Today is my 25th Wedding Anniversary! So, I thought Id share a little history with you. In the fall of 1982 I was 16 and a junior in high school. One of my classes was Spanish. Also in that class was a sophomore who hadnt yet turned 15, Helaine Weber. Thats when we first met. I really didnt pay too much attention to Helaine at first. She was just another kid in my class. During the course of the year, we shared some common interests like the Drama Club and the Marching Band. I played baritone horn and Helaine was on Flag Corps. We knew each other and talked to each other but werent really that close. In the fall of 1983, Helaine and I had Health class together. Thats when we became much better friends. Wed hang out a lot. Id drive her home after school and wed hang out at her house. We spent a lot of time hanging out but it was just as friends. By early 1984, Helaine was one of my closest friends. She started dating this other guy and we werent spending as much time together. I missed my friend and realized that I had feelings her beyond just being friends. I was actually jealous. Thankfully, Helaine and that other guy broke up sometime around early March as I recall. I had my Helaine time back. By late April (April 24, 1984), I mustered up the courage to ask my friend to go to the Prom with me. She replied, Sure, Id love to. Best answer a guy could get! I was anxious about the transition from a platonic to romantic relationship, but it was really easy. I guess thats what happens when youre already good friends with your girlfriend. The prom was great and summer was awesome. The following year was tough. I was a freshman at SUNY Albany and Helaine was a senior at Ward Melville High School. I had gone from being BMOC in high school, to 1 of 16,000+ and feeling quite lonely. I managed a B average that fall , but left Albany at the end of the semester. I tried to go to Stony Brook that Spring (1985), but I was sick, missed 2 weeks of school and my head wasnt into it. I dropped out. I spent that Spring/Summer delivering pizza in Port Jefferson and hanging out with my girlfriend. Being with Helaine was great but delivering pizza was OK. After a few months, I realized that I did not want to be delivering Pizza for the rest of my life. I made the decision to go back to Albany. Helaine graduated and went to Stony Brook, which was 5 minutes from here house. She lived on campus though to get that college experience that eludes most commuters. Over the next 4 years we dated for the most part while going to different schools. We had summer breaks and vacations and occasional visits during the school year. I graduated in December of 1988 with a degree in Atmospheric Science. My overachieving girlfriend received her undergraduate degree in 3 years in Psychology and banged out a Masters in Elementary Education in just 1 more year. In early 1989, after substitute teaching for 6 weeks. I took a full time job with an environmental science company in Gainesville, Florida. It was February, 1989. I was in Florida and Helaine was on Long Island. We had been dating for almost 5 years, now, we were 1100 miles apart. I was alone! Helaine would not follow me without a ring. Being alone gave me plenty of time to think. After a couple of months, I realized that life with Helaine would be better than life without her, so I flew to New York and on April 20th, 1989, I asked her to marry me. We got married 4 months later on August 20, 1989. I had just turned 23 and she was 21 going on 22. It was a great day. Over the past 25 years, I have dragged Helaine to New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Rochester and Washington as I pursued my TV Meteorology career. She taught at an all boys Catholic School in New Orleans and got into computer training in Oklahoma and Rochester. It was in Rochester, in May of 2000, that we were blessed with a son. It was a trying time professionally as I was not working, but it was great for me to be able to be home and help my pregnant wife and then be a stay at home dad with a newborn; quite the experience. That ended when I was hired by WUSA in November of 2000. Over the past 25 years, we moved 8 times, we purchased 3 homes, we purchased 5 cars (we each had 1 when we got married), and got a great dog from a shelter 5 1/2 years ago. Life has had its ups and downs but Im grateful that Helaine has been with me for the ride and look forward to the rest of thr trip with her at my side. When we moved to the Washington area, my son was 6 months old. Hes now about to enter High school. Maybe hell meet the love of his life there.....
Posted on: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 12:31:39 +0000
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