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Oh, I forgot I was going to hassle you about "joint". What is this, Alaska, Idaho, or California with a Doctor's prescriptions?
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote: Holy crap. I think my husband has a secret wife in Utah.
Well, I'll keep an eye out for him.
quote: post it! This we have GOT to see!
Well, AFAIK, this photo doesn't exist in electronic format, and I'm fine with that.
quote: Wonderful landmark. I get the sense that the style of this thread echoes your relationship: "Marriage is one long conversation."
Interesting thought. I'll have to think about that.
quote: I can't wait to read the next chapter! [Smile] Seriously, do we get to hear about the wedding, the learning to live with one another, the kids, and so on? I can't bear for this to end so soon!
At the present time, there are no plans for a second chapter. We'll see what happens in the future.
quote: It's almost lucky that you guys wound up together.
It really is. In fact, it is hard to believe that it happened at all. There were so many ways that it barely happened. It was so unlikely, I'd almost call it impossible, except for the fact that it apparently happened.
quote: Do you two get the sense that God really wanted you to end up together.
I don't believe that there is one single person out there that each person is supposed to end up with. But to answer your question -- yes, I do believe that God helped us get together.
quote: Oh, I forgot I was going to hassle you about "joint". What is this, Alaska, Idaho, or California with a Doctor's prescriptions?
No, I just figured that the best way to get people to care about my landmark was to get Mary involved in it.
I like your story because I think what it shows is that love isn't all ways straight forward. There are complications. There are sometimes other people who you are strongly attracted to. And sometimes you need to take a leap of faith and say "Yes, I'll committ to this person. There will be problems. We may hurt each other. I may meet some-one else I am attracted to. But I have faith that together we can work through all this, and end up stronger and happier for it."
No quick fixes. I enjoyed reading it.
Posts: 4393 | Registered: Aug 2003
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I never knew who you were (I have lurked here for a year), but we were in the 44th together. Porter and my husband would talk about the previous night's Robot Wars right after Sunday School every week. Do you know who I am (my name should be a hint). Cool to hear you story.
Posts: 188 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Howdy, y'all. I'm sad that I have had to be away for so long. It isn't by choice. I have no internet connection to my computer right now. (I am hijacking Porter's beloved computer to type this.)
I really wanted to share the story of Porter and I because I feel it is a very unusual love story and it does a great deal to explain both of us.
But Porter and I also really appreciated this wonderful opportunity to put our story down in writing. Now we have it to treasure for ourselves or share with others. It was fun, though sometimes painful, to write. Our love story was a difficult one to live, thus a difficult one to tell. I sometimes envy those who just "click" so easily, because Porter and I had to work so hard at what comes so easily to some. But I really do think that it was all that work that has made our marriage as powerful and solid as it is--that is an unspeakably wonderful blessing.
Do I think God had a hand in bringing us together? Absolutely! We never would have ended up together on our own. That is why I relate so much to the courtship of Ender's parents. What they had was almost like an arranged marriage, and in some ways, so was Porter's and mine. But there is such a sweetness in that story, and I think Porter and I had that same essence with us also.
Hobbes, I chuckle at your comment. Some find the right one right away, and some have crazy stories like ours. Who can say which path is better?
Yeah, I have to agree with the wonderful comments made here. At least for most people--there is not just "one right person" out there for you. There is the potential for a wonderful, lasting relationship with a number of different people. It is not unusual to be attracted to others even if you are totally devoted to your spouse. But it is no excuse to not be totally devoted to your spouse.
Romance is what you make it, and I think it is better when the heart is ruled by the head. That is the only way that love truly conquers all. Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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School4ever -- yeah, I know who you are. Your husband is the guy that scared to death the new sunday school teacher by declaring "I am a seer".
Good to see you here. Are y'all still in Utah? It's been a couple of years since I've heard any news about you guys. Say howdy to your husband, too.
Also let me echo what Mary said about about the OSC story "Teacher's Pest", about the Wiggins parents. That is the only story I've ever heard that reminded me of our courship.
posted
We are still in Utah and still in school I started my Masters last year, he is still working on his PhD. At this point we have the school thing down, so why change Posts: 188 | Registered: Aug 2003
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That was fabulous. I got to meet both of you for about half an hour, but I really respect you and am glad to say I know such fascinating people.
Thanks for sharing with us! What a cool story.
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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quote: You guys jumped in and out of love-thinking-of-marriage between people pretty darned quick.
Yeah, that is definitely true. Though keep in mind, all the major characters here are LDS, a group of people who tend to put a lot of importance on marriage. It's not a very good representation of the average population. Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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just wanted to add my voice to the rising chorus of "people who thought that was really cool."
Posts: 3846 | Registered: Apr 2004
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Those were pretty bad typos, and they remind me of an anecdote that I'll share here.
