[Sara Arell]

This could be lots of fun - hope everyone will tell their stories!

[Sara Arell]

Sara Arell, on 31 December 2011 - 06:20 PM, said:

AnnBK and I were talking about how we met our husbands and we thought it would be fun to start a thread and hear how other SG members met theirs! Ann and I had a good time sharing our stories and hope that you will all find it as fun as we did.

I guess I'll start - I seem to remember that I've told my love story here before but it will be fun to do it again.

November 11, 1966, I was visiting my sister and her first husband in Savannah, Georgia - I was getting pretty bored since they lived way out on an island far from the base and there wasn't much to do but soak up the glorious Savannah sun. I mentioned to my brother-in-law that if he didn't "fix me up" with one of his Air Force buddies that I was just going to come back to Hendersonville (or Hootervile as we like to call it here). He brought (one at a time) different buddies out to the house which I shot down after spending about ten minutes with each of them I couldn't even imagine dating a single one of them! My brother-in-law said well, there was one more guy he worked with but said this guy really liked his beer and that he seldom saw him without a beer in his hand. What could it hurt just to meet him I thought. So, he came out to the house along with two of his AF buddies and he was soooooo good looking - he had on his fatique pants and a t-shirt (we called them fatigue pat=nts tehn and not BDUs just yet. Sigh - I liked what I saw and sure enough he came with a whole case of beer with him! I don't drink so thought it was probably okay - it was like 100 degrees in Savannah and surely the guys having a beer or two couldn't be all bad.

I had just bought a brand new Mustang (with a little help from my Dad cause I was only 17) and wouldn't you know it, he spent the entire afternoon with a beer in his hand and his head under the hood of my Mustang! After a few hours, he and his buddies left to go back to the base and he hadn't even asked me for a date. I was ready to pack my bags and go home. Mustang over me? Give me a break! Ten minutes later there was a knock on the door and it was this awesome guy in those really sexy fatigue pants and he asked me if I wanted to go out with hi that night. Said he had already made plans to go out with his buddies and didn't want to ask me without talking to his buddies first. Well, I was totally impressed - he had manners!

We went out that night, had a great time - something just clicked and that was on November 11, 1966, and I remember that we actually went out on three dates before he told me that "I was the girl he wanted to take home to meet his family" - and he was going home for Christmas and drove to Massachusetts to spend the holidays with his parents and I got a phone call the first day he was home saying that a ticket was waiting for me at the Airport and his family wanted to meet me - he had told them he was going to marry me! I had never been on a plane before, much less this very Southern girl had never been to the North at all. Terrified but oh, so happy, I got on that plane and flew to Boston where Rich was waiting for me.

His family was awesome - they were so warm and friendly - the snow must have been 4 feet on the ground and I had never seen so much snow in my life. Rich told them that we were getting married in the Base Chapel on December 30, 1966 which was just a little over a week away! I thought surely they would lecture us on not even really knowing each other and waiting until we did but they didn't. They were wonderful and I guess I must have more of a Southern accent than I knew because they kept talking to me and kind of giggled every time I answered. The day after Christmas Rich and I drove back to Hunter AFB straight through and his parents flew down for the wedding (which was very small - just his best friends and my sister, her husband and my Mom and Dad" - I cried - no I sobbed through the vows - I was so happy and so in love with this amazing guy who had just made me feel as if I was the most beautiful girl in the whole world. But I some how managed to say my vows to this incredibly handsome man in his AF dress uniform looking at me with such love in his eyes - holding my hand - smiling at me - and I just can't put into words the love I was feeling.

That's my love story - and it continues on today - 45 years later - and we are more in love now than we were then. I am so glad I gave Savannah one more chance cuase I certainly found the right guy to spend the rest of my life with and we were blessed with four wonderful babies. I can close my eyes and be taken away to that moment on the altar of the Base Chapel right now - what a wonderful life w j


OK, who's next?

(sorry this is so long, but it takes a few lines to talk about 45 years of pure bliss)

[AnnBK]

Oh, yes, this will be fun, indeed!

I'm VERY pressed for time at the moment, so I'm going to give you the compressed version:

I have the same situation: Yankee and Southern Belle. We met in college, at the University of Texas. He was a fraternity brother of my older brother. We were both taking summer classes and the campus was just dead. I had driven home (3 hours away) for the weekend and as I walked into my dorm room, the phone rang. He identified himself and asked me to go for coffee. I paused...it was so hot, the drive had been tedious and I had things to do. But I thought my brother would want me to be polite to his friend (Southern hospitality kicking in), so I said I would go. I remember me and one of my roommates watching out our window that overlooked the parking lot and trying to figure out which guy he was. I remember that first sight so well! That was June of 1962, we were married in June of 1964. Every marriage has some rocky patches, but ours for the most part has been a smooth ride. We don't celebrate anything any more, but we will have to do SOMETHING for #50. And to continue the North/South theme, I have photos of our great-grandfathers, one in Yankee uniform, the other in confederate. They never met in battle, but I find the contrast interesting.

