[You’re getting the cliff note version of this story :-)]
It was May 2001 and Sarah was finishing up her finals for her second year of law school. I, on the other hand, was busy planning something special.

I was hoping for a warm and sunny Saturday but it was chilly and rainy so I had to revert to my Plan B. I called Sarah and told her I was going to stop by her apartment and was taking her out to a fancy brunch at the Hancock Building in Chicago. We dressed up and had a nice brunch looking out to the overcast skyline of Chicago. After brunch I informed Sarah that I had a day full of plans for us and as we left the Hancock there was a limo waiting for us. Because it was pouring rain we ran to the limo and I got soaked (Sarah had on a coat). As we got into the limo my plan so far was working brilliantly because I told Sarah that I had to take my shirt off because it was soaked. Then, Sarah looked at me and I had this T-Shirt on as I got on one knee:

and over 11 years the T-shirt still gets warn by me…often.

Today, as I got dressed for church, I needed a white T-shirt and pulled out my favorite one. So I thought about this $7 T-shirt and where Sarah and I are today. This T-shirt has a few holes, “bacon collar” and has gotten sewed back together several times. At times, and not thinking anything of it, I have left the house with this T-shirt on and Sarah would chuckle wondering if I ran into anyone else named “Sarah” at the store.

This T-shirt brings back a lot of wonderful memories. Each time I put it on I think of that May Saturday in 2001. The shirt is over 11 years old and looking back Sarah and I were young, in-love and ready to take on the next stage of our life – together. We had no clue what was in store for us but I gotta say that we are quite blessed. On that Sunday after we got engaged as Sarah and I left Mass we agreed that our faith will be the center of our marriage….and here we are.

Sarah, if you happen to read this blog can you please let me know what you did with all my other old t-shirts? I know all my high school and college shirts are somewhere….but I’m glad you kept this one in the closet.