I did not get along with my 10th-grade English teacher. In her class, she would lecture us about what the symbolism in a book meant, and then we would write essays spitting it back at her. If you gave a different interpretation than the one she gave you, for some reason there were always many technical flaws in your essay, and you would get, at best, a D.
I never got above a C on any of her essays because of spelling. For the life of me, I could not spell correctly. She told me that I wasn't smart enough to continue in the honors program. In fact, she thought I probably had a learning disability, and sent me to get tested.
The person that tested me for a learning disability send me back with the message, which I'll paraphrase here: "Who was the idiot that thought this kid had a learning disability?"
Well, thank goodness I was stubborn enough to ignore that teacher. I ignored her advice, and was rewarded by having the best teacher of my high school days as my senior year honors English teacher. This woman (senior-year teacher) made me believe that I was actually smart. It's like she un-did all the damage that my 10th grade teacher did.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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*sticks hand out for handshake before Telp can kiss him*
Seriously, I got pretty good at doing that in Brazil. Girls would come in for a kiss, but get intercepted by the handshake.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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I don't believe in the "one and only true love/soulmate" idea. Except when it comes to me and Mr. Pook. There are exceptions to every rule, after all.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Porter, I'll have to tell you about the time a girl tried to follow my dad back to his room in Peru one day.
Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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That was a very original idea. I didn't even know you two were married....even though i kinda know you both from your posts...
My wife and I (well, mainly me) had all sorts of questions about marriage and all....so much that our priest said during our wedding " I hear from people who fell in love 'at first sight' all the time from the people I counsel, so it was very refreshing to hear Rob and Jenni's story. Both had doubts, but they thought about it and talked, and everything worked out perfect."....that got quite a laugh from everyone...
I'll save the rest for my own Landmark, if I ever bother... .
Great story, and a wonderful way of expressing it here. Thank you both for sharing it with us.
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I am not a believer in love at first sight. There can be like, lust, or infatuation at first sight, and that can later turn into love, but I have never believed in love at first sight.
Of course, pooka will probably come here and tell me that that's how it worked for her, and I'll have to tell her that she's the exception that proves the rule.
I have been surprised at how people have reacted to this landmark. Many people have said, in effect "How romantic!" I didn't expect that. Sometimes Mary asks me why I married her, or why I decided to go through all that crap to marry her. I can never come up with a good answer. The only answer I can come up with is "It seemed like what I had to do at the time", which doesn't strike me as very romantic.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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You should track down pooka's landmark and see, if you haven't already read it. While I would have told the man she married to get bent, it's still an interesting tale.
Posts: 318 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Hot dog! How long did you live there? Is there any chance that we know each other? The name that I went by in Bartlesville has never, to my knowledge, been posted on hatrack.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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Love at first meeting is very real. My mom knew she was going to marry my dad on their first date. They stayed together for 49 years. Hey, don't knock it just because it hasn't happened to you! Posts: 2843 | Registered: A Long Time Ago!
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Just for my own curiosity purposes, where in Texas did this all take place? Texas is a really, really, really big state.
Posts: 786 | Registered: Jun 2003
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I just went and read pooka's landmark. My jaw hit the floor. That is a bizarre tale. It was great to hear. I would post on her thread, but it's locked now.
So it wasn't pooka correcting me about love at first sight -- it was ak. Do I get partial credit?
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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I just made time to read this landmark. Wow, what a winding road to love ! I hope I don't have to go through that... On the other hand, all that struggle surely taught you a lot, so who knows ? Anyway, I'm glad to have had the occasion to read this, thanks mph and beverly.
And congrats on 2000, mph ! Posts: 4519 | Registered: Sep 2003
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great landmark, guys. Uber-sweet and romantic. I love your kids...the're cute and have cool names.
quote: I did not get along with my 10th-grade English teacher. In her class, she would lecture us about what the symbolism in a book meant, and then we would write essays spitting it back at her. If you gave a different interpretation than the one she gave you, for some reason there were always many technical flaws in your essay, and you would get, at best, a D.
I never got above a C on any of her essays because of spelling. For the life of me, I could not spell correctly. She told me that I wasn't smart enough to continue in the honors program. In fact, she thought I probably had a learning disability, and sent me to get tested.
The person that tested me for a learning disability send me back with the message, which I'll paraphrase here: "Who was the idiot that thought this kid had a learning disability?"
Well, thank goodness I was stubborn enough to ignore that teacher. I ignored her advice, and was rewarded by having the best teacher of my high school days as my senior year honors English teacher. This woman (senior-year teacher) made me believe that I was actually smart. It's like she un-did all the damage that my 10th grade teacher did.
Seriously, Porter, you're scaring me. This woman is identical to my 11th-grade AP English teacher back in High School. I would literally just sit and cry instead of doing her essays. It took a six-week summer GT program and an awesome 12th grade english teacher to make me realize that yes I can write at an advanced level.
Not an Olsen twin, sarmup
Posts: 4089 | Registered: Apr 2003
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