[April Showers]

Bob and I met in Sunday School while at college - the first week of the year. He was sitting behind me and they had us all introduce ourselves and say where we were from. He was from Thousand Oaks, which is about an hour south of Santa Barbara were I was from, so I (of course) turned around to chat.

[scrappinchar]

Rich and I met in Sunday School, too. When he answered a question from the teacher, he was so knowledgeable of the Bible...I was highly impressed. Plus, I thought he was cute.

[Belle]

Henry was the 'Boy next door'. We moved into the house next door where he was a border. Of course my sister and I saw to it that our ball went over the fence, quite accidently, so that he had to throw it back. I was 15 at the time. When I was 17, exactly one week after writing my last matric (grade12) exam, we goy married. It was so funny, we were going to live with my Dad, so he just got to move all his stuff over the fence. That was 46 years, 3 children and7 grands ago.

[PBarnes]

This is fascinating! How couples met has always been an interest of mine. I ask people all the time how they met.

When I was a freshman in college, a group of my friends from the high school I had graduated from was hanging out with a group of graduates from another high school at the other end of town. When we weren't in class, we were hanging out in a place fondly called "The Pit" in the student center. Mike had just broken up with a girl friend and I hadn't really dated at all. I recall that we ended up making out in his car (a '65 Mustang convertible) in one of the campus parking lots a couple of weeks after we met. Our first date was dinner at Denny's and a movie. He asked if I would marry him just two weeks after our first date and I told him, yes, sometime in the future I would marry him. That was in May of 1971, he gave me a ring in September of the same year, and we were married in May of '73.

I have to echo Ann's statement about smooth sailing through our marriage. We've never really fought or argued - mostly because Mike won't! That's frustrating sometimes, but we're both good compromisers and that's worked for us.

It's funny, because there were four or five couples from the two schools in that group that ended up getting married.

[mimes1]

Mark and I met at work. He apparently watched me from afar for some time until we actually met. It's a long story, but it includes an old dog, major rain storms, an unexpected hug and Ben and Jerry's ice cream. On our second date he told me he loved me, and we were married about a year later.

[luckyladybug]

I've decided I have to scrap my love story. It's a good one. Greg and I met at college, just after New Year's 1989. It was more than love at first sight--it was devine! God picked us both up by our boot straps and put us together. I had just survived a horrible Christmas alone in a dorm room. He and his sister had both just been home for Christmas, lamenting their lack of romantic interests. Lots of prayers were said all around, and within a week Greg and I were a matched set. Greg's sister and her new fiance were married in March of 1990, and Greg and I were married in June of the same year.

God listens to our prayers.

[Sara Arell]

PBarnes, on 01 January 2012 - 12:10 AM, said:

This is fascinating! How couples met has always been an interest of mine. I ask people all the time how they met.

When I was a freshman in college, a group of my friends from the high school I had graduated from was hanging out with a group of graduates from another high school at the other end of town. When we weren't in class, we were hanging out in a place fondly called "The Pit" in the student center. Mike had just broken up with a girl friend and I hadn't really dated at all. I recall that we ended up making out in his car (a '65 Mustang convertible) in one of the campus parking lots a couple of weeks after we met. Our first date was dinner at Denny's and a movie. He asked if I would marry him just two weeks after our first date and I told him, yes, sometime in the future I would marry him. That was in May of 1971, he gave me a ring in September of the same year, and we were married in May of '73.

I have to echo Ann's statement about smooth sailing through our marriage. We've never really fought or argued - mostly because Mike won't! That's frustrating sometimes, but we're both good compromisers and that's worked for us.

It's funny, because there were four or five couples from the two schools in that group that ended up getting married.

Oh, I love your story Pat!

[Sara Arell]

luckyladybug, on 01 January 2012 - 04:30 AM, said:

I've decided I have to scrap my love story. It's a good one. Greg and I met at college, just after New Year's 1989. It was more than love at first sight--it was devine! God picked us both up by our boot straps and put us together. I had just survived a horrible Christmas alone in a dorm room. He and his sister had both just been home for Christmas, lamenting their lack of romantic interests. Lots of prayers were said all around, and within a week Greg and I were a matched set. Greg's sister and her new fiance were married in March of 1990, and Greg and I were married in June of the same year.

God listens to our prayers.

Fabulous story, Jaymee - God surely does listen to our prayers.

[Sara Arell]

mimes1, on 01 January 2012 - 12:12 AM, said:

Mark and I met at work. He apparently watched me from afar for some time until we actually met. It's a long story, but it includes an old dog, major rain storms, an unexpected hug and Ben and Jerry's ice cream. On our second date he told me he loved me, and we were married about a year later.

Now that's a real teaser, Amy - old dog, rain storm, unexpected hug and Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream - trying to figure that one out in my head! Surely, you're going to fil in the gaps for us?

