1 Carat Diamond Anniversary 1.00 ctw Ring

Jeannie liked Tim's intelligence. "We're both technically inclined. . . . Also, so many men don't want to do anything new or learn anything new, they just lay on the couch. I needed to be challenged."

The two network engineers shared a love of the latest technology.

Both were divorced. Jeannie, from Rochester, N.Y., and Tim, from Battle Creek, Mich., began dating long-distance after the convention. On their first date in Atlanta, Jeannie told Tim she had seven children. When he didn't seem fazed by that, she told him she had three daughters, ages 8, 7 and 4.

Four months into dating, Tim moved to Rochester and began working for IBM. The couple dated exclusively for the next two years.

Marriage was discussed, but each had been scarred by divorce. Tim and Jeannie also wanted to make sure the union would be ideal because of Jeannie's daughters.

After getting a job at Global Crossing, Tim was transferred to Arizona in 2001. For two more years, the couple engaged in long-distance dating. It felt wrong.

In 2003, Jeannie and her girls also moved to Arizona. Soon after, Tim proposed marriage. "We just knew we were better together than apart," he said.

He intended to propose at a fancy restaurant, but when Jeannie came home from work, she was in a foul mood and wanted to eat fast food. So they went to Sonic, where Tim proposed. He presented her a three-carat diamond ring.

Jeannie was impressed, but felt that the $6,000 3 carat ring was extravagant. She asked whether they could return it for one that cost $3,000. Tim liked that she was practical, but Jeannie also was shrewd. She asked for the difference in the cost of the rings and bought herself a 62-inch TV.

Now, they needed to pick a date, and the two settled on Feb. 29, 2004. Leap Day.

Jeannie, now director of information technology for the Herberger College of the Arts at Arizona State University, and Tim, principal development engineer for Global Crossing, said their choice had to do with another shared trait. "Neither one of us is real good at remembering dates," said Tim, 39.

Now, they have to remember their anniversary only every four years, though they do try to recognize a late-February anniversary the other three years. But they don't always remember.

"Sometimes it's a week into March before we realize that our anniversary has come and gone," said Jeannie, 45.

This year, on their first official anniversary, the Phoenix residents will take a cruise with their family to the Mexican Riviera. They won't forget the day they bought the 3 Carat Diamond Anniversary Ring



Reach the reporter at sonja.haller @arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8998.

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