A bit of a fairy tale

Marrying Rick was the third happiest day of my life. The first was the birth of Llara, the second was when I became Swiss.

Our story is a bit of a Fairy Tale. We met almost 36 years and had an amazingly strong attraction but circumstances were wrong to act on it.

For the next 12 years we shared a profession--and even a client once. Then I moved to Europe and we lost contact.

I hadn't heard from him in 24 years. I didn't know for sure where he was. He didn't, I thought, know where I was, although with the Internet, I wasn't hidden.

In May 2012, I had a message to join him on LinkedIn. Normally I don't bother with LinkedIn. I'd even forgotten my password, which I found and said. yes. 

Within a few minutes I had an invitation to have coffee at Starbucks in Geneva. Luckily I was in Geneva at that time.

As they cliché goes, the rest is history.

Only J, of all my friends and my daughter, thought it would last. They knew how orneryly independent I am and my interest in being part of a couple was in the double digit minus category.

Rick changed all that.

They say the first year is the hardest. If that's true then we are lucky for the only bumps we suffered have been external details which we handle together. Maybe it's our no pussyfooting on any issue rule, or maybe because any discord just takes away from all the good, so lets get it over with an onto the better stuff, like sharing our writing, books, people watching, seeing a sunrise, sunset, looking at a flower.

It's simple. I adore the man. He loves me.

Photo my daughter ties our hands together with gold, silver and platinum ribbons to symbolize our joining together for the rest of our lives.

August 10th is our anniversary. May there be many, many more.

Periodically I look at the vows we took as a reminder.

Donna-Lane's Vows
Rick …
I cannot give you my heart today for you already have it. You came back into my life when it was full and you made it even fuller.

I know you’ve made tremendous changes so we can blend out lives and every day in every way I promise that I will make you glad you did.

I want to encourage you in your great strengths: your kindness, your lovingness, your creativity, your warmth.

I will be there for you when dark clouds cross our horizons and together we will find the sun even on the blackest days.

I loved you, I love you, I will love you

Rick's Vows
Donna-Lane ...

You are my soul mate, my life partner. I believe I have loved you from the day I met you. We have been given a unique second chance to be together.

And I intend to devote the rest of my life to making you happy.

You did not need me in your life. You have an abundance of people who love you, and whom you love.

You have welcomed me into that very special circle and I will do everything I can to be worthy of your trust.

I want to bring you joy and laughter.

I want brush away tears, to comfort you in sorrow. I promise to support you in your aspirations, challenge you to be the person you want to be, and to honor and respect your individuality with my whole heart and soul.

Je t’aime ma chérie, je t’aime.