I’m not sure how I got so lucky but I’m about to give you a peek behind the curtain. If you don’t want to see, don’t read. People often ask me or my husband how we do it. How did we get the marriage we have? We have an amazing marriage and we are blessed with two great boys. This does not mean everything is perfect in life, it never is. But all I can say is I am one lucky gal.
Shauna, the gluten-free girl has asked for us to share our love stories. I couldn’t think of a better thing to write about.
I met Scott when I was an intern at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC. I worked in the marketing department and Scott’s office was just down the hall. He was recently back from Jamaica where he spent time as a Watson Fellow. I was one semester away from graduating and trying my hand at marketing research. In 1985 that was a lot harder than it is now and not interesting to me at all. I hated the work but I was in DC just having turned 21 and ready to explore the world.
I had run into Scott at the common WANG Daisy printer that always gave us problems. We’d chat a little but that was it. After all he was a worldly guy and I was in college and at that time had a boyfriend. One day Scott was coming back from lunch with his boss and he mentioned to Scott he should ask me out. Scott said no he didn’t want to date. He had just come off a long relationship and then a string of interesting dates. He was going to give dating a break. Of course his boss had to egg him on and tell him he was chicken. He claimed he was not chicken (he and Marty McFly have something in common) and asked me out to lunch. You know that lunch date that is safer than a real date.
Well we went down the street to the Connecticut Connection for lunch. He offered to pay since I was just an intern. I tried to decide if that was nice or an insult. I needed more information. But lunch was much more enjoyable than either of us thought it would be. He was really good looking but I wasn’t sure we had anything in common and remember I was dating someone else. But what was the harm in going to lunch.
Well lunch turned into another date out to a movie and then a little ice cream. I think we were both relaxed because I had a boyfriend so this wasn’t really dating and he didn’t want a girlfriend so we were just hanging out.
We quickly found out we really enjoyed each other’s company. Even though we were different in so many ways there was this spark that could not be ignored. I of course had to end it with the guy I had been dating because I really needed to see what this was all about.
We began to see a lot of each other both at work and after hours. The time came when I had to go back to school to finish up and he was leaving to attend the Kennedy School at Harvard. We continued to date even though the distance was great. I graduated and wanted to move to Boston to see if this was really going to work. It seemed so real but with so many miles and seeing each other after long periods away just wasn’t enough information for me. My parents said I had to have a job to move so I became a Mary Kay consultant. This way I could move right away and then look for other work. A girl has to do what a girl has to do.
He went to school and I worked many jobs. First at a health club as an aerobic instructor which helped me land my next job running kitchens at corporate and goverment cafeterias. As for me and Scott, well we grew closer and more in love. He proposed and I said yes and we planned a wedding to take place right after he graduated. I had to quit my full time job and work at the restaurant down the street so I could have time to plan the wedding back home (PA) and design and make my wedding gown.
Let me quick tell you about the proposal. When I graduated from college in December I didn’t walk. You know the ceremony with the cap and gown. Well Scott decided he would take his kazoo and play Pomp and Circumstance and then give me a gift. It was a beautiful Cross pen. A great gift for a graduate. But he knew me all too well. I of course dove into the box to look at the wood stand for the pen and pulled out everything. At the bottom was a beautiful engagement ring. A tear drop shaped blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds. It was perfect.
We were married on June 20, 1987. In some ways it seems like yesterday and others it seems like we’ve been together all my life.
Scott is an amazing partner in life. We work together, go to yoga together and enjoy life together. He’s my best friend and the person I trust the most. He allows me to continue to learn and grow in the areas the interest me. He loves and supports me and is always cheering me on. We can always talk about anything and often do.
So with people always asking what our secret is to our amazing marriage, well here’s what I think:
1. we pledged til death due us part and when things are rough we stick around to fix it
2. we love each other unconditionally
3. we communicate
4. we don’t take things personally which I think is key
So there you have it. I just gave away the secret sauce and I’m not even earning a penny off of that. Maybe someday we’ll write a book about it and then I’ll be blogging from some warm Pacific beach.
I consider myself very lucky to have found such a wonderful guy who loves me and takes care of me and our family. I just couldn’t ask for anything more.
What about your love story? Do you have one to share? How you met, where your first date was, how they or you proposed? I’d love to hear so feel free to share your story here.
I hope you take this time to tell someone important in your life that you love them.
Happy Valentines Day!
What a great love story! I first came to Washington as an intern in college too, so I can totally relate to the setting. While I did not meet my husband until several years later (when I was finishing up law school) we did meet in Washington as well. 🙂
Valerie thank you for sharing.
