HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY 2008!!
We asked our readers to share stories about how they met the love of their life. Their answers warm the heart.

The thing that attracts me most to my husband is his sense of humor. He had me laughing from the very beginning. We were introduced at a rehearsal for a big Catholic wedding . We were supposed to pay attention to the wedding coordinator, but we were whispering and snickering so much we got in trouble a few times. He offered me some Double Bubble, and I thought, “Handsome, fun, and stocks bubble gum . . . RIGHT ON!” On the day of the wedding, I remember well receiving an awesome foot rub on the bus from the church to the reception, and then we had a blast dancing together into the night. The next day I said to my sister, “I’m gonna marry that man!” I knew three days after I met him that he was my Prince Charming. Two and a half months later, he proposed. With family and friends gathered, he trotted up on a stick pony wearing a prince costume. We were married exactly one year from the day we met. We had large bowls of Double Bubble at our reception. Almost 12 years later, we are still in love and he still keeps me laughing!

Marie Perry

A quiet young man started coming to our 20-somethings’ Bible study with a Styrofoam cup of coffee permanently attached to his hand. Nice enough, but not a real ball of fire, I figured. Still, when we were randomly paired for prayer before Thanksgiving, we connected. But it wasn’t until we went out to lunch that I innocently commented on his “cop” sunglasses; and he grudgingly admitted that he was a deputy sheriff, working nights at the Men’s Central Jail.

Fast forward to our group’s Christmas progressive dinner. At the “hors d’oeuvre” house, I accidentally locked my keys in my car. He tried valiantly to extricate them, and stayed with me while I waited for Triple A. As the others progressed on to the salad place then to the next home for entrée, we progressed, too. By the time we showed up—late—for dessert, we were smitten. Shortly after New Year’s, we were engaged. After 24 years, he still carries a perpetual cup of coffee , and we’re still madly in love.

Leslie McLeod

Amy and I found each other at a Cutco Cutlery convention in San Jose, Calif. As soon as we met we hit it off. We talked for hours and hours about everything under the sun and just wanted to learn so much about each other. We have been together for about five months now, and Amy and I have grown such a strong love and respect for one another. She and I are truly best of friends and make each other laugh so much that it brings pain to our stomachs. Thank you so much, Amy, for who you are and what you do, and most importantly I wanted to say, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Baby” and I love you with all of my heart!!

Tim Vreeland

Sixteen years ago I met my husband at a divorced and widowed group at church. He loves to sing and had invited his daughter Elaine and her husband, Ken, to help him sing a medley of country songs about love and loss for the group. After the meeting he asked his son-in-law which lady in the group he thought might be a match for him, since he is blind and didn’t know what any of us looked like, and Ken picked me out. After that he made an effort to sit with me and at one meeting he came in with a bad cold. The next week I had the cold. He asked me for my phone number and called me at home to apologize for passing his cold on to me. To make up for it he offered to take me out to dinner. We went out to dinner, followed by many more dinners and dates, and four years later we were married. We celebrated our 12th anniversary on Nov. 5 last year.

Pamela Williams

Being a single mother of a 3-year-old girl, to make ends meet I was working at American Express Emergency Travel Services in Dearborn, Mich. My hours were from 6 p.m. until 2 a.m. I was assisting international corporate travelers with their emergency travel issues. During one of my late night shifts I got this call from Taipei; a Motorola executive needed to make changes to his travel plans to get back to Chicago a day earlier than planned. He had a rather complicated itinerary so I was on the phone with him for quite a while. I was typing away getting his reservation changed and upgraded to business class, he was just talking and making me laugh with his little jokes and pleasant demeanor; at some point he said: “I could listen to you for the rest of my life.” I had to keep the conversation professional since my calls could be monitored, so I didn’t say anything, but I was intrigued enough to respond to his email. After two years of longdistance dating we got engaged. We have been happily married for five years, blessed with three children, residing in Camarillo.

Marta Ramirez

It was June of 2004 that I happened to come across the woman of my dreams. Our first communication was through online interaction. We found that we both made each other laugh and enjoyed talking about the movie “Office Space.” Eventually we spoke on the phone. She had such a pretty voice and our conversation just intrigued me more. I finally convinced her to meet me in person. I lived in Camarillo and she lived in Lomita. We agreed to meet in the Manhattan Beach area at a Target parking lot. After parking we got out of our cars and Diane started walking toward me; I was overwhelmed how pretty she was. Long curly hair and a very nice smile.

