The year was 1985. It was the start of a new school year at Mary Irene Day Elementary School in Minerva, OH. And this was no ordinary year. At M.I. Day, the start of the 5th grade not only ushered in a new school year but a whole new brood of students from the tri-county area as well.
This was the year that all of the other kids from the smaller, more rural, K-4 schools joined the “townies” at the larger, local elementary. And let’s face it… Who likes outsiders anyway, right? This concept was particularly difficult for a bunch of bratty, pre-pubescent, middle-schoolers-in-training to deal with in a graceful manner.
But there I was, a little blonde girl who probably thought she was “all that” sporting a sassy new 80s get-up while unpacking my sharp #2 pencils, fresh notebooks and admiring the front of my new Trapper-Keeper. And there he was—reeking of new-kid-ness—a sheepish, chestnut-haired boy with kind brown eyes, turned backwards in his chair and staring right at me.
“Why don’t you take a picture. It will last longer!” I snapped at him in the nastiest pre-teen tone I could muster, trying to make my friends laugh and ease the heat that I felt rapidly spreading toward my face. He quickly ducked his head and turned away. I had obviously hurt his feelings by acting like such a little bitch.
The school as it looked in 1985.
A clever story about his role on the Building Leadership Team at the school where he teaches convinced me to go with him to the playground to do a little “research” for his district. Feeling like a kid again, I teased him about the brat I’d been back then and took a trip down the slide. He was waiting for me at the bottom poised to ask this life-altering question.
After a lot of tears and shouting “Yes, a million times yes!” we couldn’t help but laugh at the sheer amazement of how life works sometimes.
By the time we were in high school we had become great friends. Kindred spirits some might say. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but I liked him. He was one of the good ones and we could talk about anything. We shared a taste in music, books, movies and deep conversation. We tried “dating” for awhile but I did not yet understand the importance of dating someone who was also a friend… so we parted as friends.
Off to college and separate adventures that would take us in completely opposite directions… To him, I was “the one that got away” when he read of my wedding announcement 4 years after graduation. And to me, years into a destructive and abusive marriage… he was “the good friend that I desperately wished I hadn’t taken for granted.”
By the time we met again at the age of 34, you could say that our lives—much like that old school building—had, over time, been completely torn down and reconstructed. We were different, and yet somehow exactly the same. And we realized that we’d been given the very rare gift of a second chance.
Since we first laid eyes on one another two years ago—after half our current lifetime had passed by—we have not looked back. Perhaps 26 years ago he saw something in that bratty little blonde, and thankfully he didn’t give up on me right then. Thankfully he stuck around and waited. Waited for something that would last longer than a picture. Something that would ultimately last forever.
Woman In Thrisis 
You two will make a beautiful picture. Together.
Wow! What an awesome story!!!!! :0) may God bless you both with a long happy life together! 🙂
Awesome story! So happy for the two of you!!
Love it… and love you both!
Congrats to you & Lee! What a beautiful love story!<3
Wonderful story. Such a romantic man! You made hard decisions in the past only to be blessed later on, and that’s a GREAT thing. Best to both of you.
Congratulations and best of luck to you! This is such a sweet, inspiring love story.
Side note: I’ve been subscribed to your blog for months now, enjoying your posts but never commenting. Figured this was an excellent reason to “come out”. 🙂
Thank you! And I’m so glad that you “came out” to say hello! Not to mention that you follow the blog. It is so nice to hear from readers. I will have to check out your blog as welll. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you’ll be back!
“A picture would have been nice, but I want something that lasts forever.” Alright I want to know what movie is going to want to buy that phrase 😀 Touching and poignant Joanna!
Oh what a sweet story. I married my best friend 7 years ago and we will be together rocking away in our chairs down the road. Love, Laugh and Live Together – Here’s to a Great Adventure!!!
Congratulations! I’m so happy for you both!
What a great story!! So happy for you and Lee!!! Best wishes to you!!!
Your story has had me smiling all day! It’s a great story — and so much better because it’s true. I’m so happy for you!
Crying again…..you say it just perfectly!!! Love this story! So very happy for you & Lee!
Thank you EVERYONE for your kind words and expressions of happiness. It makes is 100 times more fun to share this happiness with friends from all over the map! You all have kept me smiling all day (to borrow a line from Jan Brydon)… Really, truly, thank you 😉
That is truly romantical. I know, I know that’s not a real word, but I like it so I use it. It most definitely applies here. A movie could be made out of this!
Thanks Linda 🙂 That is so sweet! And I like the word “romantical” so you should definitely keep using it!
This is the stuff from which great novels are made! And I was thinking romantical as well. I used it in a sentence just the other day. It warms my heart to hear your story of The Proposal. Now, keep us entertained with wedding details!!!!
Isn’t it FUN to make up words!?! I know that I will NOT be short on material now that this new chapter has begun… and OF COURSE I’ll take you guys along for the ride!
I absolutely LOVE this one Joanna! I am so happy for you, and can’t wait to share in the many more memories to come! Lee and you are such a perfect fit! Life has brought you full circle, and now I TRULY believe everything happens for a reason! You both deserve the best….LOVE YOU!!! xooxox
p.s. i am going to “share” this on FB too!!
Sweet!!
Life is funny – and full of suprises.
Another fun and exciting love story. You should write a book!!
Thank you so much!! I’m thinking about it actually and working on it! Little by little.