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[Image] December 14th The Husband and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary. Wow, what a ride it has been. Some people say that they married their best friend but maybe it sounds frivolous but he became my best friend gradually. Life has so many hills and bumps and detours that sometimes you don't realize right away that this person has indeed become your best friend. And I did realize that eventually. And more. I do know that I was incredibly in love with him after our first date and knew I wanted to be married to him and only him. A short history: I was friends with The H. about two years before we started dating. We were business acquaintances. I first met him in person when his office invited my office to a Cubs baseball game outing. I knew he was my kind of guy when he shook hands with me while his other hand held a can of beer. It was 10:00 a.m. Well, we were tailgaiting at the famous Murphy's Bleachers in Chicago. He didn't stay long after the game or he would've seen me used as a target in the dunk tank back at Murphy's after the game, but it was all the talk amongst the offices. So we came upon each other several times at various functions. He was married to a cute little Irish girl from the Southside and they had two tiny little boys. One day I learned that his wife Patty passed away from breast cancer after a long fight. I was devastated thinking what a nice man he was to have this happen. Months passed and his partner called me one December day and invited me to come downtown. He said The H. was lonely and that I always made him laugh and it would cheer him up. So there you have it. Most of it anyway. I did go downtown and we had lunch in the Empire Room of the Palmer House Hotel (a veeeery ritzy place I must say so myself). The date was December 14, 1985. We both felt that little electric current you feel when you know something is right but we took it slow. I loved Jeffrey and Kevin immediately and we did lots of fun things together as a foursome. So without further ado, we said "I do" on December 14, 1986 (exactly one year to the exact date of our first date-get it??) in the Crystal Room of the Palmer House Hotel. And that is our fairy tale.
We are quite a blended family. You see Mr. H. had already lost both parents. His inlaws, Patty's parents as well as her brothers and sisters were very close to Mr. H. and the boys and they welcomed me into the family with open arms. I will never forget their kindness. I call them my inlaws. And both girls that Mr. H and I had together call the inlaws Nana and Papa (Nana has since passed away).

So that is our love story. It wasn't as easy as I make it sound. I stopped working after I had Emily and by the time I was 30 I had 4 children under the age of 10. Whoo! But I DID IT!! I love this man with all my heart, he is kind and affectionate (he always wants to hold my hand everywhere we go) and is sooo funny. He is extremely intelligent and successful (if not handy, but I guess they don't have a course on that in law school!!) So read on:

[Image]A picture of me and the boys shortly before The Husband and I got married. (No, it was not before color film was developed!) We got on marvelously and I love looking at pictures when they were so young. You just want to eat them up!

[Image]Emily Elizabeth arrived in 1987 and that is when everything broke loose. It should have been an omen. She was a baby that cried day and night, as a toddler, would not sleep in her crib and cried everyday before preschool. On the other hand she was my right hand man, we went everywhere together (or I took her everywhere) and she was very tied to me. As she grew up she was very opinionated and stubborn, but she had a shy side and preferred to do solitary things. She was also very creative and ingenious, she taught me how to work a computer when she was just eight. Now she is studying interior design and I am sure she will thrive in a career where within she can channel all her intelligence and creativeness. And of course, she is still my best friend.


[Image]And then there were four. Little Abigail arrived in April of 1991, three weeks early, weighing a whopping 5 lbs. 1 oz. She was totally healthy and was a very mild, gentle baby. She smiled at everyone and was such a joy to be with. She is our sporty one, basketball, gymnastics, volleyball and cheerleading. She is considering college choices for next year and is torn between St. Ambrose University in Iowa or Western Illinois University which is near the Illinois/Iowa border. I am savoring these next nine months. By the way, she takes after her father who is French (all that dark hair!).



[Image]And finally, this is our Christmas card for 2008. Clockwise form upper left, Kevin, Jeff, Abby and Emily. We have been so blessed in so many ways. I thank my lucky stars that I met the man of my dreams and that he would fulfill them beyond my expectations. We are truly best friends in every sense of the word. Together I hope that we have instilled in our children values and principles that they will carry with them throughout their lives. I love spending my life with these extraordinary people and can't wait for more adventures, love and laughter. I once read that the journey is the destination. I'm all for that!! See ya all! xoxo