I love my husband with all of my heart.<P>That is something that I don't think I have ever posted on this forum. Usually, I use it for much-needed vents and so that I can talk to others who can relate to the situation. In my moments of self-pity, I often forget what I'm fighting for. That's why I want to start this thread - to share the happy times we had with our spouses and to reaffirm why we're fighting so hard for our marriages.<P>I was a receptionist at a manufacturing company in Blythewood, South Carolina. I had gotten dressed up that Thursday, because I was going to an Aerosmith concert right after work. I was a very much a tomboy - most of my friends were men, but I had only had one boyfriend in my life. The guys in the back were all married, and I was good friends with all of them, AND their wives. They informed me that they would be interviewing for an assembely position.<P>I was sitting at my desk when he walked in. Wavy, light brown hair a la Mel Gibson in "Lethal Weapon 3", a pair of SHORT shorts, a fireman's shirt, and smoldering brown eyes. Eyes that with one look, could have you eating out of his hand. He said that he was here for the interview, so I went to the back to find Charlie, the Warehouse Manager. When I found him, I said, "Your 1:00 interview is here. HIRE HIM!!!"<P>I didn't see him for the rest of the day, but I went home to get my roommates to go to the concert, and I started telling them about this gorgeous guy I had met at work. Terri asked, "Was he wearing a ring?" I said, "I don't know!" She said, "Okay, when you see him tomorrow, if he's not wearing a ring, ask him out or you can't come home. Lord knows you need a man!" <P>I went to work that Monday, and sure enough, he had started. We talked, and I (trying to be casual and discreet, but with little luck) looked for a wedding ring. There was none! I walked away, still too chicken to ask him out. He called after me, and I turned around. He said, "since I'm the new guy, I feel it's my duty to take you to lunch." I agreed, and then he informed me that his car was in the shop, and I would need to drive. Now y'all, I drove a car that was so beyond hooptie, I can't even describe it. That, and it was totally trashed from the carpool to the Aerosmith concert. I did NOT want him to see my car, so I said that my car was acting up, and it wouldn't be a good idea to drive it more than it needed to be. The guys at work got wind of this (I was one of two women who worked there. The other was my supervisor and friend, and she was married to one of the guys in the back), and so they chauferred us to lunch. These guys were all like the older brothers I never had (or WANTED! ), and so they always managed to turn up at the places we went out.<P>We had fun, we had so much fun together. We were rarely apart. He was supposed to move to another town, so I knew I didn't have much time left with him. We went to Myrtle Beach together and had a great time. Then, on what was supposed to be our last week together, we drove to Las Vegas from South Carolina. We talked so much...we really bonded, and that's when we truly fell in love. He asked me to move with him, and I said yes. We had so much fun, and we were so happy. We began planning our wedding only 4 short months after we met. <P>Post your stories! Let's hear about the good times!<P>[This message has been edited by Carolina Belle (edited October 20, 2000).]<p>[This message has been edited by Carolina Belle (edited October 20, 2000).]

Too cute!<P>My H and I met in high school. He was 18 and I was 15 and we were both distance runners on the same track team.<P>Never noticed eachother till one nite after his run, he put on his sweat pants--backwards. Me and my girlfriend saw this and got the giggles (as only 15 yr. old girls can) and went up to him to point it out. He blushed and smiled shyly but quietly took them off and put them back on--backwards again!<P>And my heart was lost...<P><BR>

I met my H when I was sweet 16. We were in the same music class. Oddly enough it took a while to notice him. I wasn't very interested at first.<BR>One day we took a class trip to hear the symphony. We sat on the bus together & talked & talked & talked about everything & anything. We also got together for lunch, sat together during the concert & together again all the way home. That was the day I fell in love with him - November 23, 1984.<BR>Then I chased after him for 1 year before we finally got together. I was so fed up that one day I approached him at school & said "you've got one week" & walked away. He played dumb all week long & finally when friday rolled around, he asked me out on a date. That was on November 8, 1985. <BR>Dating was a problem at first - my parents didn't approve of the inter-racial relationship but we persevered. In no time, my parents welcomed him into their home. My parents are very good to him & I know he appreciates that.<BR>Here we are 15 years later, 6 years of marriage & one brand new baby. <BR>The memories feel good. This was a good idea. Now let's continue to create good loving memories.

