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

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

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

[Billie]

LOL! And see, I forgot about Conway Twitty singing it - I think it's The Eagles' song, originally, isn't it? (Was it the Eagles?)

Hear Bette sing Wind Beneath My Wings and view a pretty page HERE :)

[Billie]

BTW...you did a beautiful job of illustrating the opener and the Pledge. Thanks, Aqua - you can see why I didn't want to take a chance on Domania today. It needs every one of those backgrounds to open. :)

[Billie]

Thanks for the bump, Cal - see you later. ;)

[FreeTheHostages]

[lonestar]

Happy Birthday, Rocket!

Weinie

[FreeTheHostages]

What a lovely story! And what a beautiful, beautiful red-haired girl!!

[Billie]

Good morning, Freezie - I can't read all the 'fine print' on today's Calendar (can you?), and that's such a sweet little boy. :)

[lonestar]

Happy anniversery.

[Billie]

Good morning, lonestar - good morning, weinie. :)

[lonestar]

lonestar can't spell!

Weinie

[Billie]

What a lovely story! And what a beautiful, beautiful red-haired girl!!

ISN'T SHE, THOUGH?! She is the PRETTIEST little thing!! Hannah Rose - no flower more beautiful than the rose.

Chris and Todd - yoohoo!

[Billie]

lonestar can't spell!

LOL! Good thing it was you (Weinie) who wished Rocky a Happy Burthday then!

[FreeTheHostages]

Billie, that is SUCH a lovely wedding picture! {{{Billie}}}

[FreeTheHostages]

(LOL -- I'm not sure if Tuesday's thread was a thread or a fire -- I was busy beating it with a broom a little Wednesday too. But it seems to be "out" finally. The book has been sent.)

[FreeTheHostages]

I am SO partial to red-haired little girls, I think! When I was little my brown hair was very curly and had a reddish tint and I had lots and lots of freckles. I got VERY TIRED of adults commenting on my freckles. I didn't see the point of it. (Vermonters being Vermonters, they didn't say "Oh you're so cute with freckles"; they less effusively would say: "Wow, you have a lot of freckles!") Now I understand: I was cute as the dickens!

[FreeTheHostages]

Computer geeks are the best!

[Helms]

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - "Ragged Glory" - 1990 Reprise

LOVE TO BURN

Late one night I was walking in the valley of hearts.

A spirit came to me and said: You gotta move to start

You gotta take the first step

You gotta grow to be tall

And then she me told something, something that I'll never forget.

You got love to burn.

You better take your chance on love.

You got to let your guard down

You better take a chance,

A chance on love.

Take chance on love

On love.

In the valley of hearts there's a house full of broken windows

And the lovers inside just quarrel all the time

Why'd you ruin my life?

Where you takin' my kid?

And they hold each other saying: How did it come to this?

You got love to burn.

You better take your chance on love.

You got to let your guard down

You better take a chance,

A chance on love.

Take chance on love

On love.

Late one night I was walking in the valley of hearts.

A spirit came to me and said: You gotta move to start

You gotta take the first step

You gotta grow to be tall

And then she me told something, something that I'll never forget.

[FreeTheHostages]

Chance, I recognize your name from your important work at initiating newsworthy posts here at Free Republic. You have lightening reflexes and are often first to let us know what's going on, and you rarely post repetitively.

So although I'm not sure we've chatted much, I do *often* recall your name associated with Poster No. 1 -- giving us the low-down. So I thank you much for that!

[Diver Dave]

Mornin' Billie. Nice surprise today and appropriate graphics. Cool.

Congratulations, chance33_98 and LadyShallott. Happy Anniversary.

[LadyShallott]

Billie, I have tears in my eyes! Thank you so much for such a beautiful and wonderful gift for our anniversary. I will never forget your effort to make this day special for us both. I know Todd is going to love this! He be home from work after 4 this afternoon. And to all the FRiends who joined the party today. Thank you!!!!! Its nice to know we have friends like you to share this happy day with. :)