After recovering from bronchitis and a sinus infection, I volunteered for the Maryland Bell Academy that took place at the National Center. The Bell program was full of fun every day with the kids making treats to eat, singing songs, playing games and more. Around the middle of the week perhaps August 12, I came home to find a small box waiting for me. I knew I had not ordered anything, no one I called had ordered anything for me; so I opened the box as gently as I could. In case I had been delivered something that really belong to a different person in an apartment some where else in my building. Opening this box, number one took an engineer to figure out and once I did get into it, I found a brand new Victor Reader Stream. Again mentally I went through the list of folks I knew or thought who might have sent me this glorious present. Calling a few folks, did not lead me to any answers. In a moment of curiosity, I called Joe, the male mentor from Youth slam that I had not heard from since the camp ended. At the time of my calling he was with family someplace in Michigan. Once he answered I asked, “Did you send me a Victor reader stream?” Immediately he denied the present but after we talked for a few minutes, Joe finally did admit that it was from him. I was overwhelmed, surprised, shocked, humbled, intrigued and impressed all at the same time. I thanked him profusely and wanted him to know that he didn’t have to do that for me. Later I found out that from the one conversation on Tuesday at Youth Slam he listen to how I loved to read but didn’t have a efficient way of reading and wanted to give me a heart felt gesture for how much he cared about me. I was 100% in awe of this mostly stranger to me who listened in one conversation that I loved reading who then wanted to give me a priceless gift without asking for anything in return. It was Joe that then helped me set it up and get connected to the BARD website for getting all of the books I wanted to read. I just could not get over the fact Joe spent several hundred dollars on little old me a common girl from Texas. It was a present that I cherished very close to my heart. When not doing something else I began to read all day and all night. I used my victor reader until it could no longer read for me.

What will be shared from this point on are the combined memories of Joe and I in the present time, 11 years from the actual events. Although most of my family has heard or at some experienced some of this story in real life, the outside world does not know how we went from Youth slam to now. I am merely filling in one piece of that puzzle. For now filling in from July 2009 to December 2009. From that point to now will be written down in parts as time and life allows. I personally feel like this piece is very special, we think of it fondly. Life now looks vastly different then these first days of wedded bliss; not because we are different, but because life is much fuller in our work and volunteer work. 11 years from these memories, we are still happily and blissfully married. We still act very much like newly weds; but I can also guarantee that in the first few years we had many challenges placed in our path. Instead of these barriers making us weak and grow apart, we have grown closer and closer to each other. The love of a spouse is so special and we never want to take this for granted; nor ever want to throw that away. So this means working on us every single day. This means loving the other person when you don’t know how to love yourself. Or putting the other person ahead of you even when you want to be selfish. Or when it would be just easier to walk away. Even working on our marriage when one of us is inconsiderate and saying things that hurts and forgiving. Or when your so scared of his or her reaction because of prior abuse, trusting that this is in all Gods plans. Marriage is difficult but can also be rewarding and comfortable. You both have to want this thing called “us”. So I hope that you will continue to read this piece of our puzzle together.