cousin and his friend on the other hand ended up outside smoking pot. I'm not sure they even saw the concert. This concert was my cousin's dream. I remember the utter devotion he had to KISS as a child.

By February, Nan had come to visit and taken him back to PA. I was completely lost. We talked often and wrote. This went on for several years. Finally, after high school, actually the following year, I joined my grandparents for a trip to NJ for my great-grandmothers 90th birthday. We then went to PA. We stayed at his parents house for a few days and Glenn would pick me up in the afternoon for a few hours before he went to work at night. Definitely not long enough. We had decided I would move up here with him. Instead, I met Roger and moved on with my life. Roger and I lasted all of 6 tumultuous months. We had the same birthday and for two Taurus/Gemini cusp people that is not good at all.

After my relationship with Roger ended, I joined the US Navy. I don't know exactly why other than I had skipped college, my father always wanted me to join as he could not, and basically, I had no good reason not to. I joined, went away for 6 weeks and returned home for medical reasons. That summer I met Mike. Had I not met him when I did or waited a bit to get serious with him, I may have had a chance with Glenn. Mike and I got together in late July. Glenn moved back to Fla. in September. Another time when I lost my breath. This time out of disappointment. I married Mike in April, even though my heart ALWAYS belonged to Glenn. I even told him so at the wedding. Glenn was such a gentleman, he stepped away from the friendship for the sake of my marriage. Mike always knew where my heart truly was. He even told me after the divorce that I should be with Glenn.

During my marriage, I left Mike for a short (few week) period of time and returned to Fla. for a visit. I loved Glenn so much and disliked Mike so much that I knew if I saw him, I would be heartbroken because Glenn would never do anything to jeopardize the success of my marriage. I later found out that when my aunt and uncle went to his house on father's day he was looking for me. That could have been the start of our life. But, I was scared and stayed back. Instead, I returned to Tennessee and my marriage for 4 more months. By the end of October, I had had enough, I fled home secretly to lick my wounds and heal my heart. I was a good girl. I never asked about Glenn. I figured if it were meant to be, it would happen.

On Christmas Eve, my family gathered again and someone asked about Glenn. When I heard that he had moved back to PA in October, my mood dissipated and I lost hope. The day after Christmas, my aunt and uncle received a Christmas card from him. I took that opportunity to call him. We renewed our friendship and once again when my grandparents traveled north in June, I joined them. Kelly went to see her dad and I went to see Glenn. We spent days together. He would come pick me up each day and we would go to Kennywood or to his friends house to visit. At a bar the night before Kennywood we were discussing past loves and he mentioned that he broke up with a girl because she need too much hands on attention and did not like to hold hands or be touched too often. I spent the day at Kennywood literally shying away from him. This time, he was going to move to Florida. I looked into jobs for him and everything. Then he met Sherry.

He met Sherry at a party and she moved fast. In the blink of an eye he was gone. I was bewildered and spent my time at school, with Kelly and nursing my heart. We both eventually moved on. He got engaged. I met a man whom I was considering planning a life with.

Then January, 1997 happened. Glenn and Sherry were in an accident that cost Sherry her life. Glenn contacted my cousin and and when his wife relayed this to me I began to cry. My one true love could have been lost to me. My relationship was on the rocks so I picked up the phone again. This time, we believed we'd finally be together. Then I found out the worst news. I was pregnant.

Glenn was pissed, I was scared. I had to do the right thing and plan a life with the father of the baby. I know, who gets pregnant on accident in 1997? Stupid me. Steve and I began to plan our wedding and I lost contact with Glenn. Then on Glenn's birthday I found out I'd lost the baby. Steve and I continued with our plans. Finally, in May we knew. There was no way we could marry. We split and a few weeks later I called Glenn. We had a hard time connecting. We actually never connected via telephone. I planned a trip for Memorial Day weekend with his mother. She said if he could not get off work to get me at the airport she would. I was so happy when I got off the plane and there he was. This was back in the day when you could go to the gate to meet your loved ones.

We spent a glorious weekend together and it was the beginning of something special. Glenn flew to Florida in June and then returned in July to live with me.

In August, right before Labor Day we went to Montgomery Ward's and selected an engagement ring. He never actually proposed, it was just assumed. We planned our wedding for March and 11 years later here we are.



I always told Glenn I would marry him when I was 28. Glenn selected our wedding date, it was 6 weeks before I turned 28. If I had selected it, I would have waited a few months just to prove myself right. Just this once, I can be wrong.

We've finally decided on our Anniversary outing. We are taking Cameron to the Melting Pot at Station Square at 4 p.m. He has never been and we are hoping the fondue experience is as fun for him as it is for us.