French la Vie

                                                 

 

 

                                                                                                  Our Love Story                    

 

The man I loved asked me to marry him three times, and I said “No” each time.

 

The first time was on the Grand Canal in Venice.

 

The second time, at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

 

The third time, we were on a train traveling through the mountains in California. It was for my birthday, a snowy trip he knew would be a dream come true for me. He opened a ring box, showed me a beautiful ring, asked me to marry him. He also said that he wanted me to have the ring no matter my answer. We arrived in Reno and went to dinner. Several minutes after arriving back to our hotel, I took one look at Bill and knew he was very sick. He was having a heart attack. A call was made, and he was rushed to the hospital. 

Am I a crazy woman?

Yes!!!

I was also very frightened and afraid of making a mistake again.

 

Bill and I met on eHarmony. His wife of 36 years, had died of cancer two years before. I had been single for over twenty years. Our experiences with love had been very different. He thought love was simple and straight forward. You find someone you love, marry them, and have a beautiful life together. I had once felt that way too… though the path of love unfortunately is never the same for anyone, mine was far from tender.

 

That was in 2007.

(By the way, YES, Bill did survive the heart attack. We spent three days in the hospital and then flew home to Portland, Oregon.) Two years later, we moved in together, and life began for us. We had our differences and worked them out. That’s was new for me. I was wonderfully surprised at many things. Nine years later, we got married. 

I met Corey through her blog about two years after I met Bill. My girlfriend had been reading her blog since the beginning. I contacted Corey and told her Bill and I were coming to France. Corey, being the kind, generous, loving, trusting person she is, invited us to meet with her. We met, hugged, laughed and hurried off to the brocante in that little town. Five minutes later, I left Bill at a table with a beer, talking with Yann. (Sidenote: We have been close friends ever since.)

Corey asked how long Bill and I had been married. I told her that we weren’t married. Corey just smiled, always accepting everyone wherever they are on their journey.

 

 

Happily together at Home Bill and me.

 

During that trip, Bill and I visited an amazing place, St. Baume. It was a magical place. It’s only about one-half hour from Corey’s home in St. Zacharie. In 2016, when Bill and I decided we would get married, I immediately contacted Corey. We asked if it would be possible to have a wedding ceremony at St. Baume. She said she could perform the ceremony. We were thrilled! Even though we tried to work out the details, sadly, it didn’t work. When June rolled around that year, we said our vows in front of a judge in Oregon City. The best part was when friends asked the next day, “How is married life?” I could happily say, “Same old, same wonderful old!”

I have read the stories that Corey’s readers have sent in. Amazing people—creative, resilient, and courageous. I don’t consider myself any of those things. That’s why I was more than a little surprised when Corey asked me to write about our crazy love story. I’m so honored to be a small part of this wonderful world of people who revolve around our mutual friend, Corey.