How I met your Father

     My husband and I are celebrating our 48th anniversary today. So it seems appropriate to write about how we came to be married. How did a girl from congested sunny Southern California end up in the chilly wilds of Wyoming? Well it starts with me deciding to go to nursing school in San Diego, CA (I'm from the LA area). Then you add a boy from Wyoming who decides to join the Navy. Throw in a dance at the San Diego YMCA and you have the perfect storm, sort of.
     San Diego has always been known as a navy town, although not as much now as it was in the early 60's. Because there were always many sailors in town the Y would throw dances on a regular basis. As a student at an all girls nursing school run by the Sisters of Mercy, a dance seemed like a good way to meet boys.

The student nurse

     Ok, so you met your husband at a dance, end of story. Not quite, you see Al never even asked me to dance. He was interested in my friend Betty. He dated her for awhile, then dated friend Peggy, then friend Mary(by the way we all remained friends). I also was dating other people, nothing serious. Then one evening Al called our dorm, he asked for Mary, no she's out, Peggy, out, Betty, out. Well how about Jackie something, can't remember her last name. I happened to be there so he asked if I'd like to go have a coke with him and his friend and friend's girl. Sure why not, I had nothing better to do.

The sailor

     We started dating casually, but gradually it became more exclusive. After about seven months we were getting pretty serious. Then one day out of the wild blue, Al calls me to say he doesn't think we should see each other any more, but we could still be friends. WHAT! Now you might think I would be heart broken and reduced to tears. But he didn't know who he was dealing with, yet. Oh I was upset all right but I didn't cry, I got angry. Hadn't we talked about marriage and now he wanted to break up.

     About this time one of my dorm mates was looking for a blind date for her boy friend's buddy. I said, "I'll go" and thought, "I'll show him, breakup my aunt fanny".  So I went out on a date that same night. A week later Al gave me an engagement ring. Now if you ask him about this story he will point out that I wasn't very upset about the break up because I went out on a date the same day. I will counter with the fact that he went out with three of my friends before getting to me. He says he saved the best for last (he's always been a silver tongued devil). No matter how you want to look at it here we are celebrating 48 years of marriage.

The school prom. Do you like my hair? That's when

you could drive safely to Tijuana, Mexico and get

your hair done for $2 

      Like any other couple who's been together for any length of time we've had our ups and downs. One thing Al said during our short lived break up is still true, we can still be friends. I say that's what has helped us through those up & downs. Al says it's because he learned early on to say, "Yes dear". I did ask him why he broke up with me that day. He said, "I was afraid, I knew this was the real deal".

A thought to ponder: Making a big life change is pretty scary. But, know what's even scarier? Regret.