Where it all began...

Geno and I are spending the week in Colorado Springs, CO. This is where we met. This is where we fell in love. This is where it all began...

We are both so grateful for Geno's job and the travel opportunities he has. We were even more grateful when we were able to schedule a training class for him in Colorado Springs and I could travel along with him. We spent our second night here going to all of the places that made up the first week of our lives together.

We met on Monday, June 10, 1996. I was making computer chips on the weekends and going to school full-time at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs working on my Economics degree as a stepping stone to law school. Geno was stationed at Cheyenne Mountain as an orbital analyst with Air Force Space Command. This was the first day of the first summer that I would be away from my kids. Their dad was getting transferred to California which made it necessary to change the 50/50 custody agreement and give me primary custody with visitation in California. I didn't quite know what to do without the boys, so when I got home from classes I visited with my neighbors, Gary and Rettia Perrin. I had dated over the last couple of years, but never really found "the one." I had decided to make a list in my journal of the things that attracted me to certain people and then added some other things I would like to find in a man. I read it toRettia and she just laughed at me and said, "Honey, that man doesn't exist!" Gary played on a squadron softball team that played on Monday nights and they invited me along. They were discussing who they wanted to introduce me to that night. Gary was picking out the older, divorced men with kids. Rettia wanted to introduce me to Cory (but she said he was kinda short) or Geno. I was actually living with someone at the time, but I was planning to petition the courts to allow me to move to Kentucky after my ex had made his move to California (taking away that obstacle) and I knew that he wouldn't move with me. That was my plan for getting out of the relationship. Not that it was a bad relationship, but he wasn't really a "father figure" for my boys and they needed that. So, I went to the game and sat out on the bleachers when the rain would slow to a drizzle. My first glance at Geno and it was like he was the only one on the team! I couldn't stop looking, but I didn't want to make it too obvious! I caught him looking at me a few times, too. He hit at least 3 home runs in those games, and I was so impressed! After the games, the team all gathered around his truck where they had a few beers and chatted. The whole time I was checking things off my list! Dark hair-check. Blue eyes-check. Great smile-check. And then he spoke and that accent almost made my knees buckle! Southern gentleman-check. We were never really formally introduced, and I only got up the nerve to make one comment about Arkansas inbreeding when he said how small his hometown was and that most of them were relatives. Cory asked me to go out with him then, but I just told him that I came with Rettia and Gary and I was going home with Rettia and Gary. Of course, I was already smitten with Geno and my answer would have been different had he asked. But he didn't, so I got into the van with Rettia and Gary and said, "I'm going to marry him!" Gary just laughed and said, "Yeah, right!" Rettia just looked at me and smiled.

Tuesday, June 11, 1996. I went to my class and just kind of went about my daily business. At some point I found out from Gary just how old Geno was. TWENTY-ONE! That just would never work-I was 28 with four children! I still couldn't get him off my mind, but my hopes of anything for the two of us were completely gone. Little did I know that on that same day Geno was asking around at work trying to get Gary's number so he could find out more about me! Unfortunately, Gary didn't have a phone and used mine whenever they needed to.

Wednesday, June 12, 1996. I went to my classes again and had pretty much talked myself out of any chance with Geno. I went out that night with one of the guys from my class and he introduced me to Long Island Iced Tea. They are just like having a glass of tea...until the alcohol kicks in later. I had 3 very big ones before I started feeling it! We went out dancing and closed down the local clubs.

Thursday, June 13, 1996. I had a chemistry test this morning and kept falling asleep! Not to mention, I had the worst hangover ever. I came home from class, did some things around the house and took a nap. I woke up just about the time that Gary and Rettia were getting ready to leave for another softball game on another team that Geno played on with him. Gary told me I might as well go since I had nothing better to do! Thanks, Gary! So, I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and slipped on some overalls and grabbed a jacket. Geno was there and it was so nice to see him again! He kept looking over at me, too. He hit more homeruns and I was just as impressed as the first night ;o) After the game, the team would go to the bar that sponsored them, so along I went with Rettia and Gary. Geno and I actually talked this time. He sat at the table with me, poured me a beer and we played pool. Rettia and I were supposed to go out that night, but she was too tired and marched back into the bar to see if Geno would go with me instead. He was too shy to go with just me, so they made plans for a double date the next night! Wow! I was floating until I realized that Geno would be coming to meet us and I was living with someone! YIKES!

