So, I met Joe in March of 1988 and after knowing each other for only a few short weeks we were certain that it was going to be a long-term love affair. A few months after we had started dating we went out with my mom and dad and celebrated my 21st birthday. It was such a special setting and we both recall still how special the night was. We went to The Hamilton House, which is an old mansion on Lake Hamilton in Arkansas. It was a beautiful setting and we were greeted by the owners- he was wearing a tux and his wife was wearing a long formal gown. Turns out he was a retired dentist. We sat outside under ancient old trees and could hear doves cooing. We ordered a bottle of wine and had a magnificent meal. It was very relaxed. Then my mother gave me a framed picture that she'd been needlepointing for months. I loved it. It was a family of ducks and I had asked her at one point if I could have it (I always asked her if I could have her stuff) and as usual she said "no, sweetie.." very nicely. But on my 21st birthday she gave me this one and I loved it.
My dad had been very hesitant about Joe from the beginning. I think it's because parents just know when their kids are in love. And my parents knew that I was in love with Joe. But it was clear that my dad really was starting to like Joe a lot, and I was so happy because it really was important to me that I had dad's approval. My poor parents... I had been such a wild child. I was finally serious and growing up and settling down and then here comes a guy into my life. I think they were just nervous about my decision-making at that time. I didn't have a very good track record. But as they got to know Joe, they figured out for themselves that I'd finally found a good guy.
The next year was a crazy. Joe was in his Junior year of dental school and was so incredibly busy. And I was in my final year of nursing school and was busy as well. I had quit my job as a hostess right after meeting Joe and had started working as a student nurse (or a senior nurse tech) at a hospital in Hot Springs. We spent many weekends with our noses in books and basically just being focused on our goals. We now had a common goal!!! Be together!!!
That year lasted a lifetime.
So we planned a wedding, took tests, I looked for a job in Dallas, took more tests, worked, etc.. The closer we got to our wedding date the more it stressed me out. It seemed to be the one thing we didn't have time for. I was hired for an internship in the neonatal intensive care unit at a nice hospital in Dallas, I had finals, then nursing boards, then moving, then starting a job. All I wanted was to just BE THERE. So, we talked to my parents and asked them if they would be upset if we eloped. Of course they said no, that was fine. They didn't care!
So we proceeded for a few crazy months to get past all of our hurdles. And we did! But then family was starting to get nervous that we weren't married yet. I was living with Joe for about a month and it was driving our families crazy that we STILL hadn't set a date. Mind you... I was working 12 hour night shifts and Joe was in school.... And so one at a time they would call and say to us "We'll come down, you don't have to tell anyone else.. but we want to be there when you get married." haha.. Seriously! They called and all said the same thing. But you know there was no way we could have one parent and not all of them. And then it would have grown wildly out of control just like the wedding plans had been growing wildly out of control before we called it off.
But magically we found a day. It happened to be my only day off. My birthday. We called and reserved a little wedding chapel in Dallas on Bachman Lake. And it was OUR LITTLE SECRET!!!!! We did not tell anyone!!!
The morning of the wedding Joe went to the dental school and in the dental lab made our wedding bands. (I know, all of you are saying awwwww!!!) On his way home he stopped at Tom Thumb and bought a bottle of champagne and roses for me to carry and away we went!
The minister married us, his wife was our witness, and their daughter took pictures. It was the most fun I've ever had in my entire life- to date! We couldn't stop smiling. And laughing.
Then we called our families and shared the news. I don't know if they were as excited as we were but they were relieved that they no longer had to worry about us "living in sin." :)
We had to wait a couple of weeks for an VERY impromptu honeymoon. My weekend off finally arrived and we took off in the middle of the night for Galveston and spent two nights there and walked the beach and had a wonderful time away...
And that was the beginning. That was 21 years ago. I can't imagine my life any other way. The path we chose wasn't easy but we are two stubborn people. As long as we have each other to lean on for support anything is possible.
Thank you all for your sweet comments about our little love story. It's been fun remembering all these details. <3
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