Reader-submitted love stories

Arpad & Ilona Gergely

We sat on opposite sides of the aisle in ninth grade. For months I was just eyeing her. Finally, I got enough courage and approached her best friend to be our matchmaker. I suggested, that if she cares not to go out with me, place a leaf of the Linden tree on my seat. But if she does care, place two or more leaves. When we got back from lunch break, there was a huge branch of the Linden tree on my seat. Today, only days before Valentine’s Day, we are celebrating our 55th wedding anniversary.

Gilbert and Minerva Ibarra

My husband and I met when we were 13 and 14 in 1974. We were on the school bus, and when he got on the bus I was sitting with my sister and I told her, "See him? I am gonna marry him one day."

It was love at first sight. She laughed and said, "You don’t even know his name."

Well before the end of the day I knew his name and before the end of the week I was his girlfriend. My mother wanted me to have nothing to do with him. She knew we were getting serious and decided to try everything to separate us. By then we were both 16. (My family) lived in Florida and vacationed in Brownsville with my grandmother. That year my mother did not take me back to Florida, and I cried every night. I wrote many letters which my mother got a hold of and never gave to him.

My mother called me one day and told me he was married and I should forget about him. I was devastated; I became pregnant and had to get married with the first guy that asked me out and went into a life of drugs and alcohol and partying. My mother told him I had gotten married and he should leave me alone.

Seven months later my ex-boyfriend from Florida came to Brownsville to see if it was true that I had married. I told him yes. When I asked for his wife he said he was not married. I hated my mother for lying to me. I did not talk to my mother for 10 years and the next time I saw him was 11 years later when I moved back to Florida. I was divorced and he was married. I married a second time. Fourteen years later I divorced again and he had been divorced for five years by then. He called me up where I worked in Florida and he said, "This is someone from your past."

We have been together now for 10 years and we married in 2003. He helped me to learn how much Christ loves me and he helped to get sober.  When I told my sister I was married again and told her with whom, she said, "You did say you would marry him back in middle school."

I said, yes I did, but I didn’t say when I just knew then I was in love with him and the feeling is mutual. We both turned 50 this past year.

Ivan and Marlene Gonzalez

Even though Ivan and I were in the same high school, we didn't meet there. It was back in September in 2006. I was in pain, because I was going through a breakup with my boyfriend of almost two years. Everything was going wrong in my life. My car broke down, I was fired from my job and going through a break-up.

One day, I was on MySpace when I got a message. It was a young man wanting to chat with me. I was open to friendships so I accepted. Next thing I knew, we went on a date. We went to the Island and, to my luck, it was Labor Day weekend. There were fireworks, moon light and, best of all, there was the young love that was about to grow and become a marriage. That same day, we went dancing and to have dinner.

After that night, my life changed for good. I found a new job, I bought a truck, and I even remodeled my room. We are now going on five years being married and I will never regret answering that MySpace message.

Russell Taylor and Paulina Rodriguez Taylor

Russell and I met in March 21, 2001. He came to Los Fresnos on a youth mission trip with his church, First Christian, of Orange, TX (a town about 8 hours away). That night we met was like love at first sight!  He kept making comments like: "Can you feel this Romeo and Juliet thing happening between us?" and "There's plenty room in my heart for your love to move in."

When I asked how old he was and he told me he was 17 and a high school junior, I was devastated. I told him that it just wouldn't work, because I was 26 and was a 1995 high school graduate, but that didn't bother him. He told my mom: "Tell that man that when I get back I am dating his daughter." (My dad only speaks and understands Spanish.)

He was the most loving and sweetest guy I had ever met, but the age difference really bothered me. We exchange emails anyway. On the way home from church that night, my dad tells my mom in Spanish that he thinks they have met their future son-in-law. I exclaim: "No way! Do you guys know how old he is? He's just a baby!"

We begin to email each other. Every email begins to tug at my heart!  By April ('01), I say yes to being his girlfriend. Then in August ('01), we meet in Corpus Christi at my sister's where we share the first of kisses and he makes me his fiance! In October ('01) I make the trip up to Orange to meet his parents. In May ('02) I attend his high school graduation. Then on June 29, 2002  we get married! 

We are even more in love now than the day we got married! This summer is our 10 year anniversary and it doesn't even seem as if we've been married that long. We have an almost 8-year-old son and an almost 3-year-old daughter.

