Scott and I were meant to get married on August 2, 1997. What does this have to do with juggling? EVERYTHING!  

I met George Scott Dodro five years ago at the University of Pennsylvania Amorphous Jugglers Club . No, it wasn't "love at first sight," but we did form a strong friendship that slowly blossomed into something special.  The beauty of our relationship was that as our love for each other grew, so did our love of juggling. One might almost say that we were two lovers "passing" in the night. It's not the act of juggling itself, it's the people who juggle, it's the festivals we attend -- it's the entire juggling mentality!

Imagine how thrilled I was when I learned that the 50th Annual IJA festival was going to be in my hometown!  Twenty-some years ago I was born in Magee Hospital in downtown Pittsburgh. I grew up near a little town called Bridgeville, about 10 miles southwest of downtown. The home where I grew up is only 20 minutes from Robert Morris College, the site of the festival.   In fact, my Uncle Dennis received his bachelor's degree from Robert Morris. Though my juggling addiction didn't surface until college ( University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia ), I did learn to juggle in the 'burgh when I was 13.

But back to the wedding... On the quiet, starry eve of May 21, 1995, Scott knelt on one knee and spoke those four words we all long to hear. No, it wasn't "fast start, every other?!" I will never forget the love in his eyes when he nervously asked, "Will you marry me?"

We spent the next several months enjoying the idea of being engaged. Then the time  came to choose a wedding date. 1997 would be the year, to give us time to finish our master's degrees, and Pittsburgh would be the place because my whole family lives there. My preference was to get married in August, because there are no other holidays celebrated in August (in the United States ), and I wanted to create my own. By this time there were rumors about the 1997 IJA festival being in Pittsburgh , and Scott and I discussed coordinating the two events. We knew that the festival was usually held in July, and we decided it was more important for us to celebrate our wedding anniversary in August in years to come.

But then one day I was reading rec.juggling and carne upon a post from Dr. Steve Salberg which stated that the 50th  anniversary festival would be held August 2-6! He also noted that, though IJA festivals usually begin on a Tuesday, August 2 was a Saturday.   My heart started racing as I e-mailed Dr. Salberg for confirmation of those dates.  He  suggested I contact Richard or Ginny to make sure. I received confirmation, informed Scott of the great news, and immediately we knew we'd found our perfect wedding day!

I'd like to personally thank the IJA for choosing both a time and a place for the 1997 festival that suits my needs exactly. Both my wedding and the 50th Anniversary IJA festival are special events for me, and being able to fit them together so perfectly is more than Scott and I ever hoped for. I can think of no more appropriate way to begin our marriage! We're planning a ceremony on Saturday morning, August 2, with an afternoon reception - and open juggling throughout.  Scott and I are very much looking forward to spending "Phase 1" of the honeymoon at the festival, and then we're off to Scotland for "Phase 2." So, if you see a young couple in the gym walking on air, do stop by and say "hello."  We can't invite everyone to the wedding, but we look forward to seeing you all on our honeymoon!