Heather & Thor’s Weblog

March 15, 2004. The day it all changed. That was the day of Heather and Thor’s first date. It was at Joe’s American Bar & Grill, where they stared at each other from across the table in awe that something very special was happening, they knew they were meant to be, both together, forever, in each other’s arms.

Fun times followed. They traveled to Chicago for a memorable trip to see a soccer match, and although they nearly pushed each other away the night they arrived when they went up top the Hancock Tower, their love was too strong.

Thor knew Heather was turning the big three-oh not long after and came through in a big way by asking Heather, “What’s the one thing you always wanted to do.” He punctuated his intention by saying, “think big.” Heather didn’t have to think long. She replied: “Travel to Europe!” That was Thor’s signal to make a trip to Europe happen. Heather suggested, “Ireland, and you can make your return to the marathon by running Dublin.” Later that year, Heather rang in her 30th birthday in Dublin, Ireland while Thor, on the very same day, made his return to the marathon, something he hadn’t done in 10 years. Thor knew he had something special… but he was too stubborn to let himself see it.

As Heather and Thor’s relationship grew, Heather helped Thor dream a little dream; they continued to travel the country around, and while they were doing that she inspired him to reach a little higher, to take a bigger chance, to be a better person, and she motivated him to make it all happen. She did it so well and with so much energy that Thor, with the full support of Heather, decided to pursue a childhood dream by signing up for Ironman Wisconsin.

Heather supported Thor like no other. Thor, ever the stubborn one, refused to acknowledge to himself that, in fact, he was taken aback by her undying energy, as if it were her own dream, where he knew, he just knew, that this was a very special girl and he a special guy and that she would someday make a great mother with her unselfish and fully supportive ways.

Thor, now only months away from his big race, was faced with a dilemma. Heather and Thor were to go to Lancaster, PA to visit her mother on a weekend slated for his longest bike ride of his training for Ironman. He was nervous about getting in his ride and came up with an idea, one he wasn’t so sure Heather would like, especially because they would be out of town at her mother’s house. In a roundabout way, Thor asked Heather if she would mind if he took his bike along for the trip, and then the morning they were to leave if she would mind him getting up very early for her to pick him up at a highway interchange 100 miles later. Heather, of course, said yes and even encouraged him.

It was on that ride, an extremely hilly stretch of road in south-central Pennsylvania, still 40 miles from where Thor was to meet Heather at noon at the interchange, when, as if getting hit beside the head, Thor saw clear and bright something straight ahead. Not something in the road or up on the nearest mountain range, but rather something in his heart. It was love. His love for Heather. Only now, with yet another range to pass, he saw it for real. He saw clearly that there was no other person for him. He adored her supportive ways, the way she glows when she comes home and looks into his eyes, and everything else about her… well, almost. But there was no question. It was now as clear as the day he was riding in.

Suddenly Thor started to cry. His tears, they were tears of joy, of love… and he knew, then and there, that he would propose to her, and he knew exactly when and where and the words he would say. For, it was on that ride where he wrote, on the tablet in his mind, as if etched forever, the precise serenade he would deliver, along with a sparkly ring, months later at the halfway mark in the marathon of Ironman Wisconsin. It would turn out to be a day where he realized a childhood dream and, much more importantly, a life dream.

Heather being there for Thor for his moment of need turned into him being there for her in their moment of joy and life together.