Here's my love story!<P>I was in the 8th grade attending a neighbor's graduation party with a girlfriend. In walks a bunch of college guys who are all friends of the graduate. I see this one guy in particular and ask my girlfriend who that is. She tells me that's so and so's cousin. He doesn't see me (even if he did, I was only 13 and he is 18!) I tell my girlfriend that that is the man I am going to marry one day. I never see him again until my high school graduation (4 years later). <P>He attends the graduation commencement with a friend of his who happens to be the brother of my best friend. I have a boyfriend at the time, but I meet future H anyway and he is smitten! I'm 18 now and in all my glory! Run into him now and then over the Summer, but nothing happens because I still have a boyfriend. <P>I head to college in another state and boyfriend and me break up. I come home for Christmas break and attend my brother's Christmas play at the high school. Future H is there and he sees me, but I don't see him. He tells my brother though that he will be in the gym and for me stop over to say hi. I go to the gym, but he is no where to be found. <P>Ove the Christmas break, old boyfriend wants to go out with a bunch of friends and go dancing. So, we all go and I have one dance with old boyfriend, as we leave the dance floor, future H comes over and asks me to dance. I dance every dance with him for the rest of the night. We were a couple ever since!! <P>Thank you for this thread, it has made me smile remembering happier times. Blessings to all.<P>MT

This is a great idea, CB!! <P>I always knew of my H, as we both came from a very small town in the Midwest. Then in Drivers Ed in 8th grade, I had a very big crush on him. Unfortunately, since we didn't attend the same school, he didn't even notice me. A few years later our brothers who are the same age became good friends, so at that point, he knew more about me.<P>One Sunday night the summer before our senior year in high school, we were both "cruising the town square", I had been drinking, which gave me the nerve to approach him. Bad thing, I know, especially since he was with another girl at the time. Anyway, my parents were out of town, so I invited him to come to my house on his way home. Thinking he would never come over, my friend brought me home, and guess who shows up!<P>He stayed that first night until 4:00 am, and it was all history from there.....that was August, pregnant in January of the next year, married in June, he started college in September, baby born in October, I started college the following March, etc,etc.....

I tell everyone I won my wife in a radio contest!<P>6 years ago, I was hosting a morning show in <BR>El Paso. Every Friday, we played the "Dating Game" with listeners as contestants.<P>My job was to get the info on the contestants. My future ex-wife was bachelorette number 3. She seemed really nice on the phone, sexy voice, great personality, and I could see by looking at her physical stats that she might be something worth looking at, too. <P>Anyway, she didn't win the game, but came to the station a week later to pick up her consolation prize. She had called to see what time she could come pick it up, and I told her to wave at me when she came in, since our studio window looked out on the front lobby.<P>Now, there is an unwritten rule among the dj's at radio stations: If she sounds really cute on the phone, she's probably not!<P>She was the one to break that rule. She called the next day to see if I had seen her waving. I said "Yeah, I saw you. Now, let me get this straight...YOU need a date?!"<P>We went out on a date, and I confess I don't remember much except the good-night kiss, which was like plugging my lips into a wall socket! From then I was hooked...still am, in fact.<P>Too bad I'm not the only one who loves her...<BR>