Friday, June 14, 1996. I could hardly contain my excitement this whole day, but how do I handle the situation with the guy who lived with me? Fortunately, he had taken on an extra shift at work that night, so he had to leave around the time that Geno would be arriving. Since I hadn't gone out with Rettia the night before, I was going out with her that night...I just didn't mention that Gary and Geno were going, too! We went to a movie first. We were discussing last night whether he held my hand or not. I remember that I really wanted him to, and I think that it took him quite a while to get up the courage. We went out dancing at Cowboy's night club and he even did the Macarena with me! He was such a gentleman and he was so handsome. I loved his smile and his laugh. The heart that was supposed to be moving to Kentucky at the end of the summer was planting itself firmly in Colorado Springs. When we got back to my place, we stood by my car and talked for a few minutes. I invited him to a Garth Brooks concert that I had tickets for and then leaned forward for just a quick peck before I ran into the house with his number in my hand! Actually, I went straight to Gary and Rettia's and gave them the number to hold for me and swore to never wash my lips again. In a matter of a few hours Geno had changed me from a 28 year-old mother of four to a 16 year-old school girl!

Saturday, June 15, 1996. I got up and went to work, but I couldn't get Geno off my mind. I also knew that I had to tell the guy I was living with. I waited for him to wake up and call me and I told him that he had to move out and that I was head-over-heels for this guy. He was pretty upset with me and I was worried that I might need to be home when he moved out, so I left work early. When I got home, he was gone and I fell asleep on the couch. He came home and woke me up and asked me to marry him! As sweet as that was, I told him that a ring on my finger would not change the way he felt about my kids. He cried, but he agreed and packed up what he could take in one trip and left. Of course, I was elated! I ran over to get Geno's phone number from Rettia and Gary. Gary had a good time teasing me and not letting me have it, but he did finally give in. I ran back to the house, grabbed the phone, got settled on the couch, took a deep breath and dialed. Geno answered right away. He had been sitting with the phone on his bed waiting for me to call! How sweet is that? We talked for a few hours about lots of things...except that I had four sons. When we got off the phone, I was walking on air. It took me a while to go to sleep.

Sunday, June 16, 1996. I had a horrible day at work, so I called Geno to see if he would like to go up into the mountains. He said he would be right over, but he apparently showered and did a few other things before he got there an hour later! In the meantime, I sat on Rettia's porch crying. I told her that I was so in love with this guy already that if he couldn't handle the fact that I had four children then it had to end now. I couldn't handle loving someone like that and know that it would eventually end because he couldn't love my kids. So, we drove up to Helen Hunt Falls and climbed up the trail. We stopped in a cool spot and sat on a rock together. I got really quiet, trying to get up the nerve to tell him. He turned to me and said, "A penny for your thoughts." I started out slowly, but finally just said it. HE DIDN'T EVEN BLINK! He didn't get that look of fear and try to find a way out! He was relieved and said that he was worried about how to tell me that he had been married! He started asking questions about the boys and was very excited to meet them. Number one on my list and the only thing not checked off: Someone who could love the boys like I do---CHECK! I gave my heart away in that moment, and it has been his ever since.

We went back to my apartment-that I couldn't invite him into before because I had photos of my boys hanging all over the walls. We sat outside on the porch and looked at the stars. We played Toy Story games on the computer. We watched 'Black Sheep' and laughed. He made some breakfast for us (after I cleaned the dishes since they were all dirty! He should have known then that my kitchen cleaning skills needed some help!) We stayed up talking and laughing until the sun came up and he had to get back to his dorm to shower and get ready for work. We hugged and kissed before he left and I asked if he was coming back that night. He asked if I wanted him to. YES!

Monday, June 17, 1996. After class I went grocery shopping and then with my friend to shop for her wedding dress. She came back to the apartment with me and we walked up to the pool. As we were headed back to the apartment, Geno came around the corner in his blue flight suit. Kelly caught her breath and said, "Wow!" He smiled at me, and as my heart jumped I whispered to her, "That's him." We walked her back to her car and then went to the apartment. When I told him that I wanted him to come back, he told me later that he wasn't going to give me the chance to change my mind...his packed bags were sitting by the door! He was there to stay...and I am so grateful.