Dominick and I were introduced through very good friends of ours, Kate and Mike. We started out just emailing back and forth, I just wasn't up for a blind date yet. We did this sporatically for a few months then spoke on the phone a few times. I finally agreed to meet him so we arranged a date to meet and go to a movie on April 21, 2001.I can't say it was love at first sight but it was definately "like" at first sight and I was very attracted to him. I remember when he pulled up the first time in a brand new black Mercedes. I remember thinking no one told me this guy had money. Turns out he didn't(that's ok, I was always one for liking someone for who they are, not what they have), he was just trying to impress me(which I thought was so sweet). He had borrowed his Boss Joe's car who was like a second Father to him and his Wife Susan, was like a Mom to him.They had always treated Dominick like one of their own Children which meant so much to Dominick.We were going to see the movie "Along came a Spider" but it wasn't due to start for like an hour so we went down by the water near my apartment to just talk and get to know each other a little. I remember  him speaking very highly of his Family. He told me he came from a large Italian family and a very large extended Family. I thought how much fun that must be to have 2 sisters and 2 Brothers and all those Aunts, Uncles and First Cousins. He had about a million of those(ok maybe not a million but it was a lot more then I had or anyone I knew had). He had nice things to say about everyone. He spoke very highly of his older (a year and a half most of the time :) ) Sister Joanna. He told me how good she was to him and would do anything for him and has done so much for him in the past. He said she was such a genuinely good person and he really loved and respected her and wanted nothing but the best for her. He also spoke about his little Sister, Lucia.He was so proud of her. He had said she was very taleneted and she was going to college and he was so proud of his baby Sister. I remember thinking, oh great, if this goes anywhere with us, I have to pass the big and little Sister test and pray that they thought I was good enough for their beloved Brother(little did I know then that I never had to worry about fitting in or being accepted with them, they did that right away-their only concern was that Dominick be happy). He also spoke about his Brothers and his Parents with love and respect. I went home that night thinking this is someone I definately want to see again and get to know. So we went out a few times, God how I wish I could remember every day and date we went out and what we did but I can't, I have such a horrible memory. Anyway, who knew I would so desperately need to recall it so soon after we met.

The time came when I had to introduce him to my Son, Lucas who was almost 3. I don't remember much about that time either but Dominick always remembered how Lucas told him to "get away from my Mommy". I can't believe he came back after that but he did and not long after, him and Luke were buddies.

I remember the day I knew I loved Dominick. It was August 2001 and we went to Sesame Place in PA. We were taking Luke to meet Elmo and Friends and meeting my Brother Craig, Sister in Law Julie and nephew Justin there. We were swimming in the Hotel pool and Lucas went to the bathroom in his bathing suit and it wasn't "P". We took him back to the room to clean him up but when I put Luke in the shower to hose him down, I started gagging, I have such a weak stomach and cannot tolerate bad smells especially that one. as I am ready to throw up from my own Son, Dominick came in the bathroom and took over.I left the bathroom hysterical laughing. I thought for sure ok...this is it...he is really going to leave after this. He didn't even have any neices or nephews at this time so it's not like he was used to this sort of thing. I just know that that was the moment that I knew I loved him and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

Fast forward to December 22, 2001, Dominick asked me to marry him, well actually he wrote it in a card. He's so cute! Of course I said yes. We were so, so happy, who knew that it would not last....................

We were married on April 16, 2002 at Cove Haven in the Pocono's in PA. It was just Dominick and I. I didn't want a big Wedding and he just wanted whatever would make me happy. It was so beautiful and romantic. We had a blast that week. Then on Friday we left PA for Atlantic City. We were meeting one of my Sister's, Pam and 2 of my best friends Christine and Sue and their Husbands, Mike and Bryan and Pam's Boyfriend Derek. We had a blast again that weekend. I don't think I stopped laughing from the moment we all met up until we separated on Sunday to go home,especially at the fact that I invited Sue and Bryan to spend the night in our room on our Honeymoon because they had Hookers outside their room. Had I been married to anyone else they would have yelled and screamed and thought I was crazy for inviting overnight guests on our Honeymoon, but not Dominick, he knew how important my Friends were to me and again, whatever I wanted, he wanted for me. He was the best. All of my Friends quickly accepted Dominick into our tight "clique". They loved him as much as I did and the guys let him know right up front that he wasn't just marrying Jen but the whole bunch of us (Christine, Christine, Jackie and Sue). We all got along great!

