legend of the four leaf clover

It was 3 years ago this week that my husband and I fell in love.

On our first date, just a few days following St. Patrick's Day, at a table overlooking the Columbia River, we learned that we had shared an important mentor in our high school years. His name was Jack Ryan, a true Irishman who left an unforgettable impression on all who were lucky enough to know him. Jack had been my guidance counselor and was my husband's baseball coach. My husband is 10 years older than I am (well, he'd say 9 and a half) and we went to entirely different schools. Each of us still had the article that had run in the paper upon Jack's passing. Imagine that. For more than 20 years, two people, now sitting at a table together having just recently met, had treasured the same newspaper article and kept it through countless moves and changes in life.

Just a few days before our fateful first date, while he was traveling in California, my husband had purchased a money clip that had a gold four leaf clover tucked inside an upside-down horseshoe. As we sat at the table, giddy with first date jitters and still amazed that we shared this very uncommon man in common, he showed me his new money clip and we toasted Jack Ryan. I told him then that I had been thinking lately that perhaps a four leaf clover may be my next tattoo.

Immediately after we had said goodnight for the evening at the front door of my apartment, I walked directly into my dressing room and picked up the four leaf clover card that I had received when my father passed away more than six years earlier. It had been sitting on a shelf since then and I always treasured it but I had never once thought to flip it over and see what was on the back side of the card. Imagine my shock when I did flip it over and see.... "enables young ladies to discover the man they will marry".... Filled with both excitement and a very nervous but happy fear, I began to recognize that larger forces were at work and that we had truly been blessed by the "Luck of the Irish". It wasn't a week later that my husband had proposed to me.

May the lucky clover bring you health, wealth and happiness all the days of the year!