I was 26 years old when I met my husband.<P>A friend of mine and I went out to one of the local bars during the week to have a few drinks. A few minutes after we got there, my friend recognized this guy she had gone to high school with and said hello to him. He joined us at our table and, in between him taking turns with his buddy at the pool table, he chatted with us.<P>He was so quiet, good looking and NICE that I liked him immediately. Matter of fact, I remember thinking that I might like to marry him one day. My friend asked him about the girl he had dated throughout high school and he answered that it had been over for a while and that he wasn't seeing anyone. So I knew he was available.<P>We hit it off pretty much right from the start - except for one time toward the beginning that my friend asked him out (I wanted to tear her hair out for that one), we saw each other regularly. Then, a couple of months after we had met, he told me he couldn't see me anymore. His reason was that the old girlfriend was back and that he felt a committment to her still. He had promised to marry her during their relationship and still cared for her, and felt that he should marry her - that they were making the wedding plans. I was devastated.<P>I was been told by friends that she had cheated on him - many times. Additionally, even then, I felt our relationship was so incredibly RIGHT that I couldn't walk away from it. I basically plan A'd him big time - I was always there... After a couple of months, with several occasions where he had told me he cared about me so much, he came and told me that he had cancelled the wedding and broken up with her.<P>I was smart enough to know not to push him. He needed a little space, but within a few weeks he was staying at my place frequently and by the end of that year had officially moved in with me. <P>We were together from then until he moved out in November 1998, however, this "no-contact" is the longest time we have EVER gone without seeing and/or speaking to each other. That's 15 years...<P>At any rate, we used to have incredible fun together, we used to have incredible conversations, and we used to have incredible passion between us. So much of who I am - my views about things and my interests in life - is due to him... I love him as much today as I did in the beginning...<P>------------------<BR>terri<BR><B>Courage</B><P>Whatever course you decide upon,<BR>there is always someone to tell you<BR>that you are wrong.<P>There are always difficulties arising<BR>which tempt you to believe that your <BR>critics are right.<P>To map out a course of action <BR>and follow it to an end <BR>requires courage.<P><I>Ralph Waldo Emerson</I>

This WAS a good idea - each and every story made me smile. Now why can't these memories overshadow the bad ones that are in the past?

Firestorm and I met on Labor Day weekend, 1975. I had graduated from high school in May and he had graduated from college. We were both spending the holiday weekend with friends and were at the same beach resort. I was walking to a store to get some ice, and he was playing ball with a friend of his. When I walked by, his friend tried to start up a conversation with me. I was NOT impressed with him, but when he introduced me to firestorm I was hit by a bolt from the blue. Definitely love at first sight, and I very clearly heard God tell me that this man would be my husband. Four days later, firestorm told me that he loved me. On Christmas eve he surprised me with an engagement ring, and we were married on December 3, 1976. I wish we could go back to that day and do everything over again (with a few changes).<P>Peppermint

When I read peppermint's response, I had to add this:<P>Peppermint lived almost 50 miles from me when we met. She tried to give me directions to her house, and as you can imagine, for this distance I didn't have a clue as to where she lived. I called my friend, that was with me at the beach, on Tuesday and asked if he wanted to ride with me to try and find her house. She had described her house and the car that she drove, so that was about all I had to go on. As soon as I saw her house, I knew I was there. I showed up on her steps with ketchup on my yellow shirt from a McDonalds mishap. She loved me anyway.<P>I made that 50 mile drive two or three times a week until we got married. I knew from the first time I saw her that SHE was the one I would spend the rest of my life with. <P>Good Post.......fs

<B>Hey Peppermint and Firestorm!</B><P>The two of you share the same wedding anniversary date that my husband and I share. December Third. Ours was in 1983 though.<P>Now, I have a wonderful couple to share that day with too. It's nice. <P>I will post my "How did you meet and fall in love" story later.<P>Hugs to the two of you! <P>------------------<BR><B>God bless you and all of us. We are all going to make it, all of us! With God on our side we can't lose! What God has joined together let no man put asunder. <P>Samantha</B><p>[This message has been edited by A blessed Samantha (edited October 20, 2000).]