Age really hasn't mattered for us, nor has the distance that has separated us in the past when he lived in southeast Texas and I lived in the Valley or separates us now as he drives all over the country as a truck driver! Love is something amazing!

Frank Martinez and Elsa Maldonado

I met my boyfriend Frank when we were in the sixth grade. We became friends and stayed friends for 6 years (until) our senior year in high school when we stop seeing each other as friends and started dating. We have been inseparable since February 10, 2010 and have been together for two wonderful years already. Now that he has decide to go to the Army, our bond is stronger than ever.

Juan and Desiree Ricarte

I was working the early morning shifts at a call center. Juan was working the late night shifts. I would clock out. He would clock in. This went on for months. Then one day, the call center offered overtime. This meant we could work any and all the hours we wanted. Juan, having some outstanding financial issues, decided to take in all the overtime he could get. That's when we met. He worked ALL day for several days. It started out very innocently. One morning he would ask for my transfer sheet. The next day I would ask about the weather. Then I noticed he would pack his own lunch for the day. I suppose it was because he would work all day and didn't really want to spend money on lunch. Either way, I would ask him what he would bring. It was always the same: two turkey and mayo sandwiches. I would ask, "Well, did you make one for me?" and he being the nice guy that he was, would always answer, "Yes, I did." Then I would dig in his lunch and eat one sandwich in front of him. Leaving him with ONE sandwich for the entire day. Poor guy. He never told me anything or made faces. I just assumed he would bring one for me. I guess he got the hint and really started making extra sandwiches for me. After that, we always ate lunch together. 

Juan and I got married a year later. Our anniversary is February 13, 2009. Every time I make a sandwich, I think of how we met.

Rudy and Rita Garcia

There`s never been a prettier face

In the history of the human race

With lips so full and passion red

A smile that won`t let me leave the bed

With teeth that nibble pearly white

A tongue that murmurs with delight

And when she speaks she serenades

Resounding beauty that never fades

The smoothness of her clay like cheeks

Undammed my passion bursting leaks

And when I look into her eyes

I see the sparking midnight skies

And too her hair so Raven jet

Curled and entangled I the day we met

And on her crown there rest an aura

The dawning luminous light Aurora

That dances off her lovely face

Translucent in me with her grace

And like all beauties of her gender

A birth mark accents to make her grander

Located in a secret place

For my eye only upon her face

And so I look and look still more

To see and sigh and than implore

To live tomorrow by her side

Then pass to night with lovers stride

And there by moonlight stroke her face

To inebriate myself with scent of her embrace

To kiss, caress, her beaded brow

Than stare in wonder and wonder how

My fortune came to be so great!

Was it through destiny or lucky fate?

That joined two paths pristine not worn

And there our road to love sworn

It happened many years ago

And yet her face remains aglow

 She`s still the candle of my way

Through tempest, storms, or come what may

Knowing not what seasons bring

To me her face shall stay with spring

And never shall a prettier face

See I in the history of the human race.

Pablo Zepeda and Celia Marquez Zepeda

The way we met was  destiny without a doubt.

It was on August 2007 when MySpace was common. I was in San Antonio and he was in Brownsville. It was our first time we both had logged into the MySpace chat room. I decided to chat with him since he looked familiar back from high school. Luckily he decided to respond to me. Little by little we started to talk more. By the end of August on my birthday he decided to ask me out. We ended having a long distance relationship for three months and I decided to moved back to Brownsville. Like they say "You will know when he's THE ONE." And at that moment I knew he was the one. Ever since August 2007 we've been together, married since August 2010 and Sept. 18, 2011, we were blessed with our first child.  In that case we believe it was destiny thanks to a MySpace chat room. We are a happy family.

Jose and Michelle Solis

Remember when we first met, Michelle? It was the summer of 2000 when I was taking a master's class at UTB. For some reason, math and I were not clicking in the first week, and I decided to "dump it" for an English writing class that one of my friends told me about. It was a course being offered through the Sabal Palms Writing Program and English seemed to be a better "dating partner" due to our compatibility.

Nonetheless, little did I know that my eyes would gaze upon a new star that was brighter than the sun. Michelle, as you walked into that room, I experienced ten times the writer's block phenomenon.  My world just spun like Pepé Le Pew spotting his dear love.  Hearts just filled the classroom chalkboard, as the professor seemed to be writing hieroglyphics of some sort explaining how love is so beautiful. I sensed Cupid nearby, as well, trying to do his magic upon me. Not only had I gone to heaven and come back in one day, but I had discovered a new universe filled with bliss. 