[Sara Arell]

Belle, on 31 December 2011 - 11:44 PM, said:

Henry was the 'Boy next door'. We moved into the house next door where he was a border. Of course my sister and I saw to it that our ball went over the fence, quite accidently, so that he had to throw it back. I was 15 at the time. When I was 17, exactly one week after writing my last matric (grade12) exam, we goy married. It was so funny, we were going to live with my Dad, so he just got to move all his stuff over the fence. That was 46 years, 3 children and7 grands ago.

Love your story, Belle! Seems as if we were all pretty young so far when we got married!

[Sara Arell]

AnnBK, on 31 December 2011 - 06:47 PM, said:

Oh, yes, this will be fun, indeed!

I'm VERY pressed for time at the moment, so I'm going to give you the compressed version:

I have the same situation: Yankee and Southern Belle. We met in college, at the University of Texas. He was a fraternity brother of my older brother. We were both taking summer classes and the campus was just dead. I had driven home (3 hours away) for the weekend and as I walked into my dorm room, the phone rang. He identified himself and asked me to go for coffee. I paused...it was so hot, the drive had been tedious and I had things to do. But I thought my brother would want me to be polite to his friend (Southern hospitality kicking in), so I said I would go. I remember me and one of my roommates watching out our window that overlooked the parking lot and trying to figure out which guy he was. I remember that first sight so well! That was June of 1962, we were married in June of 1964. Every marriage has some rocky patches, but ours for the most part has been a smooth ride. We don't celebrate anything any more, but we will have to do SOMETHING for #50. And to continue the North/South theme, I have photos of our great-grandfathers, one in Yankee uniform, the other in confederate. They never met in battle, but I find the contrast interesting.

That Southern Hospitality will get us everytime, won't it, Ann? I remember Rich's Mom telling me I didn't have to be so polite - that if I wanted something from the fridge to just go get it - and I had only known her a couple of hours! In my head, I could hear Mama reminding me "don't you even ask for a drink of water unless you are offered one". After 45 years together, I inherited just enough of Rich's Yankeeism to allow me to be a little bit assertive and after years and years of work, he has learned how to be tactful (most of the time!)
I enjoyed reading your story here too - and thanks for the idea of starting this thread! It's fun learning about each other.

And this also includes boyfriends too, so you single gals please come and tell us your stories too - and guys - we are just dying to hear about how you met your wife, girlfriend or significant other.

[angleigh]

I met Gary online about 16 years ago (wow...can't believe it's been that long ago) I had just gotten my computer and was playing around online...AOL was very new at the time and one of the things they had was where you could put your profile and such in a singles type of area. I did and a few days later he emailed me. The funny thing is I lived in Nebraska at the time and he lived in California, he was searching the singles area for girls named Angel in California (looking for an old friend) and my profile came up.

We chatted online for a bit, and gradually moved to talking on the phone. During that time I got transferred to Kansas..but we talked for a little bit more, and exchanged a few letter..yes, back in the day when people actually still wrote letters LOL A couple months after we started talking he flew out to KS to meet me. I picked him up at the airport and the rest was history. He stayed for a week, and before he left we were planning our next visit. Within the next few months I flew out to CA twice, to see him....and less then a year after first talking I was packing up everything and moving to CA.

We lived together for a couple of years before we got married, and in March of this year it will be 12 years of marriage.

[Sara Arell]

angleigh, on 01 January 2012 - 06:15 AM, said:

I met Gary online about 16 years ago (wow...can't believe it's been that long ago) I had just gotten my computer and was playing around online...AOL was very new at the time and one of the things they had was where you could put your profile and such in a singles type of area. I did and a few days later he emailed me. The funny thing is I lived in Nebraska at the time and he lived in California, he was searching the singles area for girls named Angel in California (looking for an old friend) and my profile came up.

We chatted online for a bit, and gradually moved to talking on the phone. During that time I got transferred to Kansas..but we talked for a little bit more, and exchanged a few letter..yes, back in the day when people actually still wrote letters LOL A couple months after we started talking he flew out to KS to meet me. I picked him up at the airport and the rest was history. He stayed for a week, and before he left we were planning our next visit. Within the next few months I flew out to CA twice, to see him....and less then a year after first talking I was packing up everything and moving to CA.

We lived together for a couple of years before we got married, and in March of this year it will be 12 years of marriage.

What a beautiful story, Angie - and "Angel" really is the perfect description for you! Gary must have known he was talking to an angel.

[lorac]

I'm still looking. I was seeing someone while living in Los Angeles who I met via the telephone personals. Still can't believe that I had the nerve to leave a message on that service. We were together (on and off) for about 10 years and then I moved back to New York and the relationship ended. It was on the way out before I moved, so the move helped with the final cut.


All of your stories are wonderful and I'm happy for each and every one of you who has already found their perfect mate.

