Choices

On May 21, 2005 I married Carol Quigley. The following post is what I wrote to be included in our wedding program that day. I find it fitting today to share this with those of you who read this and to use this opportunity to remind her how lucky I still feel.

Choices

In the summer of 1995, two strangers made the choice to attend Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville. Those same two strangers also made the choice to join a “Learning Community” that was designed to accommodate college freshman to University life by integrating three classes with the same themes. It was in that community that Scott Hopfinger met Carol Quigley and they chose to be friends.

At the end of that school year, Carol chose to leave SIUE and attend Illinois State University, while Scott chose to stay at Edwardsville. Difficult as it was, they both chose not to express their true feelings about one another and they each went their separate ways without so much as a kiss goodbye.

In the ensuing six years, they each made choices that took their lives in many different directions. Carol chose to move to cities like Normal, Bloomington, and Champaign, to pursue employment and to stay close to her family. Scott chose to stay close to Belleville and finish his degree in English, only to take a job at a payroll company in Missouri with no experience required.

In 2002, Carol chose to move to Shiloh, IL with her sister, brother-in-law, and their two children to work as a loan processor for her brother-in-law’s business. That business that Carol worked for chose to use the same payroll company that Scott happened to be working for. One day in October of that year, Scott chose to pay attention to his work and saw the name Carol Quigley on some forms that he was processing. After determining that it was the same Carol Quigley he remembered, Scott chose to call her and ask her to meet him at his softball game so that they could catch up on the past six years. Without knowing what she was getting into, Carol chose to meet Scott that night. She also chose to meet him the next night, and many times thereafter. In the ensuing months, they fell in love.

Today Carol and I choose to spend the rest of our lives together and we are honored that you chose to celebrate this day with us. We would like to thank you all for being here and for supporting us in every choice that we’ve had to make along our long journey. I’m not quite sure which choice I made that led me to Carol, or if any of this was even a choice at all. Some things are just meant to be. I just know that today she has chosen to make me the luckiest man in the world. It was definitely worth the wait.

Since that day, Carol has made other choices. She has chosen to buy a house with me and turn it into our home. She has chosen to give me the most beautiful child and family that I could ever ask for. She has also chosen to remain my wife and be the best friend that I have ever had. I love you Carol and I hope that this first five years is only the beginning of a lifelong journey that we will choose each day to spend with each other. Thank you for everything that you do. You truly are the most wonderful and amazing woman I have ever met.

Happy Anniversay

I love you

P.S. Carol, this counts as your card : )