But before we get all serious and Lenten...

No, that's not some white sand beach - my wife is standing in snow. (And that's not Jaws behind her, just our fiiiiiiiine dog).

Both of us grew up in different parts of Los Angeles, she closer to the beach and stuff you think is in SoCal. No, we probably didn't know the guy from California that you met on vacation that time. We didn't even meet each other for over thirty years.

February 16th is the anniversary of our engagement. Prophetically, she accepted my proposal in a snow storm. I had invited her along when I went up to bless a parishioner's marriage in Yosemite National Park - and a storm came in and blocked all the roads once we got there.

It is a funny story - but our tellings are vastly different so I won't even try it here.

Tonight also happens to be Shrove Tuesday (aka Mardi Gras, Carnivale), the night to have a lot of final fun and excess before going all moody and deep for Lent. South Dakota ain't Rio or New Orleans, so no dancing naked in the streets. But Melissa and I are hosting a party at Good Shepherd, with pre (anti?) Lenten treats and probably a humorously dramatic retelling of the engagement.

Happy anniversary, Melissa. Thanks for saying "Yes"* in the snow back then and for sharing this snowy place with me today.

*The one mutually agreed fact in both versions of our engagement story is that she said "Yes" and then went speechless for, as SHE says, the only time ever in her whole life.