| Author | |
MEBarrett
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 15 2005
Location: New York
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 596
|
| Posted: April 19 2007 at 7:06pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
What a wonderful joyous announcement!! Congratulations to you both. What fun to be a bride!! Please keep us update on all the romantic plans!
__________________
Blessings,
Mary Ellen
Mom to seven beautiful kids
Tales from the Bonny Blue House
O Night Divine
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
jdostalik
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 15 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2935
|
| Posted: April 19 2007 at 7:25pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Paula,
How wonderful for you and Eric. Many, many hugs and congratulations!! 
__________________
God Bless,
Jennifer in TX
wife to Bill, mom to six here on earth and eight in heaven.
Let the Little Ones Come
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
KC in TX
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 05 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2621
|
| Posted: April 19 2007 at 7:52pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Congratulations!!! This is definitely something we don't see here.
__________________
KC,
wife to Ben (10/94),
Mama to LB ('98)
Michaela ('01)
Emma ('03)
Jordan ('05)
And, my 2 angels, Rose ('08) and Mark ('09)
The Cabbage Patch
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
guitarnan
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10883
|
| Posted: April 19 2007 at 9:28pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Wow, what great news! I'm so happy for you and Eric!
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Carole N.
Forum All-Star
Joined: Oct 28 2006
Location: Wales
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4484
|
| Posted: April 19 2007 at 9:55pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Congratulations, Paula! Many blessings!
__________________
 Carole ... in Wales
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
St. Ann
Forum All-Star
Joined: Oct 20 2006
Location: Germany
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2137
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 12:47am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Congratulations!
and I second the request for your story!
__________________
Stephanie
Wife and mother to Hannah '96, Maria '99, Dorothea '01, Helena '03
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MaryM
Board Moderator
Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 2:16am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Congratulations to you and Eric.
__________________
Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Cheryl
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 20 2005
Location: Massachusetts
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 978
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 2:52am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Congratulations, Paula and Eric!
__________________
Cheryl
Wife to Bob ('97)
Mom to Matthew 13, Joseph 11, Sarah 10, Rachel 6, Hannah almost 4 and Mary 1
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Donna
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 25 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1151
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 5:04am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Woo Hoo! Congratulations!
Many blessings on you, both!!!
__________________
Donna
DH, Keven
Jason, Stevie, Marie, Jackson, Clara, and Aaron
Jacob, Sam, and Regina with God
Grandbabies Leigha and Elsie
Moments Like These
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
esperanza
Forum All-Star
Joined: Aug 17 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 855
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 6:14am | IP Logged
|
|
|
..soo happy and excited for you.
Congratulations to you both.
__________________
In His Peace,
Tammy Gonzalez in VA
dh-Johnny
mom to Tara-'85, Noelle-'88, Jeremy-'91, Elizabeth-'93, Emma-'96, Dominic-'99, Gabriel-'01, Elijah-03
and Jacinta-06
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Leonie
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 28 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2831
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 7:45am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Congrats from here!
__________________
Leonie in Sydney
Living Without School
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
marihalojen
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 12 2006
Location: Florida
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1883
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 8:21am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Lovely!
Congratulations, Paula and Eric!
__________________
~Jennifer
Mother to Mariannna, age 13
The Mari Hal-O-Jen
SSR = Sailing, Snorkling, Reading
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Taffy
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 05 2005
Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1567
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 9:10am | IP Logged
|
|
|
WONDERFUL!!
Congratulations Paula! Have you set a date yet? The kids must be so excited!
__________________
Susan
Mom to 5 on earth and 1 in heaven
Susan's Soliloquy
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
chicken lady
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 27 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2315
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 9:20am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Congratulations
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Essy
Forum Pro
Joined: Oct 12 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 167
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 10:16am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Congratulations and many blessings to the both of you and your family.
__________________
Wife to Roy since Sept 1985
Mom to Sarah(May 2002)and Christian (August 2003)
Praying In the Moment
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Erica Sanchez
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 05 2005
Location: California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1538
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 3:41pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Such fun news!! Congratulations, Paula and Eric and family!
__________________
Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Dawn
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 12 2005
Location: Massachusetts
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3191
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 4:32pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Oh, Paula!!!
I am just seeing your news now, and I am OVERJOYED for you! Blessings and Best Wishes and Love!!
__________________
Dawn, mum to 3 boys
By Sun and Candlelight
The Nature Corner
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Jane Ramsey
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 05 2007
Location: Florida
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 652
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 8:51pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Wonderful news!
