Shortly after moving, I visited my hairdresser, Donna. She asked about our new house and when she heard where we had moved she told me that she had a client that lived in our new neighborhood. She then told me a story about Jean and Jake. Jean had advanced Alzheimer's and Jake lovingly took care of her. When the disease was so advanced that it rendered Jean home bound, Donna would come to the house to do her hair. At the time of her passing, Jake and Jean were both in their late seventies and had been married to each other for 60 years. Sixty years of sharing a life that included joys and heartache, bills, laundry, spit up, graduations, promotions, a political career, acrylic nail business, mission, service, and lots of love and caring. Jean passed away in September, 2009--almost a year to the date of us moving in. But when we did move in, one of the speakers we heard from at the first Sacrament Meeting in our new ward was Jake. Shortly after that, we went to dinner with him and some of our neighbors. We had a wonderful time getting to know him better, and he is such a gentleman and a gentle man. Every time I drive by his house, I think about him being all alone and how lonely it must be for him after sharing a wonderful life with Jean. Well, it turns out that Jake isn't so lonely. This past Sunday, as the introductions of visitors were being made in Relief Society, a sister was introduced to all of us as Jake's fiance. You go, Jake! Later that day as I was telling Steve about Jake's impending Nuptials we happened to round the corner by Jake's house just as he was pulling out of a hug with his intended. We smiled and waved as we drove by, but he looked a little embarrassed...kind of like a teen-ager getting caught kissing his girl. It was so dang cute! This morning, as I was driving off to work and Steve was clearing snow off of our daughter's car, I noticed one of our older neighbors coming up to Steve in our circle. I couldn't tell who it was because he was all bundled up. When I asked Steve about it, he got a big smile on his face and told me that it was Jake, out walking the dog. He stopped by and told Steve that he wanted to explain the public display of affection that we caught him in the other day. Steve just smiled and said, "Jake, we think it's awesome, and we are so happy for you!" Steve got the details of the upcoming marriage, and when asked if they were going to stay in their house, Jake replied that "Yes, we are going to live in my house, but we are going to make it her home." I think I fell in love with him myself! Isn't it grand to know that we do not have to out grow romantic love? That we can feel those exciting first-time-in-love feelings again? That we can have our love story, part one? And maybe even a part two?
