My Wedding Quilt That Never Happened

So, I've been married for 20 years.  Here's our story.  I was living with my on again, off again boyfriend of 4 years in Riverside, CA when I realized that I'd made a terrible mistake.  Some relationships just shouldn't happen.

I was working with his sister at the time (who'd also gotten me my job) and was kind enough to let me move in with her until I found my own place.  That same week, she and some friends were going to Tijuana, Mexico for the night.  Feeling sorry for me, she invited me along.

Anita and her friends met some Marines.  They claimed they had a friend they were going to hook me up with.  Honestly, no better way to get over a loser than a fling with a hot Marine.  So, we go to the hotel where he's staying.  Gross, Tijuana hotel.  But, he won't come out to play because he has a migraine, leaving me to fend for myself the rest of the evening.  Which, by the way, I managed just fine.  There was a time that I was kinda cute, and guys dug me.  For real, I'm not making that up...

Anthony, who?

Later that week I talk to the guy on the phone and I'm pretty sure we have NOTHING in common.  He tells me he's a surfer, blah, blah, blah.  His family is wealthy and owns a trucking company, blahzy blah.  Whatever man, whatever.  Anita and her friends make plans with them for the next weekend.  By then, I'm feeling much better about my future.  Who needs a man anyways?  There's nothing wrong with being single and independent.

The guys come over and they have their buddy this time.  I think we went to meet them somewhere, so they wouldn't get lost, maybe?  I walk up to an Iroc Z to see who my date for the evening would be....

He's too good looking, I'm going to hate him!  And, he's a surfer?  Eh, not my type.  He gets out of the back seat and he is SERIOUSLY good looking.  Damn it!  I really have a problem with attractive men.  They think too highly of themselves.  It's obnoxious.  I can't stand it when they care more about their looks than I care about my own!  (One of the problems with the previous relationship)

But wait, he's wearing cut offs and an ugly button up shirt.  Didn't exactly dress us to meet me... The night progresses and I find out that he's really a farm boy from Iowa.  Yes, his family owns a trucking company but they aren't exactly wealthy.  He's seriously funny and seemingly stable.  Having just returned from Okinawa, Japan he was literally wearing his only civilian clothing.  And, he had to buy the shirt that day at the PX.  It was one of two options.  He gets more and more interesting by the moment.  And still, seriously attractive.  Did I mention funny?  Hmm, pretty eyes, too.

His drunk friend kept saying his name different ways so finally I asked him how he spelled it.  Oh.  MANTZ, I thought he was saying Manson, and I was going to stop things before they got started.  No way was I going to be associated with Charles Manson in any way.  By the end of that night, the girls hated their dates but I knew I'd met my future.

We eloped to Las Vegas 3 months later.  The thing about eloping, nobody buys you presents.  Since I've always admired wedding quilts, I decided to make my own.  My guild Secret Pal gave me the book a few months ago and I'm crazy about the project right now.  Each block will have more embroidery, buttons and beads eventually.  Now that I see the blocks up against that rick rack, I think I'm going to do something more with rick rack, too.  I want it to be happy and fun.  20 years, 4 kids, a lot of pounds (me, not him damn it) and a hell of a lot of ups and downs.  But, at the heart we are still two super hot, happy, fun kids that are beyond lucky to have stumbled upon each other.

And there, you have it.  Rich and Heather Mantz, the story.