Congratulations!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Becky Parker
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2582
|
| Posted: April 21 2007 at 7:01am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Oh Paula! How exciting! Congratulations and God bless you both!!
__________________
Becky
Wife to Wes, Mom to 6 wonderful kids on Earth and 4 in Heaven!
Academy Of The Good Shepherd
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Paula in MN
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 25 2006
Location: Minnesota
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4064
|
| Posted: April 22 2007 at 4:55am | IP Logged
|
|
|
JennGM wrote:
Paula, A big congratulations!
But can you fill us in? This sounds like a big story! You have grandchildren, young children, I know your 9 year gap between the older and younger...and now a marriage? Please do tell! |
|
|
Okay, here is my story. It's not pretty. It has taken many years for me to get to where I am now. I'm not ashamed of my past, because it has made me who I am today. And looking back, I wouldn't change any of it, because then I wouldn't be where I am right at this moment.
For many years, I blamed the death of my father for everything "bad" that happened to me. In high school, I started to stray from church. I used working and homework as an excuse. My senior year I experimented with drugs and alcohol, and pre-marital sex. At the same time, my Mom had just gotten a divorce from husband number two (he abused my sister and I)  and she had already met future husband number three. So I used her as a scape-goat, too.
After high school I lived with a boyfriend for awhile, and then I got pregnant. That relationship ended and my daughter #1 was born a few months later.
When my daughter was 3 years old, my sister intoduced me to a friend. He had two kids from a previous marriage, and he was so nice. And I wanted to take care of him and his children. We dated for a year and a half, and then got married. He was not Catholic, and I had not gone to church in years. We got married in the courthouse.
Life was good, it really was. I wanted us to have a child together, and he agreed. We tried and tried and tried. Month after month nothing happened. After a few years I started going to the doctor. I had several surgeries and had some things removed, and after a few more years we were told that I couldn't have any more children.
I was devastated. I couldn't understand why God wouldn't let me have anymore children. Then I realized I hadn't been praying or going to church - so why should God do anything for me? I started going to mass again, and I started praying. And the more I prayed for a baby, the more I started to pray just to pray. And at some point I stopped asking for a baby.
But I kept going to church and praying.
And I got pregnant. 15 years after my last pregnancy. I didn't even realize it at first, because I had so many cycle problems. I actually went to the doctor thinking that I would have to have another surgery! I'll never forget the emotions that went through me when the doctor told me I was pregnant. 
Because of my health history and my age, I had to take it easy and have a stress-free pregnancy. I had to cut back on my hours at work and rest a lot. That worked for about two months. Then my husband told me he was getting a divorce because he had fallen in love with his step-sister. 
I was on bedrest for the remainder of the pregancy.
And I quit praying and going to church.
After my daughter #2 was born I moved several hours away. I wanted to start a new life. I again turned away from God and church.
I smoked, I drank, I ran around.
I got pregnant.
And I looked at myself in the mirror. Not the one hanging on the wall, but the one inside. I looked at my teenage daughter, and I looked at my toddler, and I looked at my belly.
And I finally grew up.
It only took 40 years.
I got back on track. We started going to church. We started praying again.
And I had a son, child #3.
My oldest daughter started dating, and unfortunately she went down the path that I had finally left. She got pregnant. We got through it together, and she has a darling son.
And then I met Eric.
I was not looking for anyone.
Our companies did a lot of work together, and it seemed like we were always being placed in each other's path. One of the women I worked with wanted to set us up and I turned her down. I wasn't interested in dating at all, and I found out he was younger than me and I said no.
She kept bugging me about it, and I finally agreed to meet him at an after work party.
We sat and talked all night. Like me, he didn't drink. He was Catholic. He had never been married. He didn't have any children. He liked to hunt and fish.
We went on our first date the next night, and that was 3 1/2 years ago.
During the last 3 1/2 years, my daughter started going to a different church, met a wonderful man, got married, and had another son. My mother is now married to husband number 5. Eric's aunt and grandmother have both died, and there have been several health issues. Through it all, he has been at my side and I have been at his. And God has been there with us.
And that's my story.
I'm still amazed that he wants to marry me. He loves me in spite of all my faults. And my kids absolutely love him.
We don't have a date set yet, but you'll all be the first to know!
Thank you for all your kind words and prayers.
__________________
Paula
A Catholic Harvest
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Forum Locked) 
4Real Forums : St. Anne's Tearoom: Growing in Wisdom over 40
Topic: I’m Getting Married! -- UPDATE
