Happy Birthday

to my husband.

Here he is in his finest youthful glory as an Eagle Scout.

I really never knew anything about being an Eagle Scout until I met my husband. Since then I've been so conscious of the time, commitment, and perseverance it takes to achieve such a lofty goal.

This fits with the personality of the man I married. He can be one determined man. (Sometimes that's not such a good trait)

Recently on April 10th I was listening to the radio and they were giving the facts for what happened  years ago on this date and 40 years ago on April 10th Iowa got huge snowstorm, 16 inches or more.

I remember that storm and I don't remember details in my past. The reason for this moment of clarity is that was the day that my husband and I "clicked" and became a couple. Here's the story.

In September of that year we met while visiting the Iowa State campus. We had a date shortly after, once we were back at UNI, and I can't say I was overly impressed with the guy. One of the other guys I met that day had asked me out and I really thought he was cool. He was a blonde surfer from California, literally, and I was sort of awestruck by his background more than him.

I probably turned my husband down for the next few dates and he soon got the cue and never called again, until three months later, and he asked me to a party at his dorm. I said yes, but again, was not impressed and expected to never hear from him again or so I had hoped.

Then along comes April and this huge snowstorm. Classes were cancelled. One huge Snow Day with thousands of your peers, it was rather fun. I must have been doing some work at the library (really, I was that kind of student) and I walked through the Union on my way back to my apartment and I happened to see my husband and another guy sitting at a table. For some reason, I waved, he waved, and I walked over and said hello.

His friend scooted off and I sat down. We had just a short chat and then he asked me to come to his dorm room to watch tv that evening.

I said yes; who knows why. Why did I wave? Why did he return the greeting after all the times I had turned him down? Why did he ask me to his dorm room (ok, quit thinking like that)

Life is so mysterious.

The powers that be were more in charge than I. Or all that determination in his Eagle Scout training paid off.

And so he walked to get me at my apartment that evening, we went to his dorm room to watch tv and I can remember thinking, "This is different, I actually like this guy."

And that was both the end and the beginning. The end of me thinking I hope he never calls again and the beginning of us being together for the next forty years. (We were married one year later.)

Ye gads that seems like a long time ago and I have certainly forgotten a lot during those years, but I did not forget our reconnection that April snowstorm.

So Happy Birthday Ed. 

May you have many more.