Postcards from the Funny Farm

In yesterday’s Olive Garden post, I alluded to the story of how Sarah and I met and married. This is one of those stories I live to tell. Whenever I get the chance on trams, road trips, with friends, and even strangers at parties. In fact, that’s kind of like what I’m doing now. Though I know some of you, I am telling a story to strangers at a party! The party, if I may name it, is “Riley Central” and I am so glad that you’ve made time to “sit for a spell” as This Eclectic Life is wont to say to her readers. It’s a tale worth telling, with more than a few morals, and it’s anything but bland! For the first time set down in print for posterity’s sake . . . the story of us! What a wonderful, full of love, sometimes strange but always amazing trip it has been for both of us! I think you will find this tale interesting, entertaining, and hell . . . if you’re into online diaries, you might be open to learning one of the bazillion life-lessons that we’ve learned way in these past 5 years!

There are several places on this blog where I elaborate on how fortunate I am. I won’t bore you again with the story of my life up to age 32 which is the age I was when I met Sarah. Instead I will invite you to check the archives page for title that might interest you. This is, after all, my online diary. I will suffice it to say that I had been through many life-changing events and had come to know my calling in life was to teach. I was returning to teaching after life in the corporate world and had accepted the first job offer that came my way. It seemed like a great school district and I was certainly excited about the position, but there was one problem: It was in Adelanto which was 74.8 miles away from my apartment in San Clemente.

There are so many more details than I am including here, but remember this is just the story of how we met and married. You’ll have to subscribe to my diary to get the whole life (free of charge of course, but it takes time!!!).

I had just gotten out of a bad relationship. By bad I mean . . . I would spend the night, she would say: “Quick get out of the house before my son sees you here.” That kind of bad. I think my head said “MAT” on it in those previous 2 or three years and I wasn’t out to find a forehead eraser. I decided I wanted to date lightly only in the new job and town and I started before I ever moved up there through Yahoo! Personals. (No, this isn’t Pay Per Post advertising for them! -I know they offer it though-)

We dated a while and decided we were both ready to get married! How does one know that? I have no mathematical idea, I think when you know it, you just know it.

We had a fun wedding and stayed at the Luxor, one of the more ritsy Las Vegas hotels, and Sarah has been the light of my life ever since. We have three beautiful children (You think I am just saying that, but people stop us everywhere we go and tell us so!)

Sarah has been a patient wife with me. She has guided me through understanding people, and respect. It’s just like that Tim McGraw and Faith Hill song: “I Need You (Sarah).” Our lives together continue to grow and blossom. Now both with blogs we analyze and share our lives with a few very lucky readers ;) We’ve been through high highs and low lows. Life throws you curves sometimes, you gotta learn to swerve (country fans can tell me who sang that!)

Sarah is now finishing her college dutifully. next year when she’s done I’m going to throw her the biggest party I can muster. Finding her has been a miracle for me. I would have been alone up here in this dusty desert teaching in a dusty little school without her in my life. She’s perfect for me because I am really intense and yet . . . as some of you have learned . . . I think I am a genius :) I needed a woman who could love me and at the same time put me in my place when it’s needed. You might say when I met Sarah I was at one end of a red dirt road . . . alone, penniless as a sub teacher and Cingular phone rep trying to get back into teaching. Now after 5 years with her, I’m a dad, a successful teacher and trainer of teachers, musician playing local bars and recording at home . . . and oh yeah, sometimes an Online Diarist. That’s a rough sketch for now. I want everyone to know about this little lady that means so much to me. We’re planning a trip to Vegas in November and I know it’s gonna bring back all those amazing kaleidoscope memories of 2002. I don’t post enough about my wife, so expect more. As for now . . . I’m bringing this one to an end.

To quote Brooks and Dunn here at the end: Sarah in my life has indeed shown me there IS life at both ends of that red dirt road! I love you dearly Sarah!