[Sara Arell]

lorac, on 01 January 2012 - 11:09 AM, said:

I'm still looking. I was seeing someone while living in Los Angeles who I met via the telephone personals. Still can't believe that I had the nerve to leave a message on that service. We were together (on and off) for about 10 years and then I moved back to New York and the relationship ended. It was on the way out before I moved, so the move helped with the final cut.


All of your stories are wonderful and I'm happy for each and every one of you who has already found their perfect mate.

........and your perfect guy will come along one of these days soon, Carol - gosh, what a catch you would be for some fabulous guy! Just make sure he's a cat lover too! Hugs!

[Nutmeg]

Geoff and I met my freshman year of college (his sophomore year) when my friends decided to go out to eat at a restaurant 2 hours away. Somehow all of my friends knew him, but this was the first time I met him. I rode with him to the restaurant because he had a Jeep and I'd never been in one before. We talked the entire ride there, and on the way back when the other girl with us got the front seat and started talking to him, I realized I was jealous. We continued talking and hanging out in the dorm after the trip and went on our first date two weeks later. I knew he was the guy I wanted to marry after only a couple of months, but I didn't feel it was right to get married until after college. Geoff proposed 4 years later, after we had both graduated and he had found a decent job. Sometimes I think he might have waited even longer to propose, but silly me told him I wanted to get married the next summer, because I refused to do it the same summer I graduated from law school and took the bar exam.

My parents' story is much more interesting. When my mom was a senior in high school, she was an aide in the counselor's office for one period. Whenever she ran out of things to do, she and her friend would look through the yearbooks from the nearby college and point out the cute guys. A year later, when she was at that same college, she was hanging out with one of her guy friends and pulled out his yearbook. She flipped to the page with one of the guys she had thought was cute. Her friend asked her what she was doing and she told him, "Oh,just looking at this cute guy, but he's gone because he was a senior last year." Her friend looked at the photo and said, "No, he's not. He changed his major so he's still here. He's my best friend, want to meet him?"

[Jo Corne]

oh these are such great stories, I'm loving reading them

Al and I met at work...boring I know, LOL.

I had left the lights on in my car the whole night and needed to get the battery jump started. I managed to get to work, which was a 5 minute drive away but during the day was worried I wouldn't be able to start it again.
A work colleague took me upstairs to introduce me to the motoring journalist who may be able to help me, and so I met Al. he promised to help jump my car when it was time to go home.... well... I'm still waiting for him to jump my car battery but he sure did jump start my heart.
We got engaged after six weeks, married after a 16 month engagement ( I kinda freaked out, couldn't speak for a day or so after I agreed to his proposal, he kinda wishes it was still so quiet, LOL) and will be married 18 years next monday the 9th of Jan. We were having a discussion about this only the other day, working out that we have been together 20 years (YIKES) this year (now that it is 2012) and that we can't believe we have kids of nearly 14 and 11. We have been through emigration, loss of loved ones, parental issues and life issues, Al loves an argument, he can REALLY hold his own, but I don't back down so easily either, I am an Aries and we can be STUBBORN!! LOL, but truthfully, and thankfully, we are still happily together, working together to build our life as a family and I couldn't imagine it any other way. I love him

[Sara Arell]

Nutmeg, on 01 January 2012 - 01:13 PM, said:

Geoff and I met my freshman year of college (his sophomore year) when my friends decided to go out to eat at a restaurant 2 hours away. Somehow all of my friends knew him, but this was the first time I met him. I rode with him to the restaurant because he had a Jeep and I'd never been in one before. We talked the entire ride there, and on the way back when the other girl with us got the front seat and started talking to him, I realized I was jealous. We continued talking and hanging out in the dorm after the trip and went on our first date two weeks later. I knew he was the guy I wanted to marry after only a couple of months, but I didn't feel it was right to get married until after college. Geoff proposed 4 years later, after we had both graduated and he had found a decent job. Sometimes I think he might have waited even longer to propose, but silly me told him I wanted to get married the next summer, because I refused to do it the same summer I graduated from law school and took the bar exam.

My parents' story is much more interesting. When my mom was a senior in high school, she was an aide in the counselor's office for one period. Whenever she ran out of things to do, she and her friend would look through the yearbooks from the nearby college and point out the cute guys. A year later, when she was at that same college, she was hanging out with one of her guy friends and pulled out his yearbook. She flipped to the page with one of the guys she had thought was cute. Her friend asked her what she was doing and she told him, "Oh,just looking at this cute guy, but he's gone because he was a senior last year." Her friend looked at the photo and said, "No, he's not. He changed his major so he's still here. He's my best friend, want to meet him?"

Both wonderful stories - I enjoyed these so much!

[kimmybutton]

You're gonna laugh!

