We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

I was in Glenside area (near Philadelphia) visiting my brother. He and his wife just had my nephew, Theo, and at the time I was visiting semi-frequently—attending their church with them when I stayed. On this particular Sunday, January 5th, 2020, we were running a bit late, and so we snuck in and sat near the back. After the service, I was talking with a few people I had known from that church, and my friend Anna who just moved there from Gettysburg. From behind me, I hear my sister-in-law Becky call my name. I turn around and she’s standing there with a bright and smiling Elisa dressed head-to-toe in marigold. “Hi! I’m Elisa! Becky tells me your a carpenter who installs walk-in closets.” Now it was hard to play it cool—as it usually is when such a beautiful stranger is smiling at you and already seems impressed by something you do. But I managed—and my heart leaped when Becky said that she invited Elisa over for lunch. We talked through the afternoon as I learned about her love for fashion, food and music. We talked about the importance of mental health and about our mutual desire for child adoption, and of course we played with Theo! She was so raw how she spoke—so articulate and uncut. And I was so enamored. She immediately reminded me of some of the strong women in my life that I admired. But she was also so foreign to me. I had no pretext for her. Like a new record, I searched for her influences, and my sense of wonder was overwhelming. I simply have never met a single person like Elisa. I had all but forgotten that I had plans that evening back towards Gettysburg. My band at the time, Run The Willow, had recently broken up, but we wanted to end the whole process in a celebration rather than a funeral. We planned to all get dinner together and go bowling! I wanted to leave around 2 and have some time to get ready beforehand. But 2 came and went—“I’ll just drive straight there,” I thought. But another hour slipped by.

I texted the band: “Hey! Can we push our plans back an hour?” “Another hour?” Finally I had to leave. Unsure if I’d meet this woman again, I head up to the guest room to change, and begin planning my next visit. I come down, say all my goodbyes, get in my car, and…it won’t start. I call my brother to save face. “Can you come outside and jump my car?” I had left my inside lights on all night. He tells me, “my car is electric, and our other car has been dead for months.” I hear Elisa in the background offer, “You can jump it with mine!” So my brother comes out with her keys and we jump my car—and his—and now I’m REALLY late. I get in my car and take off. I make it to my dinner plans, have fun bowling and spending time with the whole band one last time. And when I get home, I remember that I didn’t thank Elisa for letting me use her car! But I have to play it cool… so the next day, I found her on facebook, and sent her a thank you message, expecting a short thank you back. But it turned into a conversation! I left that talk even more excited, thinking “okay—dont crowd her space! I’ll find a reason to message her again next week!” But then Elisa messaged me the following day, and that turned into another conversation. And that happened every day for three weeks! The rest is history!