January 21, 2001

This day started out like any other.  I had no reason to expect it would be any different.  Eventually I would find out that what happened this day changed my life forever.  I went to work that day as usual, but when I checked my e-mail I found an unexpected message...

I worked in an office that kept me there very long hours, including weekends, and I never really had a chance to go out and meet new people.  So, finding someone special to spend my time with wasn't an easy task.  When I did have a day off, my friends were working, when they were out having fun, I was working.  I never liked the bar or club scene, so that wasn't an option either.  I decided to turn to my computer and see where that might get me...

Bob moved away from the city and found a suitable house in the "country" to live.  Owning his own business, he moved far enough away from the city to be enjoyable, but not too far so that he'd lose his longtime clients.  Since adding new clients and keeping up with his old ones kept him more than a little occupied, finding time to meet new people was a challenge as well.  Being in the computer business he certainly knew his way around the web so he decided to try to find a special someone that way...

That's where the unexpected e-mail comes in.  For a long time all I did was work it seemed.  My social life was lacking to say the least and I prayed that God would help me find the man of my dreams.  It had been a while since I had a serious relationship and knew I was ready to take that step in my life.  That day, I received a nice e-mail from Bob in New York.  I was pleasantly surprised and responded right away.  We seemed to have a lot in common and e-mailed back and forth quite often.  After 7 days and thousands of e-mails, we decided to talk on the phone.  On January 27th at 7:05pm, I got to hear Bob's voice for the first time.  His heavy Brooklyn accent was obvious and rather attractive.  He was funny and kind and very easy to talk to.  While we continued to e-mail each other, we both found the phone a better way to communicate.  I found myself looking forward to every e-mail and impatiently waiting for the phone to ring.  He certainly had my attention, but I wondered where this could go with him living in New York and me on Cape Cod, five hours away.  Then one conversation brought up the the very subject...meeting in person.  He asked if I had plans for Valentine's Day and when I told him I didn't it, we decided it to be the perfect day to meet.  I was pretty excited and couldn't wait to meet the man I'd been speaking to the past three weeks.  While I wanted to share my happiness and let everyone know about this friendly 'stranger', I decided to keep the news to myself until the day before he was to arrive.  I didn't want to worry anyone or bring up any undesirable questions.  I mean, here I was conversing with a man three states away through e-mail without a clue as to who he really is.  Hey, I would tell someone they were crazy, too!  But, I felt led to keep going.  I have to say I was quite surprised about how I felt.  He hadn't given me any reason to run in the opposite direction, no flaws that would make me cringe.  He was sweet, smart, funny, interesting, polite.  Of course I had to learn more.

Valentine's Day was coming upon us and he was set to arrive the afternoon before.  I met him at his hotel and he approached me with a teddy bear and a warm smile :)  (Later I would find out that there were chocolates with the bear, but Bob got a little hungry and ate them on trip up!)  I'm sure I was nervous to meet him, but I think the excitement overwhelmed those feelings.  After he checked in, we drove around so he could see some of the area and then went to the local mall to get something quick to eat.  I spent most of the time wondering what he was thinking and he played the perfect gentleman.  The next day we took a drive to Boston and chose the New England Aquarium as our destination.  Afterwards we found a restaurant and ended the evening ended with a movie, The Wedding Planner.  I was still wondering what he was thinking.  Was he having a good time?  Did he want to see me again?  Would I hear from him again?  Before I went home that night he told me he had a really good time and he hoped we could do it again.  With a hug, I told him I did as well.  He was to leave early the next morning and I was to go back to work.   It was quite a wonderful Valentine's Day. 

The next day I went to work and as the day went on I was quite surprised with a flower delivery.  When the woman walked in and asked for Jennifer I asked "are you sure you are in the right office?"   I called Bob on his cell phone and found out he called all over the area to find a florist to deliver flowers to me while he was on his way home.  I was certainly all smiles for the rest of the day.  To this day I still have one of the roses from the bouquet :) 

We continued to talk more on the phone and three weeks later he made another trip back.  During that trip we felt more relaxed around each other and spoke more about how we felt.  He said that he hoped to come back the following week.  I instantly said YES! which of course was the reaction he was hoping for.  This continued through March every week and we started talking about what the next step might be.  We both loved each other, enjoyed our visits each week, but how long could we go on this way?  While Bob had his own business and could make his own hours, the drive certainly was getting a little redundant.  How could we bear saying goodbye each week?  With each conversation the subject came up, but neither of us were able to discuss the solution until Bob got brave one night and asked me to move to New York.  He knew it wouldn't be easy and he didn't want me to think that my moving there was the only option he would allow, but it certainly was the best one.  I worked at a job I couldn't stand and he had his own business, the answer seemed obvious.  While my friends and loved ones knew I was happy, I knew they wouldn't be convinced that moving to New York having never been there and only knowing a guy for two months would be a good idea.  So, I planned a visit the first week of April.  I was so thankful that God brought Bob into my life.  It didn't feel real, this wonderful man just popped into my life one day and now I was considering moving across three states to be with him.  I prayed and prayed and asked the Lord to show me the path to take.

I made the same five-hour trip Bob had been making each week and arrived around lunchtime.  I got to see his house and meet his two dogs Princess and Cleo.  He showed me the area and took me to the Bronx Zoo and to meet his parents.  I was able to stay for five wonderful days and knew that moving to New York would be wonderful!  The hardest thing was telling my Mom.  I never imagined I'd ever live more than five minutes from her let alone five hours.  But she knew I was happy and how wonderful Bob is, so she did her best to be happy for me.  She was surprised how soon it would happen, though.  In less than two month's time I would be leaving Cape Cod to start my new life in New York. 

The day finally came, May 25, 2001.  Actually, it started May 23rd, when I drove to New York to leave my car.  On the 24th Bob, Phil (Bob's best friend who was recruited to help in the process) and I drove back to the Cape and rented a U-Haul when we arrived.  This way, Bob and I could drive back in the U-Haul and we'd only have one other car to drive back with it.  It was before 9:00am on the 25th and I said a tearful goodbye to my mom since she had to leave for work.  Bob and Phil stayed at a hotel the night before and joined me at my house in the morning to fill up the truck.  The days before I watched the weather predictions and rain was expected.  I hoped and prayed that it would change.  While the predictions didn't change, the weather did.  The Lord gave me a sun-filled final day.  We packed the truck with a few small things and decided that the biggest item would go next.  A very large armoire was wrapped tightly with blankets to prevent damage and was slowly rolled out to the truck.  I went back into the house to grab a box and when I got outside, I noticed the ground was wet.  I thought the sprinkler system must have come on, but Bob told me it suddenly started raining when they finally got the armoire into the truck.  I was thankful it didn't get wet.  As I went back into the house I heard Bob calling to me.  He ran in and said "grab your camera!"  I ran towards him and asked "why?" and he said "get it!"  I looked outside and saw the most beautiful rainbow!  I ran to get my camera only to find there was no film in it.  I struggled to quickly put a roll of film in hoping I wouldn't be too late.  I ran outside and there it still was.  I was able to get a few shots and results are shown above.  As I stood and stared at the beautiful colors across the sky, I KNEW that God was telling me I was doing the right thing.  It was as if he sent me a rainbow to tell me I reached the pot of gold (my new life) at the end.  I felt so at peace and happy and loved and as if God was smiling down on me. 

Since that day we were engaged on December 24, 2001 at 5:00am, married on November 2, 2002 and on December 31, 2003 we learned we are having a baby!  Each day is filled with love and the knowledge of how wonderfully we've been blessed.  I very much look forward to what lies ahead for both of us.