In 1989, while I was baby-sitting for some friends, the phone rang. When I answered it, I had no way of realising that fate had just stepped in and changed my life forever. The incredibly deep voice on the other end of the line belonged to a friend of the kids' parents named Jim. He ran a part-time mail order business from his home, and wanted to drop off some CD's their father had ordered. Considering that I had just brewed a fresh pot of coffee, and also considering that I was craving some adult company after spending a full day with two pre-schoolers, I invited him to join me for a cup when he arrived. Luckily, he accepted my offer and that visit became the first of many.
Over the coming months, we found that we had many things in common: a love of music, a similar sense of humour and shared opinions on a plethora of subjects. Later we discovered that although we hadn't previously crossed paths, our lives were full of coincidences. My father had taught Jim in highschool and we had grown up mere blocks away from each other. Our fathers had also lived near each other when they were young, while our mothers had shared some of the same friends--although his mom had known them during childhood, while my mom had known them in later years.
I was struck by Jim's warmth, sincerity, and honesty. In fact, I loved everything about him. As a result, he quickly became one of my closest and dearest friends.
In 1994, our relationship finally took the inevitable turn, blossoming from friendship into LOVE.
Our wedding day in 1997 was one of the happiest of my life. (I say "one of" because I know that, being with him, there are many more to come.) I married my best friend and soul-mate and I know he feels the same way. I guess one of the advantages to having been friends first, was that there was no false pretense; no worrying about what the other person would be like after the dating period was over. We knew what we were getting, because during our friendship we had seen each other at our best...and at our worst. We accept each other for who we really are--faults and all, instead of labouring under the assumption that we can change certain things. He's perfect for me just the way he is--everything I ever wanted, everything I ever needed and everything I ever dreamed of in a mate--and I love him so very much.
Signing the book to make it "official".
It was an intimate ceremony, with immediate family and a few
friends.
My Mother, Jane.
My mom has had a profound influence on my life. She is warm, sensitive, caring and creative, and has always been very supportive of her family. Her thoughtful and loving nature, as well as her wonderful ability to find beauty in the things and the people around her has deeply affected all of us. The values she instilled and the stability she managed to provide, under sometimes less than ideal circumstances, helped to make us all who we are today. She is so precious to me--the best mom I could have ever wished for--and I wouldn't trade her for the world. Thanks Mom!
My Sister, Lori.
Considering the age difference between Lori and I, our relationship was something along the lines of hero worship when I was a child. She moved away to attend college when I was twelve, and I think as a result, she sometimes finds it a little hard to believe that her "baby sister" is all grown up. She studied piano for years and now puts her talent to good use teaching others. Since she lives out West, we don't get to see her very much. Because of the miles between us and also the different paths our lives have taken, we're not as close as we once were--hopefully some day in the future that will change.
My Brother, Randy.
All of the things we went through growing up helped to make Randy and I very close--he's not only my brother, but also one of my best friends. We like a lot of the same things and he used to be easily bribed to attend concerts with me. I nicknamed him "Encyclopaedia Boy" because of his amazing ability to remember insignificant little details about practically everything. (it came in very handy when I was writing essays, and hadn't finished some of the reading material) He's a very talented artist (you can see some of his artwork by clicking here), dabbles in photography (he took our wedding pictures), and plays bass in a local bar band. Because we've always been so close, he fittingly took the place of our late father and "gave me away" at our wedding.
Jim's Mother, Edith.
I think Jim's mom knew that we were meant to be together before we did. I can't thank her enough for having raised such a sensitive and wonderful son. She is warm, thoughtful and loving and has always been there to lend a helping hand whenever we've needed her. (not to mention the fact that she has wicked sense of humour to match my own.) She readily accepted me as part of the family and I can talk to her about anything. I feel so fortunate to have her as a second mom.
Before Jim and I entered into our life together, I knew that his sons from his previous marriage were going to be a big part of it. That said, I was quite honestly terrified, having heard all sorts of horror stories about step-parent/step-children relationships. So, when Jim and I first told the boys about the fact we were going to be moving in with each other, I made it very clear that I was going to try and be a friend to them--not a mother. Luckily, my worries were unfounded and we get along extremely well. It may have started out with them just being a part of the package, but they have come to mean so much more to me than that. They have enriched my life in so many ways and I am proud to have them as a part of my world.
Jim's Son, Jimmy.
Jimmy is a warm, honest, mature 22-year-old (so much like his dad that it's scary sometimes ;o), who is always willing to help us out--often without even being asked. He has a beautiful girlfriend named Crystal and we think that they are just perfect together. I had thought that his starting college in the fall of 2000 would mean that we would see less of him. However, much to our delight, Jimmy moved in with us in November 2000. As a result, I may not get to be online as much anymore, but having him with us makes it all worthwhile!
Jim's Son, Steve.
Steve is a typical 19-year-old. He likes to hang with his friends, play football, watch movies, enjoys his Sony Playstation and chats on the computer when he's with us. (under our watchful eye, of course) He is a great guy, who can accomplish a lot when he puts his mind to it, and hopes to be a mechanic when he finishes school.
Jim's Stepmother, Jeanne,
and his Father, Reg.Since my father is no longer with us, Jim's dad has a special place in my heart. He and Jeanne are both warm, generous and supportive, and although they live a little too far away for us to see them as often as we'd like, they are a very important part of our lives. They have also made me feel like a welcome member of the family and we feel lucky to have such a wonderful third mom.
No family page would be entirely complete without including our cats.
Simon and Garfunkle
However, because I think they're so gosh-darned cute, I decided that they deserved to have their very own page. You can get to it by clicking on the "Our Cats" link below.
Links to the rest...
Home|Friends|More About Me|My Interests|Our Cats|Gone But Not Forgotten
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This page has
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This page was last tinkered with ~October 2002~
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