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I met the love of my life in high school in 1978, he was a senior and I was a junior. We were high school sweet hearts. I knew of him, every girl in school did, but he didn't know of me. I was a 'nobody' in school, very shy. <P>Our school had classes across the street. I would go to my locker, get my books and head across the street. One day, my prince charming was at the stop light at the same time as me and started talking to ME. I couldn't believe it. Everyday after that, he was always at the light, waiting for me.<P>He asked me out on a date, Oct 13, 1978. It was a Friday the 13th. We went out, had a lot of fun at the game, then went and parked to talk. As luck would have it, a man came out to move his car from the street to his driveway. In doing so, he hit us!! I had to be taken to the hospital and he came along. Didn't seem to care that his beautiful super beetle was crushed. I knew that would be the end of us, he never dated anyone (only one other girl) more than once. <P>He showed up at my house the next day! Again, I was shocked and couldn't believe it. We started dating and were engaged on his mothers birthday in February 1979. I lost my mother when I was 13, so I lived with my aunt & uncle. My uncle was very strict, too strict! Even though we were engaged to be married the following year, we could never go out and if we could, I had to be home, in bed by 9:00 PM. My future H and I talked about it and decided to get pregnant. We waited a few months before telling anyone. We didn't want to take the chance of the family making me abort.<P>We were married the day after his high school graduation!! Aside from having his beautiful children, that was the happiest day of my life! My H joined the military that year and we moved around the country for 20 years. <P>I knew we were happy and in love. I guess he felt something differently. A week before our 21st anniversary this last June, he moved out and filed for a divorce a week after our anniversary. I didn't hear from him on our anniversary or after that. I saw him in court. Two months later, two days after his Air Force retirement (which I wasn't allowed to attend) he moved back in. <P>I knew he had been with a coworker and had gotten her pregnant, but I forgave him of everything. One month after he was home he moved out again to 'think.' I'm very sad and heart broken today. It's ironic that this last Friday the 13th, which happened to be Oct 13th, 22 years to the day that we first dated just pasted and we're not together. We were together 22 years and 3 days. I just found out he's still with OW and wants to 'work on them.' <P>Thank you for letting me remember the beautiful memories of our beginning. Sadly, our 'happily ever after' just ended. I'm the one filing for the divorce this time, on the grounds of adultery.<P>God bless to all<BR>Love Hurts

CB, you schemer, you! <P>OK this is gonna be long....<P>Unseen2 and I had caught a glimpse of each other in the halls of the barracks where we were staying before we actually met. I remember rubbernecking him - and found he was looking back at me too <P>Well, social person that I am, I wanted to go 'out' that Friday night. A group of people was supposed to swing by my room on their way out to the club and take me along. I waited and waited - 10:30 came and went. I braided my hair like I usually did before bed, scrubbed off all that make-up and went to bed feeling a bit rejected and very lonely. *sniff<P>Soon as my eyes started to close, there was a knock at my door. Those jerks! I thought. I got up and opened my door just a crack (I was just in an old T-shirt, and in complete nerd-mode). There stood THE most handsome, appealing man I have ever seen before or since. Tall, blonde, light blue eyes, bee-u-t-ful smile, and what a build. Shoulders you could cry on, arms you could die in. <P>I knew he had knocked on the wrong door - he must've been looking for someone - anyone else besides me. This stranger shifted from foot to foot and said something like "Are you coming with us or not?"<P>I have never done my hair and make-up so dang fast in my entire life, lol!<P>Anyway, in the military, it's not uncommon for a girl to go out to the bar/club with a group of guys she doesn't know very well. Not usually a safe practice in civilian life, but in the military, for the most part you are safe. (We all look out for each other.) So, there I was, surrounded by like four different guys, one of each flavor (hehe). <P>I don't know that Jason was that impressed with my looks at first - I think I kinda grew on him. I remember that he OVERESTIMATED my weight by 25 lbs that night! (I don't know - ask HIM) But he liked what he saw after we got to know each other better.<P>Well, to get to the thick of the plot - I don't mean to brag, but every once in awhile, maybe even once in a lifetime, we women find ourselves to be the 'belle of the ball' I knew I could have had my pick of any of the guys in our little group that night. But Jason's approach to things and life in general, his sense of humor, those eyes and that smile all drew me in. <P>All of a sudden, we found ourselves alone in the barracks that night. No, I behaved myself that night, but it didn't take long for that to change (and boy am I glad it did!). Sorry if this is TMI, but we proved to be sexual soulmates, Whew! It became a new hobby .... <P>ANYWAY - that was May 19, 1995. I picked my wedding ring out that July. We were married on September 1, 1997 by the retired Sergeant Major of the Army hospital where I was stationed in the hospital chapel (William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, TX.) It was a small, quiet ceremony - our family wasn't present, but some of my best friends were. It was beautiful. I can still see his fingers slipping the band on mine...<P>How I got from there to where I was in May of 1999, Freud only knows. But I'm back where I belong - and here I will happily, faithfully stay until the day I die ... and even after that.<P>So there, Jason! <P>Khyra

