I just wanted to share my good news with everyone. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" />

I have had an interesting and wonderful vacation. I go back to work on Monday <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="images/icons/frown.gif" /> . My bro and neice came in and on fri & sat we visited the camp where we both worked and grew up. We spent portions of every summer there from the playpen up. After we were too old to attend the camp, we became employed there.

There is an older couple who lives in the retirement home there who were (and their families) extremely close friends of my family.. Their daughter was one of my best friends growing up. It was the first time I saw her parents in about 15 years.

My bro and I toured the camp and saw all the changes, God's handiwork (gorgeous setting on a mountain river) and man's work through God's hands (it is a Christian camp) . After reminiscing (me about a few guys, my bro about many, many girls..LOL) We then went to take our elderly friends out to dinner.

We sat down with them for a few minutes before we left and my aunt(thats what we call her)says.."guess who dropped in a couple of days ago?" There could have been hundreds of people that I have known throughout the years who may have stopped by. I had no clue, and then she handed me a paper that made my heart leap out of my chest. On the paper was a telephone # and email addy of a very old dear boyfriend. She said he was very insistent that she give me his info. Last time we spoke was 31 years ago. He was always very special to my heart, I met him when I was 12 when he came to our house with his parents for dinner. He was 16, quite an age difference. But never the less, this crush (he didnt know) erased every other crush my silly little head harbored (even the crush on my 6th grade science teacher)

Within a couple of years and sporadic encounters at youth group activities, I finally attracted his attention and we began dating. Suprising everyone that my parents allowed it as he was by then a Freshman in college, and I was a freshman in HS (my father was a conservative minister). But I think my parents knew what kind of man he would become. He lived 100 miles away, but we had a great relationship. After about a year, I met someone local to me, he found someone local to him and we went our seperate ways. I regretted my part (no argument..just found someone local) quickly, and the next time I saw him he had a girlfriend with him. If he had been unattached I would have immediately tried to make up for my stupidity, but this girl ended up marrying him, and the rest is history.

I had no idea what to think. I didnt even know if he was married. His # was there but I would not ever call him if I thought he might be married. I wanted to call him immediately as I have thought of him often throughout the last 30 years. I pondered for 3 days while we were traveling about. I decided when I got home I would email him with just a Hi, and basic info. Leave the ball in his court. I immediately received a reply back.


He became seperated 6 years ago and his divorce was final around the same time as mine. He prayed for 6 years for the healing of his marriage, but it didn't work out that way. He has not actively searched for a special friend. He has relied on God to work and for the first time in 22 years he stopped by the camp where he also had spent much time growing up. He stopped in and saw my elderly friends and they casually mentioned that my bro and I were coming a couple of days later. His reaction was the same as mine and immediately knew that with God there are no coincidences. I had not been to the camp in 17 years, he had not been there for 22, and we show up just a couple of days apart. I had just been reflecting on him fondly right before I went to dinner with this couple.

When I was 16 and finally attracted his attention I was ecstatic, but I was young. I had what I knew I wanted, but didnt know how to handle a relationship at that age. Now at 48 and 52, the age doesnt matter and all our feelings are still there, only magnified with maturity. We are both extremely happy to have found each other again.

It is amazing as we dont know God's plan for us. Only God sees the big picture, and whatever he brings my way will work out because he is the designer. I had such heartbreak with my X, but now his problems and his soul are between him and God. I also ended the 1st post divorce relationship recently. I liked him very much and he treated me nice, but I wasnt in love with him. I wanted to end it several times,but was comfortable in the fact that we enjoyed similar activities such as movies, museums, etc. When I found he was not being honest with, that made it easier on me. I was hurt to find him lying to me, but not hurt about the end of the relationship. It is amazing how even then God's plan was at work, and I didnt know it. God needed my life clear and was preparing me for something better.

I feel as I have been blessed because I tried to follow God's leadings and take the right road, as difficult as it was at times. This man is a very Godly man and I have no doubts that our relationship will be blessed by God.

Smiles,
Dawn

<small>[ August 30, 2004, 07:42 AM: Message edited by: sunrise1 ]</small>

Sunrise

You did say please so I read!

This is unbelievable!!!

Sounds like a fairytale come true. I just hope it is more than just a fairytale.

No matter what, it shows that some things are meant to be and others aren't

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

Good luck to you
(When W and I met, she was also a freshman, but I was only a HS senior. Only 1 year different than you but it doesn't sound as bad that way)

WIWH

It's not just a fairy tale! and not a dream, I keep pinching myself. I just know that we are both extremely happy and we are both aware that God is working his plan.

Thru this man God is working in me also and the pain of the last 26 years seems like it has been swept from my life.

WIWH..you are right..freshman/senior in HS, with only 1 year difference somehow sounds not as bad

We will expect updates!

He is coming here for the weekend! I havent seen him in 31 years but we have been burning up the phone lines this week.

Smiles,
Dawn

Dawn this is so awesome!!!! May God bless the time that the two of you have together this weekend!!! Where does he live now? How far is it from where you are?

Updates!!!!! Ok Sunday night will be fine for the first one!!!

Dawn <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

May I just say, congradulations. Your story brought tears to my eyes. I am happy for you. I can't believe the time periods involved as far as the waiting around for the misguided promisers to wake up, which never happens it seems. I am glad to see there are faithful people out there despite the cruelty of their "legal spouse". Yes, it is true, I have some issues as being the one in waiting, or whatever it's called.
I appreciate your sharing with all a wonderful experience indeed. Take Care. God Bless.