Ok, so fast forward again to February 2003 the day I took a pregnancy test downstairs in my Friend Oliquas apartment in our House. As I was waiting for the results, Christine called to tell me she was pregnant. I was cracking up telling her I was waiting for my results right this very minute. We were shocked when mine was positive too. Our kids wound up exactly 1 week apart, Kayla on Oct 24 and our Jack on Oct 31.We had already decided to set them up while they were still in utero.

Ok, rewind.......so Dominick and I decided to buy the house we were already living in from his Sister Joanna. So we closed on that in September 2003 then Jack was born in October, 2003. We were so happy, Dominick was an awesome Father and I was so proud of him and he was so proud of his Son Jack. My Sister Laura came to see him in the Hospital the day he was born and told us that he was so beautiful that he looked like a C-section baby because he was just perfect.Later that day, Dominick was on the phone with his Sister Joanna telling her all about his Son and how he was so perfect that he looked like a "circumcision" baby. I laughed so hard even though I was in so much pain from having a vacuum baby. I never let him forget that one.

When Jack was just a few months old, I was pregnant again. We were shocked but excited. We wanted another one, not so soon but that was ok we were so happy and another baby could only make us happier.

Dominick and I always used to say that we were too happy and something was going to happen because people just don't get to be this happy. I loved being married! Not just married, but married to him. I loved coming home to my little Family each day after work. We always had fun with each other. Dominick was everything to me and me to him. He used to say he couldn't understand why the guys at work hated 5 o'clock(not Joe or Anthony though) because that meant they had to go home to their wives. Dominick couldn't wait until 5 so he could come home to me and the boy's.

It wasn't long after that we found out what the thing was that was going to happen because we were too happy. On Wednesday, May 19, 2004 we found out Dominick had Lung Cancer. I was devastated. Here we were just starting out our life together and now Dominick may not have a life soon.I think my heart broke for the first time that day. Who knew that was going to happen a few more times in the next few months.

Dominick went through hell from that first day.I can't remember the exact day that I knew I was going to lose him but I do remember the feeling and it was like I could not breathe. Each time the Doctor's told me that he was very sick and was not going to get better and would not live long enough to see his child be born, a part of me died. I could not comprehend life without the love of my life.I thought for sure I would die too. I also thought that I would never carry this baby to term with all the stress I was under. I also secretly thought that if I did lose this baby that that would mean I wouldn't lose Dominick. I didn't think that God would take my Husband and my Baby at the same time. After that, I was not afraid of losing the baby because that would mean Dominick would live.I guess I was not thinking straight then but I much would of rather have had my husband who was already here that I loved then a baby, who was not here yet. Warped way of thinking but I couldn't help it, it was just how I felt. Of course now I can't imagine my life without my little baby Dominick, he is so beautiful and sweet.

I won't list all the horrors and sadness that went on in the Hospital and at home over the next few months, I'll spare the people who may read this. the time finally came that I had to say he had had enough and now was the time to come home and die in peace. It was the hardest thing to do but I had to think of Dominick then, not me. He was never going to get better and if he stayed in the hopital, he would die there and he did not want that and neither did I.

My Wonderful Husband died at home on November 1, 2004 on All Saint's Day.It was also the day after our Son Jack turned 1. Dominick held out until the day after because he didn't want to die on his Son's birthday.

I don't remember much about that day or the days, weeks and months to follow but I do remember the feeling being very strange and I never felt so alone in my life even though I was surrounded by wonderful family and friends. I remember being glad Dominick was not in pain anymore but I couldn't help but think now I'll be in pain for the rest of my lonely life here on earth without him.

By a twist of fate or act of God or act of Dominick, I went into labor a few weeks after Dominick died on what would have been his 39th Birthday. Dominick Joseph(named after his Daddy and "Grandpa" Joe) was born on his Daddy's birthday and was also named after him.It was such a weird day, happy sad.............

Anyway, here I am now almost 15 months later. I never thought I would survive a day without the other half of my heart let alone 15 months, but I have. That used to make me angry that I could survive without him. It made me feel guilty for being able to go on without him. I now realize I had no choice. I had 3 boy's who needed me. I now had to be Mom and Dad to them. What keeps me going (besides of course my wonderful Family and Dominicks Family and my friends) is the fact that I will see him again one day when it is my time and then it will be "forever love"

I love you Dominick!

Love,
Jen