Looking up my Past

 I tried to understand what was happening to me, as Bill and I learned to live together and with our two children.  Bill knew I was terrified of all the turmoil that had entered my life.  I was passionate about everything, but also depressed at what I had called into being.  We struggled and fought but beyond it all, I realized I’d never been in love before.  My kids were part of the pattern that I was now changing.  I realized I needed to get out from under the pall of a marriage that had taken everything from me.  Bill revived me.  I was dying to be with him and sleep with him and make a new life. In January that came to be.  Bill was offered a job that sent him to Santa Cruz, California.  We took the day off and drove down and found an apartment a mile from Mary and Dale’s place.  We sat outside after we rented it, and Bill asked me to marry him.  I said yes.  

We told our parents and were married March 31, 1974.  We had a traditional wedding in the Methodist church near my parents.  Only David and Rosemarie, The Petersons, Bill’s father and sister, David and his mother and sister and all of us attended.  I bought a pock dotted dress in the bridal department at Macy’s, with a bright pink hat, and the kids were outfitted by my mother.  We had the wedding on a Sunday, amidst showers, but at the reception we all were overjoyed to see the sun out and our pictures were perfect (David took them).  We had a great time with our small group, and we did not miss the wedding night as our kids were too small and Bill’s father and sister had to be taken to the airport the next morning.

We really loved our new apartment, because it was on a hill overlooking Soquel and there was only a small apartment upstairs.  We had the yard and everything to ourselves.

Living in Soquel was delightful.  Bill didn’t want me to be lonely, but I wasn’t.  I had Mary and their kids, and lots of friends around, and I found a preschool for my kids part time.

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