Anniversary story, the conclusion

The morning that John left Dijon remains vivid in my memory. I sobbed and sobbed as the train pulled away, waving my kleenix and wishing it were a lace handkerchief instead. I knew it would be another four months before I would see him, as he had found out he received a grant to go to Japan, and was to leave just before I came home. At 20 years of age and newly engaged, that felt like forever.

I did the only thing I could think of doing in such a sorry state. I went to a telephone booth and called my parents. It was 8 a.m. in France, midnight in Colorado, and I clearly woke my dad up.

"It's Lisa, Dad," I sobbed, not even trying to contain the tears.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"He left!" I gasped.

"Who?" my dad said.

"John!" I replied, horrified that he had forgotten (and not thinking much about the fact that I had just wakened him from a deep sleep.)

"Oh, that's right," he said, recovering quickly. "How was your visit?"

"It was great, Dad," I cried. "We went to Paris the first weekend. Then we spent the week in Dijon with my host family, and we went to the south of France the second weekend. And," I added, sputtering, "he took me to Italy for dinner!"

"Really?" my dad said. "You know, I took your mother to Wisconsin once."

(That is one of my all-time favorite Dad quotes ever. Ever. Apparently this great trip took place when he and my mom were living in Minnesota many years ago.)

"That's great, Dad," I said, still sobbing. "And... while we were in Italy... he asked me to marry him!"

Silence. The next thing I heard were covers moving, and my dad saying to my mom: "Anne, Anne, it's Lisa. John took her to Italy, and now they're getting married!"

My mom got on the phone, thinking that the marriage was about to occur at that moment (yes, I owe them big time for this middle of the night call), and it took a second phone call 12 hours later to assure her that I had not, in fact, gotten married in Italy without letting them know.

Once we straightened that out, they were so happy for us. John's parents were too, as were Denys and Christine. The actual wedding wouldn't take place for almost two more years... but we celebrate March 20 as the day the commitment really began.

The other interesting story is this: after John returned to campus (deeply in debt at this point), he ran into his favorite professor. The professor said he was so happy to see John -- for he had just learned John would be awarded a special scholarship for his excellence in Asian studies -- one that hadn't even existed until this point. The award was more than twice the cost of the trip and would offset other living expenses and tuition -- and allow John to pay for every penny spent flying to France to see me.

John has always been a believer that when things are right, all the pieces fall in place. He has a lot more faith in the universe than I do (I am more likely to think if things are going well, something terrible must be lurking around the corner).

This France trip has much of the charmed feeling of the earlier one. The pieces have all fallen into place. We are all so happy. So I am trying keep the worry at bay, and instead just figure that this is the right place for our family to be right now.

And on that note -- I'd like to say happy anniversary, John. I hope the next 17 years are even half as good as the last 17 have been. Thanks for all of the adventures, large and small. I love you.