Through the Years with Tracie - How it Began

Our story opens with the arrival of a young Navy man home from work on a brisk January afternoon in Virginia Beach, Va. The setting was their first apartment, the small "Charlie Brown" like tree still in the corner of the family room. He was quickly greeted by a beautiful young lady that to this very day still takes his breathe away and holds his heart captive. She quickly explains that there isn't much time; we have to be at the court house by 5 p.m. when it closes. The typical male response followed, "WHY"? To get our marriage license of course, she explains. I am confused the young man replies. Let me explain it to you then, you said when we moved in together that it was temporary, so today we are making it permanent. I have already purchased our rings, and we have an appointment with the Justice of the Peace at 8 p.m., so all we have left is the marriage license that cost $25.

Flashback: Just six months prior in July, our young couple had met. It was like fireworks on the 4^th only it was the 9^th. The young couple just seemed to fit from that very first moment as they had even jokingly talked about marriage that very first night, even before the young man was introduced to her retired Master Chief father, who yes he met later that same night. Every night that followed you could find the two of them together, right up to his first 3 month deployment which began in August. In the midst of these preparations to deploy our young rebel celebrated his 19^th birthday on July 16, 1987 at a private party of two where he was showered by gifts that revealed the heart of a very special young lady. Much to her surprise the young man arrived early on the morning of the 18^th, when she opened the door wearing what would later become his favorite night shirt, all she could she is our young man on bended knee with what obviously looked bigger than it was ring, as she quickly said yes. The two of them continued the fasted pace love affair through many hand written cards and letters that smelled of them when they ever so slowly arrived via what is referred to now a days as “snail mail”, a young sailors best friend while being separated from home. The three months seemed to drag by, but at the end she was what awaited him on the pier. His eyes filled with tears of joy as all the horror stories form older Navy men had been proven wrong in the instance that his eyes caught just a glimpse of her on the pier, he knew then he had a keeper. Our couple picks up where they left off prior to his departure, making plans for a May to June time frame wedding, with family in disagreement every step of the way, the couple moved in together in November.

The couple begins to frantically search their small apartment for any loose change they could find, as between them they may have had $15 dollars cash. With every usual spot searched, both in the cars and apartment, they found exactly enough change to make up the difference. He quickly changed into his military working blue uniform at her request and they headed out to get their marriage license. Arriving just in time to get in line, they filled out the application, answered a few simple questions, paid the clerk their money and they were off again with a license to be married in the state of Virginia.