Happy 19th Anniversary!

My husband David and I said “I do” 19 years ago today, in the most beautiful ceremony I have ever imagined. Our ceremony was held in the beautiful Methodist church we were both attending, with an amazing pipe organ and a full choir (anyone that knows David will find this not the least bit odd). Not one thing went wrong (that I remember anyway) to mar our perfect day.

Recently I watched a movie called Timer, a very scientific, futuristic movie about a dating company marketing a small device, implanted on the clients’ wrists that counts down, to the second, when you are destined to find the love of your life. And not just a good spouse, no this company guarantees you will find your soulmate, the one-in-a-million, the one that is the one.

Well, first of all, the implantation device looks a little painful and perhaps not the best fashion statement for those fashion minded among us, and not only that, the movie proves that perhaps there’s a tad more to finding your soulmate than using technology. I certainly was thinking of how I met my spouse 19 years ago as I watched the movie and how differently things could have been if I had relied on a time to predict our future.

I met David at church one afternoon, as he busily rounded up any and all single women that had attended church that day. Since I had my 2-year-old clutching my leg and climbing me like a flag pole, I really could not believe when this man, who I had never even seen, asked – no stated – “You’re single ... come on over the Pedro’s restaurant for a planning meeting for the new single group.”

OK, hello, Mr. Mustache Man, how do you know I’m single? Don’t you see this monkey kid climbing on me, chanting, mommy, mommy, mommy? Do I have, “Single, done with toad-like men” on my name badge or something?

My jaw dropped and I stuttered and stammered, as my aunt reached out to take my daughter and said, “Go, have fun!” I was thinking, as I drove to the restaurant, what in the world was I getting into?

So far my dating life had consisted of dating men who could very easily win no personality awards or worst boyfriend in the world contests. It ended up being a much different luncheon that I thought. We all sat at a long table and planned some fun events we could do, and not one topic included “finding the perfect spouse.”

David sat across from me, joking with all the people at our end of the table. I could tell from his personality that the man had never had a problem fitting in any social situation, so it was no surprise to learn he was a Marketing Product Manager at a local biotech firm.

I also found out that he was very easy to joke with and the laughter went on all afternoon. I have to admit I felt a little safe, chatting with him. I had seen him enter with the other planner of the group, Susan, and my assumption was that he was dating Susan, which made him safe to talk to. No chance of getting hurt or being disappointed.

Imagine my surprise when I received a phone call that evening to tell me what a great time he had had and how glad he was that I had decided to join their group. A few minutes of conversations and I found out he was not dating Susan and was currently single.

Uh oh. The little warning bell went off in my head and I felt that skidding feeling of my emotions crashing into each other ... but I thought, what the heck, let’s just see where this goes. David was off to the East Coast for a week-long conference, but he wanted to be sure we set something up when he returned since, he’d then be off on another business.

Our first date was so much fun. We cruised down to Laguna, a beautiful picturesque city in Southern California, where we dined, right on the beach. After our delicious brunch, we walked the beach and had ice cream and talked for hours.

When he dropped me off at my apartment that night, I thought to myself, "I hope he calls me back."

I wonder if I had a timer, like from the movie, would it have been easier to see he was the one? What if the timer said he was not the one and I ignored him?

We dated less than a year before he proposed. We were married Sept. 6, 1992, slightly a year after we met.

I never doubted he was the one and, to this day, I truly believe it was the best decision I have ever made in my whole entire life.

Who needs technology when the heart is the best indicator of true love?