March 2, 2013

On March 2, 1984 I met Bruce North for the very first time.  It was a brief meeting, and we didn't even learn each others' names.

In September of that year we met again, in our high school orchestra class (where I wowed him with my sexy, off-the-shoulder, non-funereal, black dress). I was the pianist and he was in the violin section; we became good friends.

On April 26, 1985 he asked me out on our first date—Junior Prom—one hour before the dance. Of course I went! I mean really, let's see... Go out with a cute guy that I like; stay home watching TV with my little sister.  Hmmmm...

A couple weeks after that we talked about going to the park. What we didn't talk about was why the park was a nice place:  I liked to play on the playground equipment—especially the swings; Bruce liked to walk around and see the nice scenery.  He took me to a cemetery.

When Bruce found out that I, a classical music lover, had not yet seen the "best movie of the year," he asked me to go see Amadeus with him. We held hands almost through the entire show—and when we left the theater, too.

We dated all that summer of 1985. We had been the very best of friends; we were a little surprised to realize that we were in love with each other.

We had our first kiss on August 19, 1985 (and, I have to say, it was nice!)  And no, I did not run home and write it in my diary—I remember the date because it was the day after my niece was born. We are still a pretty kissy couple.

I went away to college in Logan, at Utah State University for a year (1985-86).   I managed to find a ride home almost every weekend.  His parents were pretty freaked out by us dating so exclusively—he was still a senior in high school. Now I think I'd be freaked out, too, if it was my kid.


We dated for five years and we got to be even better friends. Bruce learned that a trip to the park meant swings, slides, tag, and dodging sprinklers.  Mountains are for enjoying the scenery. And splashing in the water. ;-)

We got married on March 2, 1990.

Since then we have lived in two different apartments, a trailer home, and five different houses—my brother's house, my parents' house, his grandma's house, his parents' house, and finally the house we bought in March of 2000.

We've owned ten different vehicles, from a 1969 Mercury Cougar to a 1996 Ford Clubwagon. We bought a piano for our very first Christmas—it cost us more than the sum total we had paid for all the cars we owned until 2004; it still holds the record for the most expensive thing we've ever bought, except for our house.

We moved to Murfreesboro,Tennessee for three years and then back to Utah. While we were in the "greenest state in the land of the free" Bruce earned his Bachelor's degree in audio engineering. In Tennessee we learned to know each other better and to rely more on each other; we grew closer, and became even better friends.  We had two of our babies when we lived in Tennessee, too.

We had all eight of our children in less than twelve years. Four boys and four girls—you couldn't plan it any better than that! (Well, maybe the timing could have been planned better...but maybe not.  They are great kids and good friends.)

Besides Tennessee, Bruce and I have been to California (Disneyland), Atlanta, Denver, Las Vegas, and Hawaii together.  Hawaii was a whirlwind trip—three days.  Every morning I woke up at 3 a.m., and could hardly hold my head up by 7 p.m.

We have supported each other through the deaths of all of Bruce's grandparents and his mother. We saw my parents' house—the house I grew up in—burn down and get rebuilt.

We worked at a scout camp with our whole family for one summer. That summer felt like a gift.

Bruce has earned an Associate's degree and a Bachelor's degree. Now he supports my going back to school, and we are trying to survive getting him through a Master's program.

Today is our twenty-third anniversary. I have been married half of my lifetime; we've been together for more than half my lifetime.  We are better friends, better lovers, better parents, better partners than ever.  I am so happy to have married my very best friend—the boy I fell in love with when I was only eighteen years old and the man I love more and more each day.

Happy Anniversary Bruce! I love you.