How it all began...a classic love story...

Here we are at Sarah's cousin Katie's wedding in beautiful Colorado, it's always hard for me to leave there when we visit...

Someone asked me the other night, at the pizza palooza we catered, how my wife and I had met. When I told the story, brief as it may have been, they said I need to share it on here. So, here we go. 

It all started 38 years ago, or so I'm told. I was 2 at the time (it was 1975, she was 4, do not do the math as I will be in trouble for "telling" her age), and my recollection is somewhat non-existent. Apparently my wife's mother, Donna Austin, and my mother, Joanne Valentine, knew each other from church in Massachusetts and my future brother-in-law and I were nursery buddies at the time, since I'm about 10 days older than he is (much wiser, of course, too).  

A few years later (around 1979), the Austin family began a trek to southeast (rainforest) Alaska, to rough it out near a small fishing village called Hoonah (native Alaskan for "freaking soggy"). They lived in a small community, where, as luck would have it, my own grandmother ended up for a few years! Yes, small world. In 1987, after my family had moved from Massachusetts to New Hampshire, then Idaho, then back to New Hampshire, I found myself heading up to Alaska, too! I ended up in a small community in the interior of the state outside Delta Jct (native Alaskan for "freaking cold"). 

Ok, now fast forward to '93 or '94, when a young lady came to our community to take a few college courses. Her name was Sarah Austin. My mother recognized the name and figured out it was the same Austin family that we had known all those years (and miles) ago back east. Fate, you say? It would appear. Of course, once she met me, she could not help herself. Swoon, is a strong word perhaps...there was laughter, there were tears, possibly some hyperventilating...but then I recovered. Actually, the way it really went was that I liked her first. For some reason, I want to tell people she couldn't help herself but...Anyway, it took her a while to come around, and then after an interesting 2 1/2 year engagement, on April 20th, 1996, we got married. (You don't tame the Italian Stallion quickly!) Alright, alright, I'll stop.

In December of '97, our first baby, Valerie Anastasia was born (December 27th to be exact, AND it was -50° that day!). I always told her we could shoot for 10 years and see how it goes, then maybe go with an annual lease...I kid! (sort of). Here we are now, living in NC with our 2 kids (Anthony David born December 21st, 2000) and in a few weeks we'll be celebrating 17 years. As I like to say, it doesn't feel like a day over 40...Again, I kid!!! (mostly). Incidentally, Sarah's birthday is in December as well, so 3 birthdays and Christmas all within 10 days...we are brilliant. I like to call it "poor family planning". 

So, here's to 40 or 50 more (longevity runs in both families). Luv ya, hon.