I Was Lucky

Nineteen years ago today in an October snowstorm I married the man of my dreams.  In our blog profile located along the edge of this blog I say, “it may sound crony but it was love at first sight.” and it was.  I don’t think I’ve ever talked about the way Michael and I met on the blog but here’s our story.

I was living in Powell, WY in 1994 and it was before the days of internet.  Michael was living here and we both read the Billings Gazette—it being the regional newspaper.  Remember the personal ads—lots of newspapers and magazines carried those ads at that time and I would read them occasionally thinking, “nope, that’s a good way to get murdered.”  But life in Powell, WY was lonely, it was a college town and I was way past the age of college boys.  So, you could use the Billings Gazette personal ads in two ways, write your own ad or answer one of the ads.  I chose to answer the ads—I began answering ads I found interesting in late 1993, dating some but not finding the right one.  One day in the summer of 1994, I noticed an ad which read something like this, “fourth generation Montana rancher, hardworking, honest………” and I answered it.  I’ve always liked cowboys!

Michael received 33 answers to his ad that day—the person answering the ad left a recording telling the person placing the ad something about themselves.  Michael had raised two stepchildren and did not want to do that again—I was the first person he listened to who said, “I have no children, only two dogs.”  So, he called me one Monday evening, we talked for a hour or so then he asked if I would meet him in Billings for dinner.  I did on August 12 and on October 16, 1994 we were married.  There was a lot of doubt and worry amongst friends and family but it was the right thing to do—we have had a wonderful marriage, just about perfect if you ask me!

Tonight Jeane and Steve treated Michael and me to dinner at The Grand in Big Timber—here’s another little funny story from 19 years ago.  The weekend after I met Michael in Billings I drove to Big Timber and we had dinner at The Grand—Jeane and Steve (long time friends of Michael’s) were having dinner with friends and Jeane just about had a broken neck from craning around to see just who that woman was with Mike!!  Two months later she was attending our wedding.

We were married in the house of friends Jill and Terry, up the road from where we now live, just friends and family in an October snowstorm on a Sunday afternoon.  One of the best days of my life!

Our wedding day.