Like It's 1999

In June of 1999 my older daughter and I moved to Columbia, in preparation for a major life event. On November 13th I remarried and the journey of creating a new family began.

We began our marriage as commuters--he to Towson University each day to teach in the Music Department, I to Baltimore City to teach in an independent elementary school. For a while we didn't have much time or energy to put down roots, and the arrival of our younger daughter meant even less.

When our jobs both shifted to teaching in Howard County, we began to explore and engage. There were picnics at Lake Elkhorn with plenty of time to play on the playground, Village events in Oakland Mills, Lakefest, weekly trips to the East Columbia Branch Library. There was summer camp at Slayton House in Wilde Lake, Peabody rehearsals at Abiding Savior in Hickory Ridge, blog parties all over Howard County.

Our relationship didn't begin here. It began in the choir stalls of Grace and Saint Peter's church in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore City. But the story of our marriage is completely intertwined with Columbia and Howard County. Some happy memories:

• A dinner at Tersiguel's with my in-laws, to celebrate our engagement
• Lunch Music events at The Second Chance
• Going to see March Fourth at the Lakefront
• Trips to Clark's Elioak Farm
• Romantic dinners at House of India
• Getting to know our neighbors better during Snowmageddon
• Exploring Old Ellicott City's Main Street shops and restaurants
• Working on our quirky little Oakland Mills quadroplex together
• An outdoor lunch with my in-laws at Petit Louis on the most perfect of summer days

After seventeen years I am more firmly convinced than ever that I married the most perfect person in the world for me. What an incredible blessing that is. Knowing him has made me more thoughtful and more caring. There's just something about him that encourages me to do better and be better.

If someone made a movie of our marriage, our home in Columbia and Howard County would really be a character in the drama. I can't imagine our love story taking place anywhere else.