It is hard to believe that 20 years ago on VALENTINE’S DAY Jim proposed to me! It doesn’t seem that long ago. And it will be 20 years in August that we were married! We have always enjoyed not just the “holiday” but we celebrate an anniversary on the day.
I remember it distinctly. We were both going to school full time. We had plans to go out to dinner on a Sunday evening. He came to my dorm in his nice white Pontiac grand prix. When I came out, he opened up his trunk and pulled out a dozen red roses, and gave them to me. Then he opened the car door for me (something he still tries to do). We went to a nice Italian restaurant called Angelos in Smithtown, LI. And there in the middle of dinner, he looked at me across the table with tears in his eyes and asked, “will you marry me Patti?” I dropped my fork in my linguini with clam sauce (no joke)! Tears welled up in my eyes and we cried together (happy tears people) as I said, “YES”!

Lots of living life and 20 years later we are still celebrating this special day! We are at the end of the night now (tonight) and we just agreed that this is the best one yet!!!



This past Monday, I asked Jim if we could get the kitchen painted for my Valentine’s present.
And he jumped on it. In marriage (over time) one of the cool things that can happen (if you let it) is that you learn to “truly listen” to those little nuances within each other. But that’s another blog. Anyway, by Tuesday, he had gotten an estimate. And on Wednesday, my kitchen was painted, the downstairs bathroom was painted, and in my bedroom, well, my “beautiful new king size canopy bed” has a “new painted wall” to bank up against. I love my bedroom. Almost sounds like “the price is right”. Let’s just say, I got way more than I asked for! Here is Jim with our good friend (who also happens to be our painter).


It was a simple day today. This morning we gave each other simple cards and simple gifts – the three of us. Jim went to work.
It is a long commute for him. He gets his cup of coffee and heads up the stairs to his office. WE LOVE IT!!!! It’s rough but somebody’s got to do it!
Abbagael and I traversed through our day. We played with her new toy (a collectible red volkswagon beetle) car. We built a fort in the living room. We cooked in her play kitchen and had many of her stuffed animals, her baby, and Dora, over for play dinner. We laughed, cuddled, chased, read books and tickled our way throughout the day. Tonight, we ordered out. Jim brought home 2 orders of “linguini with clam sauce” for he and I and pasta with sauce for Abbagael.

After we put Abbagael to bed, Jim treated me to a foot spa. He took great care in the process. A nice relaxing end to a simple yet profoundly enjoyable day. 20 years have come and I am grateful for the life that God has blessed me with. One thing I know. We have truly lived our lives fully over these last twenty years. Not perfectly. But we love each other and know one another fully. And it has been good. We believe in each other and we love to believe in and encourage others in life.

Right now, as I look ahead into the next 20 plus years, I am solidly convinced in God’s persevering love toward me. His love has melted my heart and worked deeply in my soul over these years. I have a hope and and a future. Much of this understanding has come through experiencing the unconditional love that Jim has shown me and others through all of these years. And we both know that life is to be lived.....one day at a time…..and though it has been 20 years....the best days (and years) are yet to come...