There is no better day than Friday the 13th in the Southworth house. And a March 13th on a Friday has even more special meaning. As it was this day seventeen years ago that Bill took a chance with the single, divorced older lady that also happened to have three small children.

I should start back 18 years ago when I first met Bill. We met at an after hour work event/happy hour. He was roommates with our marketing director and was invited to join us for a few drinks. As luck would have it, the only available seat left was the one next to me. He started to tell me a fantastic story about what was going on at his workplace. He was interesting and paying attention to me. Now, while two years have lapsed since my divorce to my first husband (also a Bill), I hadn't been out of the house much. Having a one year old, and a 3 and 5 year old can really cramp your style, if you know what I mean. But I also had a great divorce. Bill # 1 took the children every other weekend and one night a week. He was always wonderful to the kids and even if he hadn't been that way, that was the "story" was I had planned to write for my family. I was not prepared to give up my fairy tale life even if that life had a very different ending.

Midway through the evening, Bill #2 and I were still engrossed in conversation but another woman in our office had set her sights on this Bill and was giving me the evil eye. I took notice and (gave-up) said my good-nights and left. I had a babysitter to pay.

Skip forward one full year: It was late in a local "Cheers-like" bar in Scottsdale. I was there with a girlfriend for a charity event. Sounds noble and all, but actually we were closing the bar and the charity had ended hours earlier. And there he was, exiting the bar at the exact same time! It was if one whole year had never occurred and we struck up a conversation. He told me that a big group of people were planning to go skiing in northern Arizona next weekend and would I like to go. (Think fast, Beth....is it Bill #1's weekend? Yes, thank goodness!) I calmly said "yes" while trying to hold the poop in my pants. (Not really)

As the week went on, Bill called me several times. First, Bruce and Maureen cancelled. Then Shawn and date backed out. Finally, two other couples told Bill they couldn't come because their babies were feeling ill. Talk about awkward. We are heading up on a first date, all by ourselves on a ski weekend. Now I had not spoken to many male adults for two years and now I had to come up with stimulating conversation for the 4 hour drive to the mountains, then stay in a huge condominium with a guy I barely knew. And to top it off it was March 13th...Friday the 13th!

All my worries dissolved as I took on a "what-the-hell" attitude and relaxed. We stopped on the trip and played pool and ate gigantic cheeseburgers at some local joint along the way. We skied all day and had fun, fantastic evenings (what?...you thought I'd tell you all the details!!) Bill brought some of the best wine I have ever had on the trip and to this day, we enjoy drinking lots of wine.

Well, I am here to say thank you to Bill (and all the other partners out there) who take a chance and date someone that may not seem like the perfect mate. After dating for 13 years, we finally got married, in Hawaii. Aloha Friday seems just so appropriate. Here's to the next 17 years!