I had just gone through a divorce and it was just me and my two daughters living in our house. I didn't know if I would be able to afford keeping the house, but I wanted to give the girls some security. I had told them we would try to make ends meet for one year and if it was too tough, we would have to sell the house and move. It was a pretty new house (just a little over 2 years old) and I still hadn't put any landscaping in. It was my dream home. I was having lunch out with a close friend and asked if she knew the name of a landscaper. She did! (he-he) She later told me that she almost mentioned that the landscaper had been recently widowed. But, she didn't. She thought the two of us were soooo different that we would never be interested in one another anyway.

I called the landscaper at his home number (that is the one my girlfriend gave me). A woman answered and I assumed it was his wife. We scheduled an appointment for him to come to the house to look at the site and discuss designs. SPOILER ALERT! Well, of course, you can guess by now. His name was (and is) Carson! Our appointment was scheduled for February 14, 1998. It was Valentine's Day but I didn't even notice. He did. He later told me that when I opened the front door, smiled and said hello, he was smitten. He knew I was a single mother because I had mentioned in our earlier telephone conversation that I wanted something low maintenance since it was just me and the girls living at the house.

Well, he drew up a design and even offered to take me to garden centers to show me the plants he wanted to install. I was working 60 hours a week and really didn't have the time. I still thought he was married and the fact that he was "interested" didn't even occur to me. And, I had sworn I would NEVER get married again! He started work in May and was at the house for 2 weeks with his crew. I was working the night shift at the local hospital and would drag into the house in the morning, get the girls off to school and go to bed. My parents were coming over to watch the girls on the nights I worked. Some days I would wander outside to see how things were shaping up. I was getting walkways, a deck and landscaping done. It was a big investment for me! Carson and I would chat a little. He mentioned that he had two daughters also so we had a lot to chat about. Several times, he and his crew would be working late and I would say, "Go home to your wife and kids!" Finally, one day, Carson asked me what I did at the hospital. I mentioned that I was an open heart nurse in the CCU. He mentioned that his wife had had a lung transplant. I asked how she was doing and he finally told me that she had died a year after the transplant. I was shocked. I had no idea.

We continued to chat throughout the remainder of the project. The day he finished the work, we talked for TWO hours! He ended by asking if I would have dinner with him. My initial impulse was to say NO. I just wasn't interested in a realationship. But, in a split second I thought ... why not? I'm not marrying the guy ... just going out to dinner and talking. Well, we had to wait several weeks to schedule that dinner due to my crazy work hours. We eventually had our evening out--it was June. After dinner, he took me back to his house to see his gardens. I met his oldest daughter, Beth (Dylan, Nolan and Ryder's mom). His backyard was amazing. We sat on a bench swing and talked for hours. The shrubs and trees were lit up with twinkle lights.

After that date, I decided I would like to go out with him again. I didn't hear from him for just over a week. He later told me he was afraid to be too pushy. One day the doorbell rang. I answered it to find a florist delivery person. I was handed the most beautiful arrangement I had ever seen. And, get this ... it had twinkle lights strung through it!! Attached to the arrangement was a note that said: "You were the magic in my garden!" And, he asked me out on a second date. Well, that did it! Can you blame me?!!!

The rest is history. We were together constantly. He proposed to me on that swing in his backyard that December. There were stars in my eyes ... and it wasn't from the twinkle lights either.

We were married on February 15th of 1999. Obviously, from this story, you can tell that Carson is a true romantic ... still is. He wanted to get married in a old stone 18th Century barn. I just wanted to go to our pastor with our girls and get married one afternoon. I told him that if he planned the ENTIRE wedding, we could do whatever he wanted. So, we were married in a restored 18th century barn in front of a fireplace. He planned the entire ceremony. He printed out wedding invitations on his computer. He even bought my wedding dress for me! We had a small ceremony with only 30 guests. And, he had a flower arrangement placed in the old stone barn that was exactly like the one he had given me months before. He had taken a photo to the florist to have him replicate the arrangement. It had twinkle lights, of course. (We still have twinkle lights on the trees in front of our house all year long.)

Carson tells me that he had one price he was going to charge for my landscaping if I said yes to his dinner invitation and another "higher" price if I were to say no. LOL! So, not only did I get to stay in the house of my dreams and have a beautifully landscaped home, I got to meet the man of my dreams and start a wonderful, new life with him. Most of you know the rest of the story. We have 4 daughters: Beth (32), Kristi (29), Laura (26) and Jill (23). We also have 2 son-in-laws, 3 grandsons and one granddaughter. How very blessed we are!

Here's one of my very first digital scrapbooking layouts. It is our wedding day ... in front of the fireplace after saying our vows wearing the dress Carson got me!

Attached File(s)

•  Moments_Web.jpg (155.9K)
  Number of downloads: 23

[PBarnes]

Oh my goodness, Kimmy! That is just about the most romantic story I have ever heard! It made me cry. You certainly are blessed! Thank you so much for sharing your story.