Our meet went well and we walked and talked the night away. It was finally time for us to both depart and go home. I had to get that evening kiss from her.

Time goes by and finally I know I don’t want to lose her. I ask for her hand in marriage, and we are married Jan. 31, 2006, by our pastor. With the grace of God in our lives we continue to be even closer with each other as time goes on.

Larry J. Gusman

It was the first day of the spring semester at Fresno State University. I was sitting in the gymnasium waiting for my class to start when in through the door walked the girl of my dreams. I was in love with her from the very moment that I laid eyes on her. My plan was to follow her out of class and make my big move. I followed about 20 yards behind her all the way to her off-campus apartment complex. I did the same thing at the end of every class for the whole semester but never quite got the nerve up to make my move. I was so upset at myself after the final exam thinking that I was never going to see her again. I had really blown it!

As luck would have it, the next year she moved in right upstairs from my buddies’ new apartment. I had gotten another chance and I was not going to blow it again. Eighteen years, three kids and plenty of ups and downs later, I am more in love with her than ever.

Barry Reardon

It was Sept. 17 of 1957, about 9 a.m. and the morning was already sticky and hot. It was my first day attending Le Conte Junior High school in Holywood, Calif. I was 12 years old, and I sat behind a strawberry blonde named Julia.

Julia was 13 years old, and my birthday, being Oct. 3, was not yet here, which meant I was about to pul the ponytail of an older woman.

I puled her ponytail and she turned around and gave me a look that said, “That is not funny!” One look at the pretty face and I was hooked. I worked at being less of a jerk than I was, and she eventualy danced with me at the Friday night sock hop.

That summer we went steady. Julia wore my ring. I bought it for a dollar on Hollywood Boulevard, had it engraved with L+J and gave it to her on the gym field outside the dance on a Friday night. The ring hung on a chain around her neck until the ninth grade.

I mentioned the jerk part. By the ninth grade, she had had enough and we broke-up until the 20-year Holywood High School reunion. Through a mutual friend, I was able to obtain Julia’s phone number. She was still single and I began the task of convincing her to go out on a dinner date.

I have been married to Julia Roberts-Rice for 22 years, and we are still going out on dinner dates. The great part is that pretty face still makes my heart go pitter-patter.

Larry Rice

In 1988 I was single and a member of the U.S. Army stationed in Germany. A fellow solider, who worked for me, thought that it would be nice if I wrote a letter to a friend of hers who was also single and living in the United States. I wrote her, and to my surprise she wrote back, which resulted in an intense letter writing and phone communication relationship that led to $1,000 phone bills for both of us. After two months we decided that it would be better if we lived together, and she quit her job, sold her car and flew to Germany, where we met for the first time. Seeing her in the lobby of the Stuttgart airport was the most special moment of my life. We married two months later and have been together for just about 20 years. I loved her from the first time I wrote her and love her even more today. She did not steal my heart, she owned it from the very beginning.

Keith Baker

I met my wife Judy while we were both attending a recruitment fair at CLU. A luncheon was held for the recruiters before the event. I went into the lunch room and saw a beautiful young lady sitting at a table with open seats. I sat down at the table and did not say a word to her all through lunch; I just was awestruck and enjoyed peeking looks at her. Later during the event I finally went over and talked with her. Nine months later we were married. And we still are 18 years and five kids later. I am as much in love with my wife now as I was when I first saw her. She is still as beautiful as the day we met and is a great mother. I am proud that she is still my valentine. And although I did not recruit anyone for my employer that day, I recruited the best person there to be my spouse.

F. Dallmer

It was a warm and balmy Camarillo afternoon in July of 1982. I don’t know how I missed seeing her during my cousin’s wedding and reception, but fortunately there was that smaller group of family and friends who met in my aunt’s backyard afterwards. I turned and suddenly there she was—a beautiful, petite, brown-eyed young woman, Liza. Our eyes met and drew us together. It didn’t matter that she was there with another guy, nor that I was leaving for home in Northern California the next day. We talked for some time and I got that feeling—I knew she was “THE one.” Sadly, the opportunity for us to date wasn’t present. We parted ways, and I wondered if I would ever see her again.

We met the following summer during my next visit to Camarillo. The fire of love was soon rekindled, and I moved to Camarillo. Soon thereafter we were engaged and married. We were married in the same church as my cousin, had our reception at the same place, and met with family and friends in my aunt’s backyard. More than 21 years and four children later, our love is stronger than ever.

