A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....07-17-03...Taking a Chance on Love

Billie

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

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We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_Bear, dansangel, dutchess, Aquamarine ~

A love story, an anniversary, a surprise......

Today's thread was going to be a regular profile of Ohio FReeper chance33_98,  although he didn't know it!
It was to be a surprise -- a sort of wedding anniversary present -- with his wife LadyShallott furnishing the information.  But as I read her words (taking out a few of the personal details), my mind began to take a whole different direction -- this one!

Won't you please join me in wishing them both a Happy Anniversary .... and .... let them -- and us! -- eat cake! :)

       

"I knew from the moment I saw him that I was going to marry him.
As strange as that sounds its the truth." ~ Chris

Chris believes that fate had something to do with meeting her future husband. Living in Bakersfield, California, she was offered a temporary job in Tehachapi, 45 minutes away, with the company that employed Todd. Unsure at first whether she wanted to make the drive every day, Chris ultimately took a chance and accepted the job.

"He was a quiet computer geek who worked upstairs, and I found a million reasons that I had to go upstairs to see him.   He was completely unaware that I was trying to get him to ask me on a date. Finally I asked him to go to dinner. And the rest as they say is history."

"Two weeks after we met I took a cab (yes a cab -- $200 worth!) from Bakersfield to Tehachapi, because my car was in the shop. We've never been apart since that night."

"On July 17th, just months after we met, we were married. That was five years ago."

"With this ring, I thee wed......."

"Todd truly is a knight in shining armor to me. When we met I was a staunch, tree-hugging, Clinton-loving hippie. Through his patience, he slowly opened my eyes to the truth. Not just politically but in the spiritual sense as well. I found the Lord through him. We would sit many nights and read the Bible."

"He is a soft spoken person who is passionate about what he believes in. And through these soft spoken ways I have never felt so much love or learned so much about happiness. He is a devoted father to Hannah (affectionately called Boo-Boo)."

"Some of our most cherished times are the times we have spent together as a family. We tried for three heart-wrenching years to have a child. After we rode the emotional roller coaster for so many years we quit trying. We bought an RV and decided to just spend our free time fishing and camping."

"The Lord works in very mysterious ways I suppose. Nine months after one of our first weekends in that RV, our little Hannah Rose was born. :) So now our little family is complete."

More About FReepers
LadyShallott & Chance33-98

Chance33-98 registered at FReeRepublic on November 9, 2000, and after freeping for almost a year, persuaded his wife to become a FReeper on August 29, 2001. Among his hobbies and interests are: math, photography, arts-n-crafts, painting miniatures, and reading. Chris sums him up as "loving God, computers, family and Bush. LOL."

LadyShallott, or Chris, as we've come to know her, describes herself as: "a 32 year old stay at home mom who is happily married to chance33_98." That beautiful little redhead, "Boo-Boo", above, is the pride and joy of them both - and understandably so!

Both Todd and Chris are amateur photographers, and some of their work has been published in photography books. Below are a few of their Angel photographs which were taken in various historical cemeteries in Ohio.

~ Mother and Child ~

~ Old Rugged Cross ~

~ Flower Child ~



And Finally.....

Chris also wrote, "We have no official wedding pictures", so I thought I would make her one.   LadyShallott, as a modern day "Flower Child" when you married, here is the way I pictured you as a bride:

Happy 5th Anniversary,
LadyShallott & Chance33_98

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 07-14-03 Military Monday 07-15-03 Tagline Contest 07-16-03 Fluffy... A Military Dog Story

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[MeekOneGOP]

hehe ! Thanks. Got it down to slightly sore, tolerable now !

[MeekOneGOP]

hehe !! Thanks !!

[SpookBrat]

((((Pippin)))) Your mom's a wonderful lady, I can tell. She raised you didn't she? Are you hot in Washington? It's sooooooooooo hot up there this time of year.

[SpookBrat]

I confess....I'm a dingaling. When I took my first quilt class, I had no idea people used sewing machines. I thought I was going to do it all by hand and they sorta laughed at me. LOL It seems machine quilting is the way to go. I'm just too busy and stressed to quilt by hand. I looked at your link and I like the fish quilt. She does beautiful work.

