Her Perspective

Our story started 48 years ago. Yes, we never like to rush into things. I had just moved to the small town, no sidewalks, of Woodinville, Wa. from Santa Rosa, Ca. Steve and I were only 12 years old when met at our bus stop on 202nd Street. I had never imagined this shy 12 year old boy, would someday become the love of my life, my forever person, my husband. He was a young boy of little words. His major flirting towards me started in a shared class at Leota Junior High when all the students were assigned to do a presentation of some sort. I decided mine would be on the artful and very skillful demonstration of how to make punch. I'll never forget this day. The day Steve walked by me to sample my punch and the flirtatious words that came out of his mouth, simple, yet so telling of his true feelings towards me. He said, "Good punch", My heart swelled with joy. Well, perhaps a bit of an exageration but at 12 years old, simple words had an impact. Not soon after our move to Woodinville, Steve's mom Linda and my mom, Joyce, became the best of friend's, while our younger brother's became friends as well. As the years went on Steve's mom and I became closer and a special connection blossomed. I treasure and will always treasure those moments we shared. The years in Junior High and then off to Bothell High continued with moments of Steve and I seeing eachother passing in the halls, him many times with a camera in hand. We went to a Christian retreat called Warm Beach one year where he'd take pictures of me thinking I didn't notice. One day I did, and as all young people do to share their deepest feelings for another, I stuck my tongue out at him, of course. So adorable we were. Soon, I decided to make the first bold move, by asking him out to the Tolo dance at the age of fifteen. To my delight, he accepted! My sister and her boyfriend, at the time, drove us to the restaurant we had chosen for dinner. This is where Steve sweet talked me, woo'ed me with the mesmerizing, titalating, edge of my seat story of the Pig War between the US and the Brittish in the San Juan Islands. Oh, a night I will never forget. lol However, the San Juans are now one of our favorite places. Anyway, off to the dance we went. After such an evening, not even a kiss on the cheek did I receive. Later I learned that Steve was scared to death of my mother, not my father but my 5'3, tiny MaMa. He felt if he had kissed me and if I had shared such an intimate sweet gesture with my mom then she would have shared with his mom - oh, the trouble he would have been in. Our lives continued after graduation, where our paths would cross now and then but we each went our separate ways leading our own lives, living our own journeys. Somehow, over all those years we would always re-connect. Even if just a phone call or a meeting up at his brother's 40th birthday party. Fate kept bringing us back together. Our friendship from High School continued with periods of years with no communication at all. Somehow, after so many years passed, such different journey's we had taken, here we are together, a friendship that grew into love, a love that grew into the two of us looking foward to spending the rest of our lives together. We are forever grateful for our story. It's serendipity, after all.


His Perspective


I believe it was 7th grade, with foreboding, I began the long trudge to the bus stop at the top of the hill. Only this time it was different. There was someone new there. A girl with curly hair and a leather jacket. She was beautiful, so clearly, I was too shy to say hi. I didn’t know it then, but my life had just changed.

I soon learned her name, Laura and she was from California. As luck would have it, we had one class together, Speech. We all had to give a presentation to the class and Laura’s was “how to make punch”. She gave her presentation and then gave out samples of her punch. It was time for me to make my move. I walked up and said my first words to her, “good punch”. Maybe not the most suave or debonair way to introduce oneself, but it kind of worked.

From that point on our lives and friendship grew. In high school, Laura asked me out to the Christmas Tolo dance. We both looked like our parents dressed us and we were both somewhat nervous. At the end of the dance, I wanted to kiss her. In those years Laura’s mom Joyce and my mom Linda became best friends, and I figured I would never get away with the kiss. I chickened out!

Unfortunately, that was our first and last date in high school, though we continued to be friends and do things together. At a Young Life camp, she stuck her tongue out at me as I took my first photograph of her. I thought, “she still likes me”!

After high school we both went our own ways exploring life. I often thought, where would we be if I had only kissed her during that dance. Life, it seems, always finds a way and our paths would keep crossing. Every time we would meet, I’d feel a sense of loss of what might have been.

Forty-eight years later with many adventures and treasured times, I’m proud and blessed to be standing here with this beautiful and amazing woman. We both laugh how it all started with the words, “good punch”.