I remember when I first asked you out. I slipped a piece of paper with my name and phone number under your office door (since you were the program's secretary) to see if Cupid's advice would be a hit, and it was!  Hours later, I heard my ringtone.  In my mind, I could only think of this song:  "Micaela, Micaela...Que tu tienes alma, mia?  Yo no se lo que me pasa cuando la veo caminar.  El corazon se me para y luego hace como matraca...TRAKA! TRAKA! TRAK! TRA!"  Yes, just like it says, I was nervous, but full of hope that we could strike a spark.  After hearing your angelic voice and laughter as we spoke, I didn't waste time to ask you out. And I thank heaven for that! 

Remember when we went out on our first date to Sonic to get some ice cream. We talked about our hobbies, favorite movies, and even how close you were from throwing the slip with my information into the trash.  Yet, something told you not to do it.  Could it have been Cupid?  There's no doubt, because he even punctured my truck's tire with his arrow that night.  I guess he wanted for us to spend more time together in our first date.

And it has turned out to be just that.  The new millenium seemed to be the final chapter of our 'love quest.'  We've spent almost 11 wonderful years together, and we have been blessed with two beautiful angels of our own, Noe and Dominic. Michelle, I just want to wish you a special Valentine's Day, and I want to pause time to tell you that 'I love you.'  Cupid, I love you, too.  Continue God's vision to spread love in your mission.  

Todd and Laura McFarland

I am one of the females missing the "romantic area" thought to exist in every female's brain. Don't get me wrong: I appreciate romance; I just don't have the talents to execute anything romantic with any degree of success. Adding to my predicament is the fact that I'm accident prone, thus making any effort to be romantic look like an episode of Wiley Coyote trying to catch the Road Runner. I always end up with the proverbial anvil smashed against my head. So when the big "V" day approaches, I know that I am in trouble. 

As irony would have it, I am married to a man that is sensitive, loving and is not afraid to express his emotions. If he had been born in the 1600s he would've eclipsed Shakespeare. He still sends flowers for no reason, opens doors, writes love poems, skips business trips to take me to the doctor, and would rather talk to me than play video games or watch sports. 

Before meeting Todd, my idea of romance was to whip out the box of chocolate and the Valentine card sitting in my "just in case" drawer. That strategy worked well while I was involved with individuals as romantically handicapped as myself, but living with Todd has motivated me to change my insensitive ways.

This year I was planning to do something more romantic: I wanted to write him a love letter and publish it in a magazine. I was going to drop the magazine in front of him with the love letter on the glossy page. I could imagine him overwhelmed with emotion telling me, "Nobody has eve done anything so nice for me!" Of course I was a couple of months late in submitting my request to the magazine. (Note to self: start planning Valentine's around Christmas time.) 

Regardless, I have come a long way in the romance department, and my husband can attest to that. The love letter idea is far superior to my last attempt at romance, which landed us a $400 bill from the mechanic, a wheel alignment and a new tire. I planned a romantic picnic at the beach and a night of star gazing. I left work early, and I did a mad dash to find a telescope, strawberries, and champagne.

I coerced my husband into the car, blindfolded him and drove him to the beach, and this is what followed:

T: "We are at the beach?"

L: "Yes, I have a surprise for you, but first let me park on that grassy spot."

T: "No! We are going to get stuck!"

L " Duh! No, we won't! Cars don't get stuck on grass!"

A minute later I could feel my foot tickling my throat, as the car was sinking into two feet of mud.

Three hours (and countless mosquito bites) later, a guy in a monster truck pulled us out. We drove home at 40 mph with a wobbly axel and a bumpy tire, and luckily we were able to laugh it off. So I still have a couple of days until the "V" day and haven't come up with a plan B.

All I know is that it has to be better than a CD with mushy love songs, but safer than parachuting from the Chase Tower with a banner that says, "I love Todd." 

Ella Rendon and Reynaldo Chapa Jr.

About a year ago Rey and I were supposed to meet on a blind date. We both opted that it wasn't such a great idea, not knowing that later on down the line that we would meet on Match.com. It wasn't until a couple of dates later that we both had learned we knew mutual people that in fact tried to set us up on this date. This was fate! We instantly hit it off! Never have I met someone who I share so many things in common with. He is an amazing man with so many great qualities that I love! He is everything I have ever wanted and more. I can't wait for the next step of our lives to begin.