My H and I met in 92. I was 21 and he was 29. I went to a local hotel night club with my father and his girlfriend. My H was the clubs manager. My first thought when I saw him was wow. He was the most handsome man i had ever seen. At that moment I didn't even contemplate that he would be interested in me. The next thing I know, he's buying my drink for me. It just made my head spin, that he would even notice me out of a crowd of people. We saw one another everyday for the next few months. We talked, played and just felt so natural together. I felt as though i had known him all of my life. I always felt a little insecure of his good looks. How could I possibly keep someone like him, I would think to myself. Then my father was killed in a horrible accident. My H helped me get throught my pain and we grew even closer. 2 years later we were married and the rest is history.

<P>In the fall of 1964, I would babysit my niece at the bowling alley, while my sister bowled on a league once a week. Several weeks in a row these two dorky guys came by and would sit at the table and talk to me. They wouldn't even be bowling, they were out cruising around. <P>These guys were next door neighbors, Gordon and Mike, both seniors in high school. Gordon owned a motor bike and they would take turns riding me on the bike around the area of the bowling alley, with my sister's permission of course.<P>One night, Mike drove me to his house, to show me where he lived and his band eguipment, because he was a singer in a combo. Though, Gordon asked me on a date, which would be a cook out at his house, next door to Mike, Mike came over and stayed the whole time I was there. Later, taking me home, Gordon decides we would park and that didn't sit well with me, because I didn't like him anyway. I insisted he take me home immediately. <P>I didn't see either of them for a long time, Gordon never asked me out again (thank God). I went to a spring(1965), social club party at a lake lodge with a date. Mike's combo was performing for the party. I didn't pay much attention to the band because I was more concerned about how drunk my date was getting, who eventually passed out in the back seat of his car.<P>At the end of the party, I went to the bandstand and spoke to Mike and asked him if he remembered me, he did... I told him my date was passed out and he offered to take me home. A dear "big brother", senior, football player/bodyguard friend of mine(I was a sophomore), stepped in and said he would see to it that I got home safely, and I did.<P>Two days later, on Sunday, Mike called me and asked me to go out that coming Friday, April 25, 1965, his band would be playing for a prom in Springfield, S.C. In turn, I asked him if he would like to come to the track meet and watch me run, I was a sprinter for my high school track team. He said he would come to the track meet and I said I would go to the prom... and the rest is history and my story...He is my precious, sweet, darling, I love him... I wish he loved me!!!<P>So, bowling alley or spring social, either one will suffice! We've since lost Gordon, we think of him often and smile!!!<P>Cathy<P>

Maybe this is a good thing to do. The stories are so great and uplifting. I was 18 and was extremly mad that I couldn't go to the college I wanted to. (My parents are divorced and my Dad claimed poor) So University of Miami would have to wait. My mom said I should get a real job. Playing for weddings and parties and fill ins are fine( I am a cellist)but it wasn't a regular paycheck. Seeing that I was 18 and getting a 400$ check for playing in a wedding -well you know how girls are with money. So I filled out an application at Albertson's( grocery store-ewwww) My mom and I were shopping and asked on of the cashiers about hiring. That my daughter filled out an application and heard no response(of course I never called to say I was really serious about this stinky job) So the head cashier said what is my name I told her and got hired. GEE THANKS AGAIN MOM!!! So I started work. As a cashier-gotta love polyester!!! The uniform was a bit tight-they didn't have my size . thank god I wasn't fat-but it didn't help that my bust were a bit big. So of course all the young baggers wanted to bag for me-to check out my uniform that was gaping. LOL!!! Then this guy came through from produce with a baker guy. My first day on register and it was pay day. So I had to learn how to cash checks. They waited in my line for 15 minutes. You know how slow the new cashiers are. Well when they finally got to me my H was bantering with me back and forth and as I was counting would say 7,8,2,25, etc... You know to really screw me up. I was already flustered-because this guy was really cute-a bit young but still none the less cute. It ended up I gave his bakery buddy 400$ extra dollars in pay. My H made him go back in the store and give it back-the guy didn't want to. He told him that I would get fired and that if he didn't give it back he was going to go tell the manager and then kick his butt in. So he gave it back. Whew!! Well, time went on and he would go through my line and tease me a bit. Then his friend came in with him(he wanted his friend to check me out) then his car was broken down so he had his mom come pick him up and they were looking at me through the dark colored windows. He told his mom that I was the one. I hardly knew the guy. He asked me out to lunch-man was I nervous. then a week later I broke it off with him-IN A BOWLING ALLEY!!! LOL!!! he was such a gentleman. I was with my ex boyfriend's sister and when I was up bowling she was flirting with him. She wanted me to get back with her brother-ewwww~~~. So I felt guilty. I had a concert to do the next night so I went in to Albertson's, went to produce to buy an apple for my dinner. Waited until I saw him pop out of the back room and he asked me out once again. I said I would call him when I got back form my concert(man did I look good too-all dressed in black and rhinestones-LOL) So I called him when I got home around 10pm and we were on the phone until 5am. I said something really corny like can our paths cross again but this time stay on the same path. He knew exactly what I meant. One of the reasons I broke up with him is because I thought he was only 16 and he wasn't really buff like the rest of the guys I was used to dating. Thank god I stayed and he stayed. That was in 1989-4 kids later and some major problems he's still can squeeze my melons. OK-CORNY AND A BAD JOKE!!!! He still picks out the best produce though-and that is an endearing quality. LOL!!!!

