In the summer of 2006, our kids had been in the same school and shared a mutual friend. We met briefly during an afternoon play date when he had to drop off accounting paperwork. Although we will admit that we both found each other attractive, nothing developed from that time. He was in a toxic relationship and she was still working through the challenges of navigating post-divorce tensions.
Over time he asked her to go out on a date but played hard to get and stood her up 2 times. By the 3rd time he asked her out, she told him that he was out of life lines. He heard something different and expected to be going with her on their first date on Friday. Thursday afternoon, an urgent work issue called him out of town to Houston. On Friday afternoon when it became clear that he was not going to make that date again, he sent her a picture of his plane ticket and explained that he once again could not make the date. In her mind, the date never existed anyway. Expecting to return on Saturday, he confidently asked for another date when he returned the next day. She reluctantly agreed and made back-up plans just in case. After 3 failed attempts, we managed to have our first date a comedy club. She saw her first shooting star on her way home that night and wondered if it had any meaning.
A little after a year together, on a sultry hot South Florida night in July 2012, came an anxious proposal on his birthday. Everyone was dressed up and we were on time for our dinner plans. We were all walking up the side walk from the car to the restaurant when he asked the kids to hurry ahead to let them know we were going to make our reservations. Later, he would explain that he did not want to cause an awkward situation for her in front of the kids. He proposed during the walk and with a smile that covered her whole face and a shiver of excitement that produced a single tear… she accepted. 3 Minutes later, the kids were told the happy news and 4 minutes later, the rest of the world would start to find out. Since that time, we have only looked forward and are thankful for each day we get to share together.