[angleigh]

Oh Kimmy how sweet....would you think about hiring Carson out to give "pointers" to men who are lacking in the romance department. I won't say who...but I may know a person (or two..lol)

[Sara Arell]

kimmybutton, on 02 January 2012 - 03:53 PM, said:

You're gonna laugh!

I had just gone through a divorce and it was just me and my two daughters living in our house. I didn't know if I would be able to afford keeping the house, but I wanted to give the girls some security. I had told them we would try to make ends meet for one year and if it was too tough, we would have to sell the house and move. It was a pretty new house (just a little over 2 years old) and I still hadn't put any landscaping in. It was my dream home. I was having lunch out with a close friend and asked if she knew the name of a landscaper. She did! (he-he) She later told me that she almost mentioned that the landscaper had been recently widowed. But, she didn't. She thought the two of us were soooo different that we would never be interested in one another anyway.

I called the landscaper at his home number (that is the one my girlfriend gave me). A woman answered and I assumed it was his wife. We scheduled an appointment for him to come to the house to look at the site and discuss designs. SPOILER ALERT! Well, of course, you can guess by now. His name was (and is) Carson! Our appointment was scheduled for February 14, 1998. It was Valentine's Day but I didn't even notice. He did. He later told me that when I opened the front door, smiled and said hello, he was smitten. He knew I was a single mother because I had mentioned in our earlier telephone conversation that I wanted something low maintenance since it was just me and the girls living at the house.

Well, he drew up a design and even offered to take me to garden centers to show me the plants he wanted to install. I was working 60 hours a week and really didn't have the time. I still thought he was married and the fact that he was "interested" didn't even occur to me. And, I had sworn I would NEVER get married again! He started work in May and was at the house for 2 weeks with his crew. I was working the night shift at the local hospital and would drag into the house in the morning, get the girls off to school and go to bed. My parents were coming over to watch the girls on the nights I worked. Some days I would wander outside to see how things were shaping up. I was getting walkways, a deck and landscaping done. It was a big investment for me! Carson and I would chat a little. He mentioned that he had two daughters also so we had a lot to chat about. Several times, he and his crew would be working late and I would say, "Go home to your wife and kids!" Finally, one day, Carson asked me what I did at the hospital. I mentioned that I was an open heart nurse in the CCU. He mentioned that his wife had had a lung transplant. I asked how she was doing and he finally told me that she had died a year after the transplant. I was shocked. I had no idea.

We continued to chat throughout the remainder of the project. The day he finished the work, we talked for TWO hours! He ended by asking if I would have dinner with him. My initial impulse was to say NO. I just wasn't interested in a realationship. But, in a split second I thought ... why not? I'm not marrying the guy ... just going out to dinner and talking. Well, we had to wait several weeks to schedule that dinner due to my crazy work hours. We eventually had our evening out--it was June. After dinner, he took me back to his house to see his gardens. I met his oldest daughter, Beth (Dylan, Nolan and Ryder's mom). His backyard was amazing. We sat on a bench swing and talked for hours. The shrubs and trees were lit up with twinkle lights.

After that date, I decided I would like to go out with him again. I didn't hear from him for just over a week. He later told me he was afraid to be too pushy. One day the doorbell rang. I answered it to find a florist delivery person. I was handed the most beautiful arrangement I had ever seen. And, get this ... it had twinkle lights strung through it!! Attached to the arrangement was a note that said: "You were the magic in my garden!" And, he asked me out on a second date. Well, that did it! Can you blame me?!!!

The rest is history. We were together constantly. He proposed to me on that swing in his backyard that December. There were stars in my eyes ... and it wasn't from the twinkle lights either.

We were married on February 15th of 1999. Obviously, from this story, you can tell that Carson is a true romantic ... still is. He wanted to get married in a old stone 18th Century barn. I just wanted to go to our pastor with our girls and get married one afternoon. I told him that if he planned the ENTIRE wedding, we could do whatever he wanted. So, we were married in a restored 18th century barn in front of a fireplace. He planned the entire ceremony. He printed out wedding invitations on his computer. He even bought my wedding dress for me! We had a small ceremony with only 30 guests. And, he had a flower arrangement placed in the old stone barn that was exactly like the one he had given me months before. He had taken a photo to the florist to have him replicate the arrangement. It had twinkle lights, of course. (We still have twinkle lights on the trees in front of our house all year long.)

Carson tells me that he had one price he was going to charge for my landscaping if I said yes to his dinner invitation and another "higher" price if I were to say no. LOL! So, not only did I get to stay in the house of my dreams and have a beautifully landscaped home, I got to meet the man of my dreams and start a wonderful, new life with him. Most of you know the rest of the story. We have 4 daughters: Beth (32), Kristi (29), Laura (26) and Jill (23). We also have 2 son-in-laws, 3 grandsons and one granddaughter. How very blessed we are!

Here's one of my very first digital scrapbooking layouts. It is our wedding day ... in front of the fireplace after saying our vows wearing the dress Carson got me!

