Otherwise Engaged... (page 9)

Satanus

Well, cool. You did a good job of denying this, way back then, when she was still on this forum. Good thing you're tenacious

S

Between calls and visits to folks we've been a little busy, so I apologise for not replying sooner and for not yet managing to speak to some. I've not been able to get through to a few, so I don't know if I have old numbers or some of y'all are just darned difficult to get a hold of.

So, perhaps a little history, which begins about five years ago with a budding friendship:
Diane started on this board on 9/11, and while I had lurker just a couple of days, I started an account the next day. We didn't start corresponding for another month, after I responded for her request for some information about the Elders' book (I was still an Elder at the time).

We were both married (to other people, obviously) but struck up an immediate great friendship, and since the concept of being able to have friends of the opposite sex wasn't new to either of us it worked just fine. Those were in the heady early days of the board when things were getting pretty well established and the community spirit was growing. There were lots of flirty threads and cyber-spankings - ahhh, the memories...
...and that was just amongst us guys in the locker-room! I'm not even going to attempt to cast my mind back to what the girls got up to

I became a self-confessed Apostafest-ho, and it would be another year-and-a-half before I would eventually get Stateside to my first Fest in Dallas. I fell in love with the country and the people, and especially a wonderful bunch of folks in Dallas. This was my first trip to the States, early in 2003, and the first time I met Diane. She had recently been going through a divorce, but we had as much fun in person as we had had online. On the night of the meal, over the Fest weekend, both of us managed to get left behind in the lobby of the Bradford hotel, so we ended up sharing a taxi to get to the restaurant. It's funny the little things you remember when you turn your mind to them.

Later that year, though completely unrelated I hasten to add, I suffered a separation from a JW wife whom I dearly loved. Anyone who knows my story, and especially some of my closest friends here, will know how hard I battled to make it work, to the point of coming close to having a complete mental and physiological breakdown in the process. All through that period I had some wonderful friends to help me through, and Diane was there throughout.

Here in Britain a separation is usually for two years before you can apply for the simplest form of divorce, and that duly ended in the Autumn of 2005. It was subsequently clear from the final discussions that I had with my wife that there was going to be no reconcilliation, and the divorce papers finally came through early December of that year. That might go some ways to explaining why I was in no mood for a "LittleToe's Travels" travelogue around that time, and the August AmsterdamFest got no writeup from me (sorry Gyles ).

This past couple of years I have been concentrating on my studies and career, finally achieving my Bachelors degree this month following final exams in October. After years of being asked if Diane and I were an item, and being told how well we interact (which stands to reason, given that we had built an incredibly strong friendship over five years), and having had a number of meetups both sides of the pond, I took a sabbatical throughout this December to come visit. After a year as a divorcee, the best part of my studying behind me (though now I'm on the Masters programme), and more than a few hints from friends that it's about time I got myself settled down again, I had a clear mind to concentrate on "us".

So Christmas was upon us, and most of Diane's family would be coming for Dinner, so an opportunity presented itself to make this a family occasion. Jerry had managed to join us for Dinner, though unfortunately he had to head back to Dallas early, and Keith had been unable to visit due to work commitments. That evening, full of good cheer, we settled into an incredibly competitive game of I'm-agination, which none of us had played before. At the end of the first game and preparing for the second, I decided to ask a few questions about the rules "so just let me get this straight, what happens if there's a tie at the end?", to which I received a lengthy and complicated explanation.

Then I said, "ok, ok, one last question..."; at which point I got down on one knee; presented a ring; and asked Diane to marry me...

There was a split second of shocked silence in the room before the squeals started, and it was a couple of minutes of flashing phone-cams before I could remind folks that I hadn't received an answer yet. She said "yes", I slipped on the ring, and as they say the rest is history.

We need to discuss where and when we're to get married, and where we're going to live, but one step at a time, huh?

GoingGoingGone

Aaaaaawwwwwww!!

That's such a sweet story!! And quite honestly, I think that starting a relationship as good friends is one of the best foundations for a marriage.

Congratulations again to you both!

GGG

Congratulations you two. Where will you live?

Junction-Guy

Congratulations, sorry it took me so long to post on here.

codeblue

(((LT)))

aweeeeeeee...as someone just said...I say again!

I am so happy for you and miss Diane.

I guess you can tell I am a "hopeless romantic"......

I just love knowing someone else is loved and appreciated!!!

I am so happy for both you and Diane...

Codeblue

purplesofa

Jerry had managed to join us for Dinner

now I know who the surprise guests were at Jerry's door...............I guess you remember that he had not showered!??????

LOL.........

he told us about it in chat.

purps

Otherwise Engaged...

Satanus

LittleToe

GoingGoingGone

Soledad

hemp lover

funkyderek

Mulan

Junction-Guy

codeblue

purplesofa

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