We met at the end of my freshman year at University of Illinois (1992). Bill was a doorman at Kam's in Champaign, and it was one of the favorite hang-out spots of my floormates - Colleen McCarthy, Colleen Montgomery, Laura Coy, Monica Barros, and Diantha Bovey (honorary floormate because she lived at FAR - Florida Ave. Residence -which was INDEED far) from Bromley Hall. So yes... we could enter the bar on 19 year old IDs, but couldn't drink. Hmmm... don't calculate dates too closely, ok? ;)
Well...some time in February 1993, after the initial introduction, I realized how cute Bill was.
We were invited to an afterhours party at his apartment (111 E. Springfield, I think... it was his BLUE room) on Friday night, March 20, 1993. It was kind of an awkward party, since we didn't really know anyone. Bill was minding the keg, and someone else asked me to dance. As it turns out, the guy who asked me to dance was Bill's roommate and now a good friend to both of us - Walt. Since it was a party, Bill and I didn't have much opportunity to talk, so I gave him my phone number, and he walked me and my friends out to my car. As we were sitting in the car, I rolled down my window, and when I turned to say goodbye, he leaned in and kissed me! Oh what a pleasant surprise! :D
So.... a week passes by...no call. Such a guy, right? As it turns out, he was a bit bubbly that night, and didn't remember getting my number. I didn't get his number, so I had to wait till the next weekend when we were at Kam's again, to speak to him. I guess it's a good thing I didn't bear a grudge, huh?
Our first date was to a Cubs game in Chicago, in April (I think). We had a fun time, and went to the Cubby Bear afterward. I had a weird little black-out thing happen, so we went back to Champaign shortly after, but it was still a good time.
I stayed in Champaign that summer, sublet an apartment with 2 other girls (who I didn't know, and can't really remember), got a job at a sports retail store called "The Bottom Line" on Green St, and took a couple of summer session classes that were covered by a Jaycee scholarship that I won in high school. So Bill and I were able to spend that summer together.
My Sophomore year, I moved into the "accordian" apartments across from the Armory with Colleen McCarthy, Monica and Angie Jacala. That experience in itself was interesting - to say the least. In general it was fun, aside from the general treachery and theft that was afoot in the place. But I digress...
I started working at the Ice Arena, and was playing hockey on the women's league. Bill worked most nights that I played, so my team mates jokingly called him "Imaginary-Bill" or "Invisi-Bill." But we spent our available hours together, and that as the year we said "I love you" to each other.
Summer '94 I went back to Crystal Lake to work at Baxter for an internship, and then that fall, we moved in together (502 E. White St.) It was an efficiency apartment, which was another word for a very small room for everything. We had our ups and downs, and that was a big test of our wills and tolerance toward each other.
Summer '95 I worked again at Baxter, wanting to make a bit more money for the year, and something for my resume. But we found the time to drive to Las Vegas to visit his dad, aunt and grandmother. In a tiny little Toyota Tercel, with minimal A/C capacity, as wind-up engine, a black interior facing all the way into the west, and all those hills, it was a heated trip! If anyone is planning on getting married, I sincerely suggest going on a long road trip! If you survive that, then that's a major accomplishment in my book!
In the fall, we moved in with Brad and Megan Russell, in Urbana on Green St. That was a great year, except for all the butt-kicking work I had to do in order to graduate.
Sadly, Bill's parents both died during that school year, and it was a big blow for Bill. I was fortunate enough to have met his parents and spent a bit of time with his dad while we were in Las Vegas.
So, by the time I've graduated, we've been through a lot of trials such as separation, close living, busy schedules, no money, death and loss, but we grew, accepted and adapted to each other, and with one another to bring us closer.
On the weekend before my graduation, Bill took me out to Miko Restaurant for a "graduation" celebration. But as it turns out, he had my engagement ring in his... sock! haha. Yes. After dinner was over, he told me to come over and sit next to him in the booth, and asked me to feel his pockets! hahaha. Yes.. it was a strange request, I thought. Then he reached down and got the ring box out of his sock. We had looked at engagement rings that previous Christmas at the Whitehall in downtown Chicago. He waited till the right time, and until he was ready before committing himself to the idea of a LONG life with ME! Hey, I didn't make him ask me! hahaha.
I had applied to Americorps during my senior year, and had been accepted. I was supposed to have left for South Carolina for a year service, but after much deliberation and difficulty, I turned it down at the last minute because Bill was tired of us being apart. It was a hard decision for me, because I really wanted to go. But I knew I couldn't sacrifice my future and rest of my life with Bill for one year in Americorps.
As it was, we were still separated, because he was living with his grandfather in the south side of Chicago, while I lived with my mom in Crystal Lake in the 9 months before we got married.
We were married at New Philadelphia Church Baptist (5452 S. State St. Chicago, IL) on June 21, 1997. It one of the hottest days of the summer, and the car that we used to go to the reception at Holiday Inn - O'Hare had a broken A/C unit! Ouch.
The wedding day itself is another story. I could probably write a textbook on what NOT to do on the day before and the day OF your wedding day. All in all, it was a nice ceremony and reception. Unfortunately, the main things that I could think about were going to sleep and getting on the plane the next day to Puerto Rico! Bad wedding day... great marriage, right??? It wasn't that horrible, but there were definitely moments. Several moments. Several LONG moments.
Our honeymoon was a week in Puerto Rico. We stayed 5 days at the El San Juan, which was a really nice place. Then we stayed a couple of days with my sister, Joyce and her family, who lived in Dorado at the time.
After the honeymoon, we moved into an apartment in Waukegan and spent a couple of years there, until we bought our house in Des Plaines in 1999.
In August 1999 we went on a cruise with my family (except Teresa, Kuya and Fini, because she was just born),and it was a great time.
We lived there for 2 years, till we moved to Las Vegas in October 2001.
