...The Love Of My Life, Mark...
Before explaining how our relationship began, I wanted to tell you that you are listening to Freebird, a song made popular by Lynyrd Skynyrd many years ago...this was and still is "Our Song."
While we attended college, we continued to sporadically date for the first year, then slowly drifted apart. My heavy curriculum at college was the determining factor of why we drifted apart. As a few years went by, we dated other people.
Then, tragically, when my mother passed away, I found myself confronted with feelings which I thought had resolved...there was Mark standing in front of me at the funeral home and I knew that I had to speak with him and convey my feelings to him. My mother and I had had a conversation prior to her death which involved us discussing Mark's and my relationship and my feelings for him over the years. I will never forget my mother's last words on the subject..."Debbie Lee, you know that you both love each other and no matter how many years go by, I know the two of you will end up together....if it's the last thing I do from heaven." I laughed and said "Ok, Mom, I know you have that 'hotline' up to heaven."
Mark and I met one night shortly after that time and we talked....I was not aware he was involved with someone else at the time....I felt my heart break inside as I knew that I had waited too long to express my feelings to him and someone else was receiving that love from him now. I swallowed my pride, backed out of the situation, and watched as their relationship grew and they eventually married approximately 1 and a 1/2 years later.
Many years, 15 to be exact, had gone by and they had a son and daughter....I had gone on to other relationships; however, unconsciously always comparing the men I had dated to Mark. Somehow, no matter how wonderful the men were to me, Mark was still in my heart and I couldn't give my heart fully to anyone.
Suddenly, one day a truck pulled up next to me in the front of the house while I was cutting grass and it was Mark. He began the conversation explaining that as many times as he had gone past in the preceding 15 years, he had never once seen me outside. Then the next thing he was about to tell me, I never would have imagined...his wife had left him and the children for another man and he was filing for divorce. We talked for what seemed minutes, but in reality it was about 1 hour. It seemed as if the 15 years had melted away and we were back to our way of talking endlessly without any awkward quiet gaps.
We had agreed that night to talk again and stay "friends" as neither of us was ready for another relationship. We spoke several times on the phone and soon were realizing there was much more than friendship between us.
It was after the New Year of 2005 when we spent an evening at my home watching a movie and began to grow closer than friends. As time passed, we began dating and the children and I grew to know and love each other.
As I look back on the past year we have been together, I can't think of a happier time in my life....I have the man I've always loved with all of my heart, I have his children in my life whom I love more and more each day with all of my heart, and I know I have Mark's heart with unconditional love.
My life is finally complete and I again think back to my Mom's words....perhaps she really did have a hand in getting us together. And, it is true....wonderful things come to those who wait!
My Dearest Mark....
This page is dedicated to you and the love we share....you have made me happier than any other woman in the world and I thank you for coming back into my life and loving me and allowing me to share in yours and the children's lives....I love you now and forever!
Here are pictures of how we looked in high school and how we look today...
Our Prom In 1981...
And, Today...
Mark has 2 children, a son, Andrew...
and a daughter, Catherine...
