November 20, 1999

About nine years ago, I was working from home one afternoon and I had my AOL Instant Messenger open so that I could communicate with my office. All of a sudden a message popped up and this person asked if I was his friend Terry. I said no. He apologized and explained that his friend worked at a 911 center in Utah and all he could remember was that she had 911 in her screen name. Since he couldn't remember the whole thing, he'd done a search for screen names with 911 in them and mine showed up and flagged me as being online. He took a shot that it might be her. He then asked if I worked for a 911 center and I explained that I'd recently left a job in a center. He was genuinely curious and asked several more questions. Before I knew it, we'd talked the whole afternoon away and I'd gotten very little of my work done.

We left that conversation agreeing that we'd add each other to our buddy lists and chat next time we were online at the same time. Those chats soon began to be daily sessions where we exchanged thoughts and ideas and got to know one another. Months and months flew by and then the phone calls began. Before we knew it, this guy from Utah and I had formed a bond over the miles. He decided he wanted to move down here to Louisiana so he found a job and a place to live. I picked him up in Kansas City that summer - July 10, 1999. We were married four months and ten days later. I was two weeks shy of my 38th birthday.

Eight years ago today, I married the man that I had given up hope of ever finding. Yet he found me on a fairly new thing called the internet. If I'd been anywhere else but at home on my computer that day, these past eight years would have been so very different and lonely.

Instead of sitting here telling you what a lonely 45 year old woman I am, I get to tell you about how well taken care of I am, how loved I am, and how happy I am. These eight years have flown by with E by my side. There have been high points and low points but through them all we have stood together knowing that neither of us wanted to be in any other place.

So thank you, my darling E, for being the husband that you are. I would have laughed all those years ago if someone had told me how this would all go down. But the smile on my face today is one of pure joy because I get to be your wife. I love you deeper every year and I am so thankful to have your hand to hold as we journey through life together.