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

[Billie]

Thank you, Free. (had a nice one to work with - the 'flower child' photo close to the top - wasn't sure I would be able to remove that hand covering her face, but it worked out pretty well by 'softening' the graphic a lot.) :)

I really like that face-painting picture - it's on Chance's profile page, as well as that adorable one of Hannah, and the one I used of him alone. (Chris had sent the 3 Angel photographs, the two I used to make the header, and that one of herself with Baby Hannah and the horse, but she's been in California for 3 weeks, and I was so glad to find those on Todd's page!)

[Billie]

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!

LOL! I bet you were! And this STILL looks like I think you must have looked as a little girl:

Re: Tuesday's thread - yes, I noticed it kept going on and on and on yesterday! Know Charles Hendrikson (aka Chad Fairbanks - LOL!) was excited about winning the book.

[Billie]

Morning! Thanks for the words of love and taking a chance! :)

[LadyShallott]

I LOVE the wedding picture! It would be wonderful if I could put it in a frame. Thank you! God Bless-

Chris

[Diver Dave]

Happy FRanniversary, ItsBacon and Auntbee

[Billie]

Good morning, Dave. Your champagne and roses are most beautiful! And my, you do look handsome in that tux. :)

[LadyShallott]

Thank you for the sweet comments! We are kind of partial to redheads in this house. :) LOL. God Bless-

Chris

[LadyShallott]

Thank you Aqua! :)

Chris

[MeekOneGOP]

We're having a party, and it's a surprise . . .

A surprise party ?? For who ???

Check out this Google Image Search for 'Surprise' for lots of fun pics, LOL !!

[ItsBacon]

Thanks, guys. It's hard to believe it's been four years, but FR's so much a part of my life now I can't imagine life without it. I don't know how I'd have survived high school without FR. Though I may be more of a lurker than a poster, FR's kept me going, kept me informed, kept me sane, and let me know that I'm not alone in a sea of liberalism.

[MeekOneGOP]

First of all, I left my ping list out of my post #49. Whoops !!

Second of all:

Happy Anniversary, Chance 33_98 and LadyShallott !!

[iceskater]

Happy Anniversary!

Billie - beautiful job as always!

[dutchess]

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL! And the "wedding picture" and greeting are stunning!

P.S. Thanks for the freepmail sis! :o)

[LadyX]

Caught me off guard you did, Miss Billie!
Hastily hied meself over to shop for a suitable gift for this momentous occasion, and came up with more than one choice - -

Perhaps:
After five years of married life, how about a truly unique and personal anniversary gift which shows a lot of thought rather than seeking a quick option? A tradition which started in Wales, but which is now spreading all over the world, is to give a lovespoon handcarved with symbols of love as an anniversary gift.

(Select just one, please -
Billie's Budget for Part-time Reporters is meager)

Maybe a Kittycats Wood Shelf:

Or, possibly quite suitable 'wood' be Rosewood Wind Chimes.

You will have to decide, Chris and Todd, which you like best!

[MeekOneGOP]

Third of all, KEEP UP THE GREAT work. Love the articles you post.

How often have I gone to post an article and the FR search finds you've already posted it ?! Plenty.

[dutchess]

Happy Anniversary to a beautiful couple. Yours is a true love story...thanks chance for helping cultivate those good ole' conservative seeds in Chris. And thanks both of you for being such obviously wonderful parents to little "Boo Boo"!

[dutchess]

Hi Meekie! Glad your "recooperating" from you water skiing adventure!

[FreeTheHostages]

me, I'd go for the kittycat wood shelf!

[dutchess]

Morning Aeronaut...See you made #1 today!

[chance33_98]

Thanks a ton, you did a wonderful job! Happy Anniversary Hun, love you a lot. I am in and out at work today and will look over the whole thread in a bit, but thanks again to you all!!