Nine years ago today, I was at work. Mid afternoon, I looked up and there was a sailor (MY sailor!) in full dress uniform with a dozen roses! I was surprised because he hadn't told me he was coming up to visit (Mark was in WA and I was in Canada). He handed me the roses and said "I came up to take you out for dinner"....needless to say, all the gals I worked with were just GAGA over Mark in uniform.....it was like a scene out of An Officer and a Gentleman!

After work, I went home and Mark was waiting for me (by this time he had a key to my place and alot of his own stuff there....jeepers..looking back, maybe I should have been charging him rent! haha)......we went to the next town from mine (Mark was not in uniform by this point in time....and NO, it wasn't because I ripped it off him when I got home!) and found a really nice Mexican restaurant on the waterfront....Mark was being a smarty pants and ordered his dinner as hot as they'd make it....he was warned by our waiter that it would be H-O-T...and Mark said "it's never hot enough for me!" lets just say, it was MORE than hot enough...in fact, Mark went through several pitchers of water!

After dinner, Mark suggested that we go for a walk along the dock (pier to you Americans!)...it was a nice cold crisp night, and all the boats were decorated for Christmas with lights of all colours.....so Mark and I were walking along hand in hand talking...and then...Mark just wasn't beside me....I looked around and he was down on one knee with a ring. I remember seeing his mouth moving..to this day I have NO clue what he said. All I could think was 'whatever you do, don't drop the ring into the water' (and you all thought I wasn't a romantic!).....of course, I said YES!

So here we are...nine years later...five kids...two cats (one of which has been replaced twice)...a lizard....a house....six moves....shore duty...sea duty.....one advancement....two re-enlistments....college.....whew.....we have kept busy!

Today is also my Mom's bday. I won't say how old she is...I will just say that like fine wine, she gets better with age (or is that whiskey?).....We haven't gotten along all that well throughout my life..and we rarely see eye to eye....but she is my Mom and I love her dearly.....
So..Happy Birthday Mom (even though you won't be celebrating it...I will think of you!)....

Hugs to you all....

Mark,Jaye and Gang