Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7



Sunday, February 14, 2010

Oh, my love...

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For Regan, who wants to read some LOVE stories.


My darling...

My beloved and I met in college, at Ohio State. I hesitate to admit that it was journalism school because journalism is a horse of a different color these days (back then we were taught to get both sides of the story, to be unbiased, take an impartial view -- ha!), but it was in journalism school, specifically in graphics class. I was taking the class with my roommate and I didn't yet notice my beloved much, mostly because I had a girlfriend, and you know how girls are -- they stick together, making it difficult for males to infiltrate.

I think the class we shared was in spring quarter of my junior year. And I don't think I saw my beloved again until the following fall, in October. One day, a crisp, blue-skied day, as fall days in Ohio are want to be, I was standing atop a Homecoming float, one created by my sorority and a paired fraternity, making some last minute adjustments to the decorations, when I saw him walking on the pavement below me, with a camera in hand and a heavy sack of equipment slung over his shoulder. That's how he usually looked, my sweetheart, as he was a photojournalist, and my view of him was usually one half of his face with his eye closed and his mouth screwed up in intense concentration and a camera up to the other eye. That's how I saw him that day in October 1983. He was taking photos of the floats and we said "hey" and "how are you?" Nothing serious, but he was on my radar.

I called him a few months later to ask him to my sorority formal. He went, and we were soon "an item." He would show up at the sorority house front door, heavy camera sack on his shoulder, just to say "hey." He was cute, like a puppy, and I wanted to keep him.

We got to know each other over the course of that year, both of us finishing our degrees, spending time together in the journalism dark room (romantic!), both spending our days taking pictures and writing stories. We met each others' families, and I won him with baked goods -- like chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon bread (if you are a single gal, never underestimate the power of a man's tummy).

In December that year, he proposed, in the corniest way possible (and I think he will even admit it!). It was a very cold, rainy night and we had plans to see an ice show together. On the way to the show, my darling said he wanted to make a quick stop on campus. And so he parked on a campus street, and, though unhappy to get cold and wet, I went with him. He walked me down a dark, barely lit-by-streelights path toward Mirror Lake, a well-known landmark on the campus. We were alone -- no one else was crazy enough to come out on such a night, except for one man, dressed in a yellow raincoat and hat, hold a fishing pole over the edge of the lake. You would only know how funny that sight was if you know Mirror Lake. I don't even know if there were fish in the lake, but if there were, no one fished for them. My beloved sat me down on a bench --in the rain, remember -- and approached the "fisherman" (whom I later found out was his friend). The "fisherman" told him that he had fished a jar out of the lake, and my beloved it brought it over to me. It was a glass jar that we used to pass treats back and forth to each other, and inside was a small, square blue, velvet box. You can imagine the rest. I was on cloud 9 that night at the ice show, gazing at my brand new diamond sparkle in the bright lights, and later at my home where we celebrated with my family over pizza and champagne. We were married less than a year later, in the Mother of Mercy Chapel at his high school, with our family, and friends, and most importantly, God, as our witness.

Fast forward almost a quarter of decade. This fall we will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, my honey and I. Not all of it has been as pretty as a sparkling diamond ring, but it's been as strong. And you know what they say about diamonds.

Here we are, ready to leave for our fancy affair last night. My honey wore a hot pink tie because the benefit of the affair was the hospital's mobile mammography unit.




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23 comments:

  1. Love the love story!!! You guys look great! What a handsome hubby!

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  2. What a nice story, and you look beautiful!

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  3. Now if I looked that good in silver, I just might be converted. As it is, I have a box of this sitting on my counter. ;)

    Happy Valentine's Day!

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  4. beautiful story and beautiful couple. Happy Valentine's Day!

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  5. Thank you, Anne. Yes, he cleans up nicely!

    Thanks, Sara. It took a professional hair stylist, nail tech, lots of make up and lycra to get that way! I think there's a MasterCard commercial in there somewhere.

    Margaret,
    Come over to the gray side, my dear. You'd look fabulous!

    Thanks, Jenny. Happy Valentine's Day to you, too.

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  6. Beautiful story! And YOU, my dear, look absolutely fantastic!

    And a word of thanks: Cory said he received the rosary you made for him! He said it was beautiful (of course) and wanted me to pass along his thanks to you. Thank you for your generosity, for your thoughtfulness and for sharing you faith and talents! May God continue to bless you and your family!

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  7. i have to leave to our homeschooling st. valentine's day party but i had to read your story first...and now my eyes are all puffy and red...i told you i am such a sucker for love stories. and YOURS is a sweet one...thanks barb for sharing!!!
    i'll be a good sport and post mine when i get home this afternoon...which ohio time means tonite.

    hugs.

    and you guys look WONDERFUL. so cute and sweet. definitely a match made in heaven!!!

    oh, and you pull off silver wonderfully. i only hope to look as good as you two do in 15 years (we're only to the 10 year mark ya know!)

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  8. Beautiful story and a beautiful picture. Blessings.

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  9. *sigh* Sooo sweet. I could read stories like this all night! Isn't God so good?!! You two look stunning, btw.

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  10. Wow! Ohh la la! GORGEOUS! Where is the red carpet!

    Loved the story, and yes we sure need to read more of these. Congratulations on your 25th year coming up this fall, a true testimony of love in action. Hugs to you! Frame this picture, okay? :)

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  11. Oh Barbara! I thought you were going to say that the picture was from when you were in college! Wow!! You guys look great! You are truly a beautiful woman...on the inside and out! May God bless you with another 25 years (or more)!

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  12. Gorgeous photo! Fun beginning! It was meant to be, you two wonderful people. I raise my glass to you! God bless you with many many many more years!

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  13. Michelle,
    Thank you. And Cory is so welcome. I will keep him in prayer.

    Regan,
    You're so sweet.

    Thanks, Kim. I appreciate the blessings.

    Melody,
    You are so kind.

    Haha, Renee! No Red Carpet, thanks. I will frame this picture -- just for you!

    Oh, Nancy, I'll have to resurrect a pic from college. I was a totally different woman!

    Cheers to you, too, Sarah!

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  14. Ya'll look fantastic!! Everyone loves a love story:~D Thanks for sharing such a lovely one!

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  15. I love reading other couples' stories. Of how they met. Each is so unique and special. Yours is very sweet! And 25 years!!! That is absolutely wonderful. We'll celebrate 9 this year ...

    And your photo from your special night out is gorgeous.

    I hope you had a wonderful St. Valentine's Day.

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  16. Barbara, you are absolutely gorgeous. And I love the LOVE story!!

    :)

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  17. Beautiful story and pic! :)

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  18. and i have a far away picture of the bench ;)
    you look marvelous my dear!
    r

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  19. Lana, Thank you. And it was fun remembering.

    Sarah, Thanks. It will be 25 before you know it!

    Nutmeg,
    You are much too kind!

    Thanks, Cheryl. I'd love to hear yours sometime.

    Regina, Yes, you do! And thanks.

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  20. I've been away from your blog for a while with a sick husband, but he's much better now, thanks be to God! I've missed reading about you and your family. How beautiful you are! And your husband is very handsome. The two of you look wonderful together. Thank you for sharing your story. -- Rosemary in Missouri

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  21. What a beautiful couple!!
    God bless you both.

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  22. Thank you, Rosemary. You are so kind.

    You too, Julie. And thanks for blessings -- always appreciated.

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I appreciate your comments -- sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself!