mepperson,
I think my brain is going to mush from all the snow or just sitting on it too much this winter. Let me make my last statement more clear. The law states: If you properly mark the product patented with the numbers you can receive damages from the date you began marking the product. Wether they see your notice or not.
If you make or sell your products but don't mark them with your patent number, or mark them patented without the numbers, you can recover damages only from the date you notified the infringer of infrigement or from the date you file suit, whichever comes earlier. Hope this makes the mud a little clearer.