Oh, Kimmy - that is the SWEETEST love story ever! And Carson bought you your dress! What a prescious memory!

[Smiles]

That is certainly a romantic story! You definitely deserve all the happiness in the world.

[luckyladybug]

Kimmy--I'm so happy for you! What a wonderfully romantic story. I hope if you haven't scapped it yet, you will!

[Belle]

What a beautiful story Kimmy.

[TallCool69]

I met Leif EARLY morning August 3rd, 1997. U2 was giving a concert at the national soccer stadium here in Gothenburg on August 2nd, and I was working a long shift at the restaurant where I was employed at the time. We always had lots to do when events like that took place in the city, and when we closed for the night I was soooo tired.
It was my responsibility on this particular shift to take all the cash we've made that day, and deposit it in a strongbox at the office. The office was situated above our "sister"-restaurant next door. The place I worked at, was strictly a restaurant, and we closed before midnight. The one next door, is (still) a very popular bar/lounge, and is open until 3 AM. In the basement underneath it, there's a club that stays open until 5 AM.
After I'd deposited the cash, I was working my way through the bar to go home to my (then) boyfriend, who lived a couple of blocks away. He owned a restaurant/bar up the street, and we had decided that I would spend the night... But a couple of my girlfriends/colleagues were at a table with Champagne and everything. They wanted me to come over and join them and I said I would for one glass of bubbly...
They were getting ready to go downstairs to the club, but I said I was heading "home". My friend Camilla (not too sober) started nagging me about joining them, but I stood my ground and headed for the exit. Well at the door, two of the club's bouncers, grabbed me and litterally carried me downstairs and said it was "management orders"... Camilla and the other girls were giggling hysterically... I figured I'd stay for a little while, since I felt I had to look after Camilla a little bit. She's known for loosing bags, keys, cellphones and things like that after a wee bit too much to drink, and my boyfriend didn't close his place until 3 AM and wouldn't be home until after 4...
Camilla wanted to dance, so I joined her at the dancefloor. She wasn't really in control of her limbs at this point, and watching her dance was quite amusing... I was laughing and this man dancing with a woman next to us, leaned over and asked me what I was laughing about. I pointed to Camilla and said "Can you blame me?" - he started laughing too!
Then another guy asked me to dance, but he was sooooo boring!!! I couldn't wait to get away and was looking desperately for Camilla! Couldn't find her, but saw an ex-boyfriend by the bar, so I excused myself and practically ran to talk to him...
I was talking to Mats (my ex) when a man behind me asked me what I was drinking and if I wanted another one? I turned around and it was the man that had laughed at Camilla's dancing earlier. I said it was water and that I was fine. He then asked me to dance. And we danced until they closed the club at 5 AM...
That's when he asked me to his place for tea, and I said yes. I know!!!! I had a boyfriend!!!! Don't know what happened... I can't even blame it on too much alcohol since I'd only had one glass of Champagne!
We got in a cab to his place, but when we arrived he didn't have his keys! they were in his jacket, that he forgot at the club... So I said that he could come to my place instead...
The cabbie turned around and we headed back in the opposite direction. Suddenly he yelled to the cabbie to stop! In the street, I saw the very boring guy I fled from on the dancefloor, coming walking. He turned out to be Leif's best friend and he had Leif's jacket (with the keys) under his arm!!!
So, back to Leif's apartment... I stayed the night... Woke up next morning, he was "dead to the world". I needed to get home and get changed as I was working the afternoon-shift. So I called a cab, and left a note on the kitchen-table with my name and number... Figured I'd leave it up to him...
I had not even been in the cab 3 minutes when my cell-phone rang and it was him! He said that I couldn't just leave without him cooking me breakfast! I told him I'd go home for a shower and a change, then I could come back and he could cook me brunch before I had to be at work... He did!

When I came into work that afternoon, my colleagues all saw that something had happened. I told them and said that I had to talk to my boyfriend... They asked me if I was up to doing that right away, because they would cover for me (slow afternoon) if I wanted to go up to his restaurant to see if he was there...
I did and he was...
I told him that I had "kind of" met someone the night before. He had just assumed that I got off early and headed home to my place instead of waiting around his for him...
He asked me if it was just a "one night"-thing? And I said it was a little too soon to actually say, but it felt like it could be for real...
Then he did something that still amazes me to this day! First he stroked my cheek, then he hugged me tight and said; "You so deserve something better than me, Thess! And if this guy makes you feel good and you think this is for real, then you have my blessing." BTW - I'm still friends with this guy and so is Leif!
When I came back to work, Leif had sent roses with a card that said "Late night supper at my place"...
After that, I kind of never left... I just gradually moved my stuff in...
He proposed to me 18 months later during a tropical rainstorm on Gili Trawangan, a tiny island off the coast of Lombok, Indonesia.
And we got married 18 months after that here in Gothenburg, Sweden. At our wedding, Camilla and "the boring guy" served as hosts/toastmasters!

