Celebrating 25 Wonderful Years

On this day 25 years ago, Motoko and I got married.   We are as happy today as we were then – well, at least I am 😉

Some of the highlights of this 25 year adventure are:

• We were joined by 2 wonderful yet very outspoken children, Mariko and Bill 4th, who have or are about to graduate college and are now starting their own careers and will soon meet the perfect person.
• Moved at least 10 times, including to 3 countries and 4 different states, and have driven across the US 3 times, moving to new locations.
• We have each had at least four career changes, including building and and ultimately selling multiple companies (Motoko has ran hers for over 10 years)
• Have visited 49 of 50 US states and 30+ countries together
• Have been to at least a dozen Def Leppard concerts and many others

A few who have sent congratulations today asked how we met.

It is a pretty interesting story and helped me believe that some things are destined to happen.  We first met at a McDonald’s in Hiroshima Japan. My good friend Irv and I were in Hiroshima, causing trouble and having fun with the locals.  Our typical restaurant was full due to the number of people attending the Cherry Blossom festival. We would never go to McDonald’s, but it had the shortest lines, so we made an exception.  What were the odds that we, two Americans based 45 minutes away, never went to McDonald’s, would happen into one then?

Sitting next to us were two Japanese women reading a Japanese heavy metal rock band magazine.  We noticed this immediately since in the early 80s, you could not go anywhere in Japan without hearing Michael Jackson’s music playing. I don’t recall if it was Irv or I who asked them about not liking MJ, and they told us they were into bands like Def Leppard, Scorpions, and Judist Priest.  We were amazed and teased them for not being Japanese and liking MJ.

We commented on their English ability and learned they were college students.  Motoko was in town helping her sister move into the dorm at her college. Motoko was attending college 4 hours away.  The net is that we spent the day together and, over the coming months, talked on the phone, wrote letters, and met in person whenever possible.

Again, what are the odds that Motoko, attending college 4 hours away and not a fan of McDonald’s, would be at one and pull out a magazine that would get the attention of the two Americans sitting next to them?  On top of that, she was supposed to be studying in Hawaii in a semester abroad program but did not go at the last minute.

Not sure exactly when, I am sure that will get me in trouble, but I knew she was the one for me and started the process of asking her very traditional family for permission to marry her. In parallel, Motoko was trying to finish her University program and graduate while I was facing the US Military foreign marriage paperwork gauntlet while bouncing around the Pacific in training operations.  I received approvals all around, and we got married.

Over the next 7 years, Motoko experienced the harsh reality of being Marine’s wife as I deployed to several far-off lands and transfers to different duty stations and training rotations.  After a 14-month deployment during the first Gulf War, I left the Corps and became a full-time dad and student supported by Motoko and the GI Bill.  As they say, the rest is history.

Time has gone fast, and unless you really slow down and think about it, you don’t realize what has passed. I am very fortunate to have found such a special woman and best friend who is tolerant of me and willing to have me for another 25 to 50 years.