Ken Fitzgerald
12-24-2010, 8:29 AM
I was 2 hours late picking her up from work and I gave her a 4 hour advance warning we were getting married on Christmas Eve.
I've told the story a million times. 42 years later I'm still amazed.
It was a Friday night and I was cruising the country roads with my drinking buddies near Pontiac, IL. I was in the backseat of a 66 Chevy guarding the beer. I said I'd like a date with a blonde with a good personality. In the dark I could see their heads turn to look at each other "We know the girl....where do you want to meet her" " Mr. Quicks parking lot.....dinner and a movie" was my reply.
The next night a Saturday...I had my one and only blind date. Sunday she brought her two kids over...a 3 year old boy and a 2 year old girl and we went on a picnic. Monday I took her to dinner and asked her to marry me. 8 days later after signing over my checking and savings account I left for bootcamp. 2 days after I got home on Christmas Eve we got married.
2 years later I reenlisted and used some of my reenlistment bonus to adopt those 2 kids. A few years later we had another child.
I nearly lost her 18 years ago to a rare form of cancer.
Tonight with our 4 year old great-granddaugher Riley visiting us, we'll celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary.
I like to say that God looks after fools, babies and drunks and at one time I qualified in all 3 classifications. I am still amazed......
174974 174973 174975
The first a wedding photo....there were only 2 taken.....the second one taken this Thanksgiving with the newest additions to our family....twin granddaughters....and their Christmas photo.....
That woman has put up with me for 42 years.......yes indeed....God looks after fools, babies...and drunks.
I've told the story a million times. 42 years later I'm still amazed.
It was a Friday night and I was cruising the country roads with my drinking buddies near Pontiac, IL. I was in the backseat of a 66 Chevy guarding the beer. I said I'd like a date with a blonde with a good personality. In the dark I could see their heads turn to look at each other "We know the girl....where do you want to meet her" " Mr. Quicks parking lot.....dinner and a movie" was my reply.
The next night a Saturday...I had my one and only blind date. Sunday she brought her two kids over...a 3 year old boy and a 2 year old girl and we went on a picnic. Monday I took her to dinner and asked her to marry me. 8 days later after signing over my checking and savings account I left for bootcamp. 2 days after I got home on Christmas Eve we got married.
2 years later I reenlisted and used some of my reenlistment bonus to adopt those 2 kids. A few years later we had another child.
I nearly lost her 18 years ago to a rare form of cancer.
Tonight with our 4 year old great-granddaugher Riley visiting us, we'll celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary.
I like to say that God looks after fools, babies and drunks and at one time I qualified in all 3 classifications. I am still amazed......
174974 174973 174975
The first a wedding photo....there were only 2 taken.....the second one taken this Thanksgiving with the newest additions to our family....twin granddaughters....and their Christmas photo.....
That woman has put up with me for 42 years.......yes indeed....God looks after fools, babies...and drunks.