OK, I'll bite.<P>I was just shy of 28 when I met my H. I had had two disastrous short-lived relationships in the past year -- one was a "Harlequin Hero" who started naming the children we would have together, then decided I was more ready for a relationship than he was. The other was a long-time friend, who had always had trouble committing, but figured since he and I got along so well, maybe this time it'd be different. It wasn't. And so I lost the friend AND the lover.<P>The day after a blind date that involved the guy talking about est (Erhard Seminars Training) for four hours, I gave up on men. A friend of mine published a 'zine at the time, and wanted me to go with her to have the thing run off and collated. I demurred, but went. There were three of us gals in the car, waiting for the guy who was using his company copier to do this. I saw this gorgeous guy walking across the street with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and said, "See that guy? He thinks he's God's gift to women." Then he got in the car.<P>And guess who it was.<P>He thought I was younger than I was, I thought he was younger than he was. But we weren't. He got my number from my friend, and the rest is history.<P>PS -- the friend has been married twice during my marriage. <P>

It was August 6th, 1995, around 10pm. I had bought a new computer the day before and it came with AOL, Compuserve, and Prodigy. Since the trial periods were free, I decided to see what they were all about. I logged into Prodigy because it was the only local access number where I lived. I was not online for 5 minutes when I sniffed around the chat rooms to see what they were all about.<P>I didn't even go into the chat rooms, you could see the people in the rooms from outside. I cruised around the "Meet you mate" room! LOL Well....I did! I saw a nickname that made me curious, so I clicked for info. It said she was a female from upsate NY, liked reading, computers, blah blah blah... Since I grew up in NY, I IM'ed her and asked where she was from..."Saugerties" I asked, "Where is that?" she said, "Near Albany" I said, "Thats not upstate, I am from upstate!" She asked where. I said "Harrisville, near Watertown" She said, "That isn't upstate, that is NORTHERN NY!" So our first conversation was an argument about WHAT constituted upstate NY! <P>We ended up online for over 4 hours that night. She told me to look for her the next night, I did, she was there...same thing. Over and over! We fell in love and met in person about 3 weeks later when I went to NY "To visit my Mom!" (Yeah, right!) From the 1st day, we never went a day without talking, online, on phone, or live, until this summer when her affair took her to TX with the OM. I was devastated. <P>We did have a story book beginning, whirl wind exciting dating, lived together when she moved here to SC to be with me, and were married a year later. It was pretty much all good until this year. It was the hapiest time of my life. I felt I was with the one that was meant for me!

Hi CB -<P>Just thought I would connect you all to an old thread of mine that has more "feel good" stories.......<P>Enjoy!!!!!<BR> <A HREF="http://www.marriagebuilders.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/007210.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.marriagebuilders.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/007210.html</A> <P>Hugs,<P>Sheba<BR><p>[This message has been edited by Sheba (edited October 23, 2000).]