[SpookBrat]

I love to crochet Aqua. My grandma taught me how to crochet when I was very little. I crocheted (sp)? a granny square sweater for my baby sister when I was about 7 or 8. My grandma did the sleaves and neck, but I did all the squares. I loved it.

Before I die, one of my life goals is to learn to knit. Can you knit?

[SpookBrat]

Gosh! There are no quilt shops in Memphis? Sounds like a business opportunity for you. I'm sure there is a demand for it. :) I think you should name your quilt square, "Chip off the old block". LOL I was thinking it looked like a chip off the flag. I like the flying geese around it.

[LadyShallott]

Just wanted to send my FRiends some thank you roses. It was wonderful to be able to share this day with you all!


God Bless- Chris

[Billie]

Thank you, Chris. You and Todd have a wonderful evening, and we'll see you tomorrow....JohnHuang was kind enough to switch his regular Thursday to tomorrow so we could do your surprise on the right day. :)

[LadyX]

Gail, I'm so sorry I'd signed off when you asked for a suggestion for a name for your quilt design!
Went to do some 'series' housecleaning, and it now is 7:35 p.m.
I'm eating and Freeping at the same time..:))
(Doesn't everyone?!!)

Let me catch up on the whole thread to see if someone has already given you one, while I think about it.
It is so lovely and original!

My mother use to hand sew quilts, and my paternal grandmother.
Guess I moved too much to gather materials and do it - reared three children - helped rear 3 grandchildren under my roof - and worked full time.

Didn't leave many hours for relaxation, which I considered to be reading or yard work - gotta keep the world tidy and flower-filled..:))

[Calpernia]

Ah Billie, thank you for the flowers. That was thoughtful!

[jwfiv]

Gosh, I'm late through the doors today....probably no more coffee, so...justa glass of water will do...)

LadyShallot and Chance, Congratulations to you...on your anniversary, on being in the spotlight here at the Finest. Thanks for shining a little of the glow of True Love on us...may you always be so smitten.

I think your little girl will one day smite a few, herself...whatta sweetie...)

Thank you, Miss Billie...really lovely, extra much...love the vertical lines and colors, and the wedding photo must have delighted our honored couple.

Blessings on all you Freepers...Good Night, All...)

[Billie]

Gosh, I'm late through the doors today....probably no more coffee, so...justa glass of water will do...)

No, you must have a glass of champagne - I made sure no one opened the last bottle until Johnny Mac got here. :)

Thanks as always, for having the nicest words to say when you came through the door. Hope your day went well, and thanks for dressin' up before coming, tired as you were. :)

[Billie]

You are welcome - you've become a really nice addition to the Finest, Cal. :)

[Calpernia]

Goodnight to the Finest!

[Billie]

Night, Cal - I'm going to say goodnight, too.

[chance33_98]

Thank you all for today, it has been awesome! I have been busy most of the day (2 yr olds and work do that to a guy!) but have been reading through the thread each chance I get. It's been a wonderful 5 years together with LadyShallott, can't wait to see what the next 5 will bring!

[Pippin]

I hope so!

[Pippin]

Hi, Spookie!

I live closer to Baltimore but it don't matter in the summertime!

because Baltimore and DC are sweltering in summer!

HOT! HOT! HOT!

not to mention humid

And the masgiutos (spelling?) are terrible!

Oh Well!

I'm glad they invented AC! LOL!

How are you doing?+

[chance33_98]

We got married at a courthouse before we left CA for OH. Have actually been looking into get a family portrait done, one of us is usually holding the camera :). As far as timelines go, you lose track of exact times when life is flying by. Seems like we have been together for way more than 5 years. In the last 8 years I have been divorced, lived in three different places in Ohio, three different places in California, had two kids, increased my income 6x, and owned several cars. Have also worked for enron, a dot come telecom company, computer store, consulting company, bank, and misc side jobs in the field. Driven from Ohio to california probably 9 times (both ways), and all of that is just a small insight into enough things to write a book on.

It's been a wild ride over 8 years, painful and wonderful all at once. We decided we wanted kids together when we met. We moved to Ohio, kept trying, and it just did not seem to be working. Finally it did. I don't remember exact times and dates myselfs, life has been a blur :) Have over 6000 photos of trips, drives, family, etc - and those photos were all taken in the last 3 1/2 years.