You have a MATCH....on eHarmony.com!

Today Louis Dean and I are celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary! It all started on April 16, 2005 when I received a notification from eHarmony.com...."You have a MATCH."

I joined eHarmony on January 1st, 2005. My mother helped me do the 4 hour profile procedure which was pretty in depth! eHarmony matches you with someone compatible in LIKES and DISLIKES as well as character, interests, education, spiritual qualities and a host of others. I married at such a young age that I had never 'dated' before and was not at all sure what I was getting into. After recently ending a 41 year old marriage I had no real intention of getting serious about anyone but I did think it would be nice to go to dinner and movies and have a bit of a social life. I was matched with a banker, a minister, several truck drivers, a couple of postal workers, several business men.....and then on April 16, 2005 a retired school teacher! He, too, had been married 41 years .......happy years! Sadly, he had lost his wife in 2000. When we matched Louis Dean had clicked on 'Fast Track'....meaning skip right to the chase and exchange emails. I was talking to my mother on the phone when I received his message through eHarmony. My mother said, "Click YES!" So I did....and the rest is history!

Our first date was at the Fort Worth Zoo.....he was the tall, dark and handsome man standing on his 6'1" tip toes looking out over the parking lot for ME! He had prepared a picnic lunch for us which we ate on the tailgate of his truck......2 kinds of chicken, potato salad, baked beans and homemade rolls. We walked and talked and spent the entire day and into the evening together. I was so comfortable with him from the very beginning! I had become very wary of men in general and barely even allowed myself to  be hugged by my own brother and dear brother in law. You know how when you first meet someone there is a bit of hesitancy and self conscientiousness? I felt none of this......I was as comfortable with him as if I had known him my entire life! He held my hand and we had a word of prayer in his truck before he left for his home in Brownwood. (169 miles from my front door to his!) I believe our match was a God-thing. We are perfect for each other. After a very short time I was as surprised as anyone to find myself married to the nicest man I have ever met in my life! I thank God for Louis Dean every day!

We have been through a lot in these few years but never have we had harsh words with each other or stress between us. The stress has come from outside pressures....supporting a granddaughter which required him to go back to work for awhile, me losing my job, surgery for me, a heart attack for him, sadness over some of his family deciding not to share our life as well as the usual ups and downs of life in general. Through it all we have supported and comforted each other as well as laughed and had more fun than we thought possible. We are truly better together than we would be apart! Life is always an adventure! Life itself is a blessing! To spend the rest of our lives together as soul mates.....well, that is PRICELESS!