Cliff Williams

My best friend and I went out to have fun. The whole idea of going out was to forget all my worries. I had just suffered the loss of my dad and other unbearable heartaches. There we were, sitting at the Borderline and Joe approached me. It was like my dad was setting the whole thing up. One of our first dances was to the song "Keeper of the Stars". From that night on we dated and were married 13 months later. Of course, our wedding song was "Keeper of the Stars," and balloons were released for my dad on our day. We have been married now for 10 years, and every day is better than the one before. I believe we have something that a lot of people don’t understand. My husband is my best friend and the love of my life now and for the rest of my life.

Christie Anselmo

My name is Willie, and my love is Alexis. I first saw her in seventh grade in our chapel at school. Right when I saw her I had a huge crush on her, but I never thought I would be with her because at that time I was very shy. In eighth grade on Super Bowl Sunday XLI, I broke my wrist so I couldn’t participate in P.E. At that time she was also sitting out of P.E. I met her and got to know her during that week. We became good friends. During our next football season in ninth grade, we had our homecoming game coming up. I asked her to the homecoming dance and she said she would go with me. We had a great time. Ever since that dance we have been together. It seems like I can’t love her any more than I do right now, but I always seem to find ways.

WIllie Kudera

Bill and I met at a pool tournament

Bill always sat in the corner hardly ever speaking to anyone, so I just ignored him, thinking he was just anti-social.

I won the Women’s Tournament. Then Bill won the Men’s Tournament.

We had to shoot against each other for the final winner.

Well, after playing a while, Bill finally won. I wasn’t happy at that because he was so unfriendly.

Then we started talking and shooting pool together.

He wasn’t such a bad guy after all.

To this day, people say “Bill” won the . . . (“Booby Prize”) (LITERALLY)!

Sandy Foeller

I met my husband when I went to his place of business.

When we introduced ourselves and shook hands . . . well, there was chemistry! We had our first date. He had sent flowers to my office, and the card said, “I am looking forward to our date.”

Needless to say, I was smitten with the man.

We dated, fell in love and finally got married.

To this day I am impressed with his unconditional love for me. He makes me feel like I am the only one for him.

I love my husband, and my husband loves his wife. He definitely had me at “Hello.”

Joei and Joey Wilson

My husband and I met at the dining commons/boarding house for faculty and staff across the street from the university. He was the director of the SJSU School of Music and Dance; I was a graduate student working on my special education certification, teaching ful time. We were both recovering from divorce.

We ran into each other frequently in the communal kitchen. One day he invited me and two other housemates to the Christmas program performed by his department. I imagined the typical churchtype program with a living crèche scene, squirming kids in p.j. bottoms and improvised headgear with older children singing Silent Night. What we saw and heard was a 300-voice choir and a 60-piece symphony orchestra performing in downtown Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph.

No shepherds or Mary and Joseph but lots of exquisite Christmas music from around the world from various eras.

He inquired at intermission: “How do you like it?” I was speechless and in love.

Judy Lucas

My matchmaker cousin met me for lunch at the Beachside Cafe in Santa Barbara and said a girl he worked with was coming to meet us. I wasn’t thrilled about the idea, but decided to make the best of it. Walking to meet us at the cafe, my cousin’s co-worker saw a friend of hers laying out on the beach and asked her to join us, not wanting to be outnumbered 2 to 1. When my cousin saw his coworker enter the cafe, he said, “Look, there she is,” referring to his friend. I never saw her because a few feet behind my cousin’s friend was this 6foot 1-inch blonde beauty with green eyes, wearing a loose T-shirt with bathing suit straps showing at her neckline. I said, “No way, man, quit joking,” thinking it couldn’t be his coworker friend. I was absolutely dumbfounded when the two girls sat down at our table. My future wife sat right next to me and we hit it off right away. As for my cousin’s co-worker friend, she ended up as a bridesmaid in our wedding!

James Martinez

Oh, the poor good-looking passenger that caught all of our eyes. He thought he was just comfortably sitting at a window seat on his way home to Portugal via New York with no idea that his fate lay in the hands of us conspiring flight attendants. I was actually trying to help another flight attendent meet him by telling her to just tell him his flight attendant calllight was on and start a conversation. Just as she was about to make her introduction, passenger McDreamy got up to use the restroom. She was nervous about this sudden change in our plans but I had it all covered. While he is in the restroom, she takes an empty cart into the aisle and blocks him from getting back to his seat. I will then engage him in friendly conversation till she gets back from pretending she is bringing up carts from the back of the plane. However, this is where the plan went astray . . . she stayed out in the cabin a bit too long and he and I were hitting it off!