Dawn,
You go girl! I am so happy and proud for you. Please let us know how everything goes!
KK

Daybreak..he still lives 100 miles from me. After we left the camp we spent overnite in NYC. That is where he used to live but I didnt know if he still lived there.

I paced back & forth in my hotel room knowing I wanted to call him, and if I did he would probably come right away and show us around his city. As I said I didnt want to call as I wasnt sure if he was married..maybe he just wanted to say HI, so I waited until I got home for the email

As it turns out he still lives there and works right around the area where we were just walking around the city. He was disappointed that I didnt call, Lord knows we really could have used a tour guide. It would have saved us so much unnecessary walking. I also didnt want a meeting after 31 years in the company of my brother and neice.

Nervous, but waiting for tomorrow. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

I have no doubt that God's hand was in this whole situation from the very begining. All the timing and placement of people to get us to this point is nothing but amazing. Please pray for us.

AND...I am so nervous!!! We have not exchanged any pictures. I have pulled many pix out of my photo albums from up to 36 years ago, and I scanned a couple and e-mailed to him, but nothing curent. He was cute when he was 16 and handsome at 20....and now........???? Ill find out tonite!!!

<small>[ August 30, 2004, 07:44 AM: Message edited by: sunrise1 ]</small>

So? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" />

Well...he just left <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="images/icons/frown.gif" /> but only temporarily.

My lovely daughter decided to cook dinner for us all and it was ready just when he got here. All kids (minus 1) were there and had a great dinner and he fit in to great conversation with my children (the 3 older). I was nervous in the morning but that was probably due more to the lack of sleep I have gotten all week. When I wasnt talking to him until 2 am every nite, I couldnt sleep because of all the excitement.

But once the time approached for him to come, nervousness disappeared and when we saw each other we never stopped smiling. It is almost as if those 31 years existed only for us..We seemed to know each other very well, even though we had never spoken. One look at each other and we both knew that this time it wouldnt end..it was the right time for both of us. We are both sure that God worked it out that way.

After dinner we took a bike ride to the park and had a lovely evening by the lake (with my adopted baby duckies)watched the sunset and rode home. He is a city boy and he enjoyed the peacefulness

He was going to sleep in my very large screened gazebo, coolest (ambiance wise..not temperature wise) place to sleep on my property and when I was helping to set him up we sat and talked..and talked..and talked. We talked all night. It was just amazing that we never ran out of things to talk about. We had thunderstorms on display while we sat and talked in the gazebo

This morning we all went to church and then he drove me out to PA dutch country for Amish Restaurant. . He sang in a gospel group when we were apart and they made an album , he copied album on CD so I could catch up on what he had been up to in his life. He brought pictures in an album of him and me that I had never seen before as well as other pictures of old friends.

We talked of him moving here as soon as possible. God will work out the right time.

All in all, it was more than both of us ever imagined or hoped would be.

Bonus Prize:

He is more handsome than I could have imagined.


Smiles,
Dawn

<small>[ August 30, 2004, 07:48 AM: Message edited by: sunrise1 ]</small>

Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention that his singing is fantastic...and..he sang to me..many times!!! I have never been serenaded love songs!!!

How Awesome!!!! I am so happy for you!!!! Remember to let the Lords will be your will, don't rush it!!!!

Have a great week and see if you can get to bed before 2 am!!!!

Dawn <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

Last nite was the first time that I got a good chunk of sleep all at one time in a week. But still not enough. What a whirlwind week. I am working the late shift today, so I can take another nap before work.

We are going to let God work this out in his time. We are going to try not to be impatient but we both feel that God has set this up, laid it at our feet as a gift for us to use for His glory, if we mess it up God might just come down and hit us with a 2X4.

I think the experiences I had the past 31 years, and the things he went through molded us into 2 seperate people who now are the perfect complement of each other. God's plan is perfect

<small>[ July 19, 2004, 06:34 AM: Message edited by: sunrise1 ]</small>

Yeah!!!!!

Oh my goodness, Dawn! That is incredible! I'm so happy for you. Please keep us updated!
KK

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> We are talking of getting married <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

We both knew, even before he came down to visit this past weekend that this is where the relationship would take us. Even before I had seen him face to face for the first time in 30+ years, we knew that this would be our path.

Now the knowledge of that is taking form in definate steps to make that marriage happen. We are both so sure that this is God's plan. There are some things to work out and that is what we are doing. We are waiting on God to allow the rest of obstacles to work out.

I dont know if it will be 3 months or 3 years. That is up to God. We are trying to be patient, but I hope God works as quickly as he has in the past 2 weeks <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> .

BUT!!!!!!!

so amazing and incredible that God has allowed this to happen. We are both ecstatic!! We love each other more than I ever thought anyone could love another person.

Extra smiles!!!
Dawn

<small>[ August 30, 2004, 07:52 AM: Message edited by: sunrise1 ]</small>

Congratulations and God's blessings to you both and to your families!!! May the Lord be quick about the obstacles!!!!

Have a great day!!!

Dawn <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

Dawn,

What a neat post. I am so excited for you. I hope it is everything you want it to be. My computer has been down...so just got to read it all.

What a blessing!!!

Just wanted to let you know I am smiling for you. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> Pat