I met my husband, Lon, way back in 1986, in the Mount Carmel Area High School Band. I was in 11th grade, he was in ninth. My best friend had a crush on him after he was invited to join the band two years earlier than required. I paid no attention to him at first, but listening to my friend go on and on about him, I fell head over heels for him, too!
Besides being so cute with a great smile, after he got his braces off that is, he was a great friend and trumpet player. He was and still is a great listener and has always laughed at my jokes.
How the heck was I going to tell my very best friend since fourth grade how I felt?
Now I'm not a horrible person, but you guessed it, I called her the day Lon asked me out and I said yes. She was upset with me and luckily for me, she forgave me after a few months. To this day we are best friends and I'm so grateful. I love her so much.
Lon and I had mutual friends and spent every second we could together, in school and out.
One day Lon broke the terrible news that his mom and dad were divorcing and he had no choice, but to move to Connecticut with his mom and now stepdad. He told me on the steps of the very church where we were married years later.
We did our best to make it work that far apart, talking over the phone, but broke up after a year.
The long distance phone calls added up after hours on the phone.
I graduated in 1988 and him two years later. We both dated others and were engaged at the same time to other people. After he broke his engagement, he decided to move back to Pennsylvania with his dad.
I had no idea he tried to call me, and he kind of gave up after my mom told him I was engaged and not to call back. He tried to tell her that he just wanted to "catch up," but I think my mom knew I would have fallen right back to where we left off if I had talked to him. I ended my engagement in the meantime.
One day, I saw Lon's dad's girlfriend and she mentioned to me that Lon was constantly talking about me. I gave her the okay to tell him to call me. My mom was right and that was all it took. I fell right back in love with my Lonnie.
A few months later, after he asked my dad for my hand in marriage, Lon got on his knee and asked me to be his wife. Of course I said yes and one year later, Nov. 4, 1995, we were married.
A year later, in 1996, our first baby was born. Kailey is now 14 years old.
Two years after that wonderful event in our lives, our son, Lon Jr., now 12 years old, was born.
After another two years, our daughter Whitney was born, who is now 10 years old.
You guessed it, once again, two years after that wonderful event in our lives, our daughter Meadow, now 8 years old, was born.
All four births were wonderful events in our lives.
My hubby works hard and does all he can to provide everything for our family. I have been a domestic goddess, as they say, since we've been married and am so grateful to have been with all of our kids every second of every hour through their years.
I love my Lonnie more than I can tell you in this letter, and my love for him grows more and more with every minute of every day.
Laurie and Lon Morris
Catawissa