Paulo and I hit it off so well that we married. 15 years later we have two sons and often visit Portugal, where he’s from.

Michele Carvalho

In the fall of 1952 I met the most beautiful girl I had ever seen at a bus stop in London, England. She had missed her bus. I asked her if she would go out with me the following Saturday night. She said no, but I persisted until she agreed to go only on one condition, that I take her to see a new play that had just opened. It was “Call Me Madam” and was advertised as “Sold out, no tickets available for six weeks.” I agreed and we exchanged addresses. She said “Don’t bother to come if you don’t have tickets.”

I knew how to get tickets. The next Saturday I arrived with two tickets for fifth row center. Her mother answered the door and when I asked for Anne she said, “She left about an hour ago with her girl friends. They were going to a movie.” England was still in a state of post WWII austerity. Many things were still rationed and telephones were not available to the public. The only means of communication was the postal service, which was excellent. I put the tickets in an envelope with a sarcastic note that said, “I kept my promise but you didn’t keep yours” and mailed it to her address, never expecting to see her again.

I immediately received a letter of apology saying that she didn’t expect me because she was sure that there were no tickets available and that I would be sincere and keep my word. She was sorry and asked me to write to her. The next Saturday night we went to the theater and enjoyed it so much that our friendship continued and two years later we were married.

I had never mentioned how we met until someone asked at our 50th wedding anniversary. After I told the story Anne looked up and smiled at me and said, “I’m so glad I missed that bus.”

Charles Valentine

I knew that I wouldn’t meet anyone during my daily routine of working and raising my two children. I decided to try Internet dating. My first experiences were interesting, to say the least. I gave one more site, one last try. I’m glad I did. My very first match was Chris. I have never been so surprised. He’s unbelievably handsome, smart and the sweetest man I have ever known. We took ourselves off the site the very next day and have been together ever since. Our romance was a whirlwind and oh so very right. We married nine months later and have just celebrated our first anniversary. Waiting for the right person to share your life can be difficult, but it’s so important. Words cannot express the joy that I have, every day, with Chris. If you’re lucky enough to have found your love, hold on to it. If you haven’t yet, keep looking; it’s worth everthing.

Shelli Wells

I know that many couples always mention “love at first sight” when they describe meeting their significant other. This was absolutely not the case between Jeanie and me—it was for me, but not for her.

We met December 1993 while I worked in a retail shop. She walked in the door; I could not believe my eyes; she had the most amazing dark brown skin, awesome legs, beautiful short hair, exotic eyes and an absolutely amazing smile—it was love at first sight for me! I was drooling and in a goofy daze . . . until I saw someone follow her in the door. It was a guy and they were talking. What really stood out about him was that he had a ginormous head. I thought to myself, “How can a 10 be dating Fred Flinstone?” As we chatted, I thought I was acting charming making a memorable impression—only to find out later that her initial impression of me was that I was gay!

I did not see her again for six months. It was a Thursday and was my usual day off. I was covering for a colleague and in she walks without Fred. I practically hopped over a sales counter to talk to her and finally worked up the nerve to ask for her number. The rest is history—married 12 years with three beautiful children! I love you, Jeanie!

Joseph Chuan

It took us 46 years to find each other!

My sweetheart and I were childhood friends living in Ventura in the ’50s. We attended junior high school and then Ventura High School, but our friendship was just that. No dates, no bells ringing, no butterflies fluttering. Just friendship.

After graduation day in 1957 we traveled on separate paths until the 2003 holidays when we became reacquainted at a Christmas party. Our old friendship was renewed and our first “date” took place at a musical concert in Constitution Park. One year later we exchanged vows on a hilltop overlooking our Ventura childhood homes, and now, very happily, we reside in beautiful Camarillo.

Jean McGuire

We both attended Central State University in Edmond, Okla., at different times. We met at the school’s newspaper office where I had previously worked. Doris Johnson’s eyes sparkled and danced in the light as she ignored my juvenile behavior.

Our first date was an out-of-town football game. She appeared to warm to my crazy sense of humor. We continued to date and fell in love.

After Thanksgiving break, she brought back a German chocolate cake made from scratch and two dozen chocolate chip cookies. She won “my heart through my stomach.” Virgil, my roommate, said, “Fred, if you don’t marry her, I will.”

Before Christmas vacation, I proposed. Her first ring was from a “Red Dot” cigar. She accepted, and we shopped for another ring. We were married the following June.