Sorry for the loooong story...

[Sara Arell]

TallCool69, on 08 February 2012 - 08:00 AM, said:

I met Leif EARLY morning August 3rd, 1997. U2 was giving a concert at the national soccer stadium here in Gothenburg on August 2nd, and I was working a long shift at the restaurant where I was employed at the time. We always had lots to do when events like that took place in the city, and when we closed for the night I was soooo tired.
It was my responsibility on this particular shift to take all the cash we've made that day, and deposit it in a strongbox at the office. The office was situated above our "sister"-restaurant next door. The place I worked at, was strictly a restaurant, and we closed before midnight. The one next door, is (still) a very popular bar/lounge, and is open until 3 AM. In the basement underneath it, there's a club that stays open until 5 AM.
After I'd deposited the cash, I was working my way through the bar to go home to my (then) boyfriend, who lived a couple of blocks away. He owned a restaurant/bar up the street, and we had decided that I would spend the night... But a couple of my girlfriends/colleagues were at a table with Champagne and everything. They wanted me to come over and join them and I said I would for one glass of bubbly...
They were getting ready to go downstairs to the club, but I said I was heading "home". My friend Camilla (not too sober) started nagging me about joining them, but I stood my ground and headed for the exit. Well at the door, two of the club's bouncers, grabbed me and litterally carried me downstairs and said it was "management orders"... Camilla and the other girls were giggling hysterically... I figured I'd stay for a little while, since I felt I had to look after Camilla a little bit. She's known for loosing bags, keys, cellphones and things like that after a wee bit too much to drink, and my boyfriend didn't close his place until 3 AM and wouldn't be home until after 4...
Camilla wanted to dance, so I joined her at the dancefloor. She wasn't really in control of her limbs at this point, and watching her dance was quite amusing... I was laughing and this man dancing with a woman next to us, leaned over and asked me what I was laughing about. I pointed to Camilla and said "Can you blame me?" - he started laughing too!
Then another guy asked me to dance, but he was sooooo boring!!! I couldn't wait to get away and was looking desperately for Camilla! Couldn't find her, but saw an ex-boyfriend by the bar, so I excused myself and practically ran to talk to him...
I was talking to Mats (my ex) when a man behind me asked me what I was drinking and if I wanted another one? I turned around and it was the man that had laughed at Camilla's dancing earlier. I said it was water and that I was fine. He then asked me to dance. And we danced until they closed the club at 5 AM...
That's when he asked me to his place for tea, and I said yes. I know!!!! I had a boyfriend!!!! Don't know what happened... I can't even blame it on too much alcohol since I'd only had one glass of Champagne!
We got in a cab to his place, but when we arrived he didn't have his keys! they were in his jacket, that he forgot at the club... So I said that he could come to my place instead...
The cabbie turned around and we headed back in the opposite direction. Suddenly he yelled to the cabbie to stop! In the street, I saw the very boring guy I fled from on the dancefloor, coming walking. He turned out to be Leif's best friend and he had Leif's jacket (with the keys) under his arm!!!
So, back to Leif's apartment... I stayed the night... Woke up next morning, he was "dead to the world". I needed to get home and get changed as I was working the afternoon-shift. So I called a cab, and left a note on the kitchen-table with my name and number... Figured I'd leave it up to him...
I had not even been in the cab 3 minutes when my cell-phone rang and it was him! He said that I couldn't just leave without him cooking me breakfast! I told him I'd go home for a shower and a change, then I could come back and he could cook me brunch before I had to be at work... He did!

When I came into work that afternoon, my colleagues all saw that something had happened. I told them and said that I had to talk to my boyfriend... They asked me if I was up to doing that right away, because they would cover for me (slow afternoon) if I wanted to go up to his restaurant to see if he was there...
I did and he was...
I told him that I had "kind of" met someone the night before. He had just assumed that I got off early and headed home to my place instead of waiting around his for him...
He asked me if it was just a "one night"-thing? And I said it was a little too soon to actually say, but it felt like it could be for real...
Then he did something that still amazes me to this day! First he stroked my cheek, then he hugged me tight and said; "You so deserve something better than me, Thess! And if this guy makes you feel good and you think this is for real, then you have my blessing." BTW - I'm still friends with this guy and so is Leif!
When I came back to work, Leif had sent roses with a card that said "Late night supper at my place"...
After that, I kind of never left... I just gradually moved my stuff in...
He proposed to me 18 months later during a tropical rainstorm on Gili Trawangan, a tiny island off the coast of Lombok, Indonesia.
And we got married 18 months after that here in Gothenburg, Sweden. At our wedding, Camilla and "the boring guy" served as hosts/toastmasters!

Sorry for the loooong story...

That's a beatufiul, beautiful story, Thess! Thanks for sharing!