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Part One |
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friends. By the time you get to the last one, you're usually waltzing, leaning on the shoulder of your designated driver!
Mike & I had a mutual friend, Eddie, who invited us both "waltzing" for the birthday of his friend, Matt. Not only had Mike & I never met each other, but neither of us had ever met Matt! But that night, April 9, 1993, at Bullwinkles Saloon, some of the best friendships were born, including one that would become one of the greatest marriages ever! |
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just the two of us... (1991) |
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After highschool and two years of Junior College in West Palm Beach, Florida, I enrolled at Florida State University. I moved into a quaint, 4-bedroom house (the fenced in yard was crying out for a dog!) with my older brother and two of his friends. Feeling somewhat outnumbered by men and missing my mom's minischnauzer, Brandee, I checked the Classifeid Ads, and soon found my first, sweetest girl, Pixie (named Angel by her previous owners - what were they thinking???) She was a great college dog - loved to party and knew when to curl up and let me study. Together we went through 6 roomates, a dozen 7-hour drives back home, two dozen all-night study sessions, a National Championship and the meeting of the man Pixie would call "Daddy." |
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Miss Kitty off at the Spay & Neuter Clinic, he saw this poor, scared, sweet, quiet little white ball of fur with the bluest eyes he'd ever seen, huddled up in a cage on display in the lobby. It broke his heart to leave her there. And when he returned for Miss Kitty, his conscience wouldn't let him do it again, and he signed her adoption papers immediately. Catarina became the light of his life; she was everything he wanted in a cat - snuggly, friendly, playful, happy, clean - everything Miss Kitty was not! |
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Daddy's little girl(s) |
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a bitter sweet goodbye... |
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As I got to know Mike, I witnessed his gentle, nurturing, sincere character. He was so good with Pixie, despite her moodiness! I knew that he had had dogs growing up (among them a Lhasa Apso and a Doberman) , but he had always wanted a cat. So when my vet mentioned they had a litter of homeless kittens ready for adoption, I brought Mike to take a look at them.
Of the 4 adorable calico kittens available, one called out to us - loudly! She had the cutest, high-pitched, persistant "meeeaaa" I've ever heard. And the most beautiful coat I'd ever seen. Mike picked her, named her "Miss Kitty," and the Legend of Chubba was born! (Months later when Matt & Eddie stayed at Mike's one night, they both swear she woke them up and threatened to "scratch their eyes out.") Miss Kitty grew quickly, adopting the nickname "Chubba" and established a less than friendly reputation. Mike's hope that she would become a lap-cat was quickly diminshed - her favorite place to sleep was on top of the air conditioning vent!
A few months later, when dropping |
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In December of 1993, I had earned my B.S. in Criminolgy, and was still trying to find a job. Mike had one last semester to earn his B.S. in Chemistry and had already been accepted to many Law Schools around the country. Sadly, I returned home to West Palm Beach, to live with my parents. By Spring Break, Mike & I missed each other terribly and so Mike drove down to West Palm and asked me to marry him. I said yes, and returned to Tallahassee with him, with an ache in my heart - I had to leave Pixie with my parents because dogs were not allowed at Mike's apartment. |
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you waltzed in to my life... |
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When I tell people that Mike & I met doing the Tennessee Waltz, they think I'm kidding. But it's true - and if you went to FSU then you won't be suprised.
In Tallahassee, all the popular bars are located on Tennessee Street. It's a tradition to visit every bar for a free drink on your birthday with all your |
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| Part Two |
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the journey north... (1994) |
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I worked as a counselor in a residential school for boys, Pine Haven Boys Center. Both Mike and I made some great, life-long friends and some of the most wonderful memories. Our years in New Hampshire will shine forever in our hearts! After all, that is where we also adopted Ashley, our first pet that we adopted together. |
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Even though I had pretty-much grown up in South Florida, I spent the first 7 years and every summer of my life in New England. My goal was (always) to get back there, close to my family's summer cottage in Western Massachusettes. When Mike was invited to attend Franklin Pierce Law Center, I rallied for the move. After researching the school, learning of it's reputation in the field of Intellectual Property, Mike accepted and we headed North. But only after I returned to West Palm Beach for Pixie, singing the lyrics to Solisbury Hill, "Grab your things, I've come to take you home!"
While Mike attended law school, |
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Our wedding was held on August 9, 1997, just two weeks after Mike took the Bar Exam. The reception was at my family's summer cottage, and even the dogs got to participate in the celebration! Of course, Matt & Eddie were there (cautiously keeping their distance from Miss Kitty!). It was the greatest party we've ever been to! |
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Part Three |
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finally home... (2000 - now) |
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We spent a short 18 months in Upstate New York where we lost Miss Kitty, adopted, Knightley, and made some more AWESOME, life-long, friends. We moved back to New England, and built a house less than a mile from the cottage.
In April of 2002, our son, Reese was born. He is miracle, a true blessing and the absolute joy of our lives.
Six weeks after Reese's birth, Mike faced a life-threatening aortic dissection and was flown to Boston for emergency open heart surgery. His aorta was patched and he was given an artificial (St. Jude's) valve. He was diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder that affects almost every system in his body. |
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eBetharoo |
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Mikearoo |
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Reese is suspected to also have the Marfan Syndrome and is under the watchful eye of Dr. Lacro at Children's Hospital, Boston. We try to meet the new challenges with optimism, knowing that medical advancements are being made everyday and that more and more studies are being done to treat the symptoms of Marfan Syndrome. And we are truly blessed to know and have the support of the National Marfan Foundation family.
In 2003, my precious baby Pixie passed away. And then in 2004, Ashley was taken from us after way too short a life, she was only 9 (PLEASE DO NOT BUY PUPPIES FROM PET STORES) Before she died, we adopted a Giant Schnauzer from Wildwood Giants. Otto is a true schnauzer, and has many traits that the girls shared. The only difference is that he is 90 pounds of it! A beautiful dog, and a FANTASTIC brother for Reese. They are truly meant for each other!!!!! (if only I had more time to update his page!)
Despite the many changes, life is good. Mike has gone into private practice, and works from his new office adjacent to our living room. We spend as much time as we can visiting our families in Florida. My photography business is in the works, and I will update when I can. I switched to MAC, which is not supported by geocities, so I may have to find us a new www home. In the meantime, I post all of our family photos on the .Mac site. Thanks for visiting; come back soon! |
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