I knew I was going to marry my husband the moment I saw him. I was too shy to ask him out, and he was clueless for a good 4 months. It's a good thing I'm a patient woman! He is the only man I have ever kissed and my one true love. Each year we are married we fall more and more in love. I am so lucky to have found my other heart.
I love your pictures. I am so not surprised that you are still head over heals in love because that smile and sparkle in your eye in those pictures are the same as you have today. Oh, and I have to say I love the 80s hat style. My dad and stepmom got married two months after you, and she had that same hat. So cute. And it's so funny that your husband went to the Kennedy school, because I was thinking that he looks like a Kennedy in those pictures. Hmmmmmm. Something we don't know about you guys?
My love story is typical me. Met Sam and fell in total, head over heels like with him. Just knew we would be best friends forever, but not attracted to him. I thought it was odd because he was/is really good looking, but no spark. He was a total gentleman. Met up with him again a week later, and, I swear, there were Disney birds chirping around him and Cinderella music playing. I kid you not. And I said to myself that I hope he falls for me because I am going to fall for him, hard. He did. We did. Still falling for him every day. Eleven years later. now if I could just get those forest creatures to clean my house.
OK now I'm feeling really old. Thank you for sharing Tia.
Wonderful story, Diane! And your photos are lovely.
My story? John and I worked for the same credit union, but we didn't really know each other. He was in the IT department and I worked in a branch. But we went out for a happy hour with some other work friends, and hit it off. We kept things quiet for a while – word was just getting out that he and his wife were divorcing, and I was significantly younger, so when people did find out, we were quite the scandal…but we got through it. We fell in love, and moved in together. I fell in love with his kids too – they've become such a part of my life, I can't imagine what it would be like without them or without him. We might have started out as a "scandal", but we came out on the other side smiling! We have been married now for 5 years, but have been together for over 10. He has taught me so much about love, about forgiveness, about selflessness, about communication, about family, and about friendship. He is my soulmate, and I find myself falling in love with him over and over each day.
Alta thank you for sharing.
Beautiful, Diane. Makes me a little teary-eyed. I met my husband in art class in high school in 1974. He says he knew he was going to marry me right then. It took 3 years for me to even say yes to a movie. And then two more years for me to go out with him again. He finally followed me to California during college and then I fell for him. It took him 9 years to get me and he never gave up. He's still that way.
Wendy thank you for sharing.
Aw, thanks so much for sharing Diane, that is an amazing story! And I tell you, luck has nothing to do with it, you are such an incredible person with a cheerful aura. You just draw goodness in, I swear!
Our story wasn't that much different from yours really … we met at work, I was dating someone esle. I broke that off because I could tell there was something special happening between my now husband and I … I stayed rather than taking a job on the East coast, and the rest is happily ever after 🙂
Alisa thank you for sharing.
Love your story, Diane! In Feb. 1977, hubby had just graduated from college and jobs were scarce. I was working my way through college & we ended up waiting tables at the same restaurant together. He would sweet talk all the other waitresses to make coffee for him, make his salads, etc. (But to be fair, he would carry their heavy trays, etc. in return.) I wouldn't give him the time of day. He brought me a brown paper lunch bag of goodies–pistachios, chocolate milk, and a red carnation–which I completely ignored. He bugged me until I opened it, got a smile out of me, and then asked me to go dancing. I said maybe, but I did go. That first date was 34 years ago on March 6. It took 5 1/2 years of dating before we got engaged. Most days we’re crazy about each other. Some days we’re "okay" with each other (that comfortable and happy co-existence state), and some days we make each other insane! Like you said, Diane, we made a commitment and we're sticking with it. Another key to our success is being sure to have time together, couple time.
Shirley
Shirley thank you for sharing.
You have boiled successful marriage to the 4 essentials beautifully! Loved reading your story and the others above.
My story is not half as deep as the others. My husband chose my picture out of the college freshman picture directory and asked me out! Good thing I chose a great picture! We laugh about what a superficial way it was to start a relationship that has been so deep and fulfilling. (Thankfully he didn’t tell me that I was his intended on the first date, or I would have run screaming, but years later he told me that when he saw my directory picture he knew 100% that he was going to marry me.) I love that man.
Heather thank you for sharing.
Love the hat Diane! You look so cute. I agree with #4, especially because I have a very sarcastic husband. 🙂
Thank you Alison. Yeah I have one of those too. I just have to laugh at him.