In 1960 we became CIOs (California Improved Oakies). We were both educators in local schools until our retirement.

We have three wonderful children and five grandchildren. We will celebrate our 49th wedding anniversary in June.

Fred Phipps

Bil and I met for the first time at a mutual friend’s apartment in Camarilo. It was the week of Thanksgiving 1968, and our friend had set us up for a blind date. Bill was handsome and outgoing, and I was impressed. Unfortunately, he did not call me for a second date until one month later. Bill thought that I didn’t like him because I had said only a few words, but I was shy. I thought he didn’t like me because he hadn’t called me for another date. Shortly before Christmas, our mutual friend had straightened out the misunderstanding. Bill and I went out on a second date, and we had our first kiss. We then saw each other almost everyday after that. It was love! We were married Jan. 25, 1969, in Cupid’s Wedding Chapel, Las Vegas. Bill and I recently celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary.

Bill and Bonnie Williams

The wind was blowing at a steady 15 knots from the north and the seas were calm as I anchored my smal sailboat into a tiny cove on Santa Catalina island. What more could a man ask for? I thought as I relaxed in the cockpit of my boat, enjoying the view and loving life. Then out of the blue came a beautiful young lady swimming toward my boat. As she approached I offered her a towel and something cold to drink, and she accepted.We talked for a while on my boat ,and as she was leaving later I got her phone number. After losing her number on the passage back to the mainland to the wind, somehow I managed to remember her number and caled her a week later! Since that fateful day we have been together for the last 24 years; we have two fantastic children, many great memories and stil go sailing together every now and then. Maybe it was meant to be.

Steven and Becky Fruth

Our love story may not have started like most, when two people fall in love as young lovers.

George Durr and Ann Marie were teachers in Oxnard, fell in love and got married in 1982, and they lived happily ever after, until Feb. 15, 2006, when Ann passed away after a long battle with breast cancer. George, a dedicated teacher and active teachers’ union member, stayed busy through the long days and months that passed after Ann's death.

In June 2006, George attended the National Education Association’s weeklong annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. One of the evening events was a night of dinner and dancing at the Hard Rock Cafe. George was alone standing by the bar; as I flitted by, I faintly heard my name called out. I turned to see George, who I have known for many years as a fellow union member. I stopped to chat, and that chat turned into an evening of conversation that lasted late into the night. For the rest of the week in Orlando, we kept each other company with many more conversations.

We casually dated for many months. The event that changed our casual dating to something more special was September of that year. George took me for the weekend to the Avilla Village Inn, and there we fell in love. On my birthday in March 2007, George proposed to me, expressing that he was so very happy to fall in love again.

July 28, 2007, George and I were married under a brilliant blue sky, surrounded by friends and family at the Avilla Village Inn where two people fell in love almost a year before. I love you, George, and I am so happy that I will be your Valentine for the first time as a married couple.

February is a month that has mixed emotions for George; it was the ending of something so special two years ago, but it also means a new beginning.

Linda Durr

The first time I saw my sweetheart I immediately went into a kind of trance; it was as if there was no one else in the room. She was special, and I just seemed to know it right then and there. It was as if she had a glow surrounding her.

I was brought back to reality in short order. She had been picked up and was being carried of down a halway by one of the mental patients on my unit. He was a big burly guy that had every intention of taking her to his room. I intervened and rescued her without incident to either her or the patient.

I was a young psychiatric technician working at Patton State Hospital, and she was a student nurse from Loma Linda University. She had come that day as part of her psychiatric training in becoming a registered nurse. She would come to the unit and talk with the patients and then go back to her classroom and discuss the various types of mental illnesses. One day before leaving I mustered enough nerve to ask her when she would talk to me. She said, “And what do you have to talk about?” I said, “My social life!”

She agreed to a date but only if we could have someone around. I asked if she would mind if we double-dated with a friend who worked on the unit along with his wife. She said okay.

Our first date: Not knowing that my friend had arranged to have a mental patient go with him and his wife to the Los Angeles County Fair, our first date was to be with another couple and a mental patient. We all had a glorious time at the fair. Then, after taking the patient back to the state hospital, we all went to our friend’s house to play a table game. During the game my beautiful date accidently hit me in the eye with her elbow. I went to work the next few days having to deal with many comments from my fellow workers about the black eye.

After 43 years she still is a wonder to behold, and I love her dearly. I love you, Myrna.

Clint Hooper Sr.