Love Stories. . .

In 1996, I lived in San Francisco, and I met the love of my life, my wife and soulmate, Carol. She had just moved there, and a mutual friend told her to call me so I could introduce her to people and the city. She called me, and we agreed to meet for drinks. When I saw her for the first time, my heart literally stopped. She was cute, sexy, smart, intelligent and funny. I loved her dimples and smile. We met for that drink and were having such an amazing time that we went for dinner and finally a club for dessert; it ended up being an eight-hour date. When I kissed her that night I felt sparks and saw the proverbial fireworks. I knew that we were destined to be together. It was our fate. Fourteen months later, I proposed to her in Paris across from the Eiffel Tower. I will never forget the look in her eyes when I got down on one knee and asked her if she would be my wife. We celebrate our 11-year anniversary on Feb. 15 and are living the suburban dream in Agoura Hills with two wonderful kids, Melanie and Matthew, and our Labradoodle.

—Stephen M. Levine

Agoura Hills

Cecil— Twenty years I've known my husband. Seventeen years I've been married to him, and 30 years I've prayed for him.

I first met my husband in college while he was supposedly selling candy grams. He kept trying to convince me to buy a candy gram while continuing to make me laugh at the same time.

When he picked me up for our first date, I remember how he looked standing in the doorway and knew I could spend the rest of my life with him. We were married in 1991 and over the course of 17 years had four beautiful children.

My husband rocks my world! By our faith in Jesus Christ, God's son, our union is stronger than ever. And I know that when I'm old and gray I will still look forward to seeing the man I love standing in my doorway.

—Kristy Valenti

I remember the first time I saw my wife. I was a student teacher at White Oak in Westlake Village. I was walking down the hall and glimpsed into the principal's office. Sitting there was an amazingly beautiful blonde. I stopped, backed up and took another glimpse. "Wow, she's hot," was the thought. I found out that she was a student teacher at the school. I got to chat with her throughout the semester at lunch. She moved to London after the semester, but we kept in touch with letters. When she got back to the states we met at the airport, kissed for the first time, and I have never stopped loving her. I have been married for 10 years to her now and have three amazing kids with her. I am the luckiest man alive to be married to Beth Anderson.

—Jake Anderson

While I was dating my husband, he invited me on a sunset hike in the Malibu hills, where he had arranged a picnic under a waterfall above a cool pool of water. With childlike charm he jumped from the top of the waterfall into the pool and surfaced to find a bottle floating in the pool with a message inside. Knowing the romantic that he is, I knew something was about to happen.

While reading a revised version of Zeus' proposal to Hera, rose petals poured over the fall into the pool. I began to cry.

As he adjusted the hanging moss in order to take a photo of the rose petals falling around me, he uncovered a chiseled stone that read, "Susan, Will You Marry Me?" I cried more.

In order for my acceptance to be blessed by the "gods," as described in the bottled message, I had to shut my eyes and toss the stone into the pool. When they opened I saw "the ring." The stem of the orchid secured the ring, as the flower floated in the pool; both protected by two colorful fish swimming in circular motion around the orchid. 100 percent true.

My love of him fills my veins!

—Susan M. Estes

Westlake Village

He bought me a hot dog. We met at a dive bar when I was a girl of 18, he an old man of 23—which I was quick to point out. He was on weekend leave fromtheArmy,andIacollegestudent.Forhim,hesaiditwasloveatfirstsight, and it must have been, for he let me break his heart four times over the next few years. We lost touch for 15 years but found each other again two months ago. This time it was I in love at first sight.

—Melinda O'Connor

Nov. 27, 1990, the California Egg Commission was on the offensive to counter recent claims that eggs were bad for your health. The commission felt they weren't getting a fair shake, so they created an advertising campaign to present their side.

The commercial took place on a prison set where giant eggs were released because they had received a "bad rap." As an assistant director I supervised 25 little people rigged inside giant fiberglass eggs. A beautiful young lady was in charge of the eggs' shoes. For 12 hours I was hypnotized by her beauty and determined to get to know her.

Throughout the day I employed every technique to learn all that I could about her. With the help of recruited little people and my own efforts, I gathered more details, most importantly that she was single. By the day's end I mustered the courage to invite her to a party, and she agreed to go.

One year to the day I proposed to Sheila, and 10 months later we were married. Sixteen years and three children later, she remains the light of my life, shining brighter with every passing year. And I owe it all to California eggs.

—Wickham Irwin

Oak Park

It was in the winter of 1972, in Kalamazoo, Mich., when I first laid eyes on the love of my life. I was lying in a hospital bed, recovering from a nasty kidney infection, when a guy I had been seeing came to visit. I had just been given a shot of morphine for the pain and was a little loopy, so he didn't stay long. About five minutes after he left, in walked the most gorgeous guy I had ever seen—blue eyes, long shaggy hair, nice body and a wonderful smile. He asked me if I was a friend of Mark's, and I told him I was. He introduced himself and said that he had been waiting in the lobby for him and now couldn't find him. I told him that he had just left, so he said goodbye, and I was instantly smitten. After I returned home, we began seeing each other regularly until 1975, when he moved to California to go to chool and broke my heart. We've kept in touch through the years and the last time I saw him was July 1984 when he was in Michigan visiting his family in Bay City. I miss him to this day.

—Diane Hunt

Kalamazoo, Mich.

Were there sparks? Yeah, there were sparks. And twisted metal and broken glass. But I'll get to that. The romantic sparks that went off when I met my wife back in high school, they set a fire that's been burning pretty steadily for 20 years. Yadi and I just celebrated two decades of marriage on Jan. 14, and I can't help but remember falling in love with her on the steps outside the band room. Yes, folks, I was a band nerd; she was a cool girl, one year behind me. We were friends before we were boyfriend/girlfriend, which I think is why we've lasted so long. One day (not in band camp, but school), after one of those long chat sessions, I was backing away in my car, and I couldn't take my eyes off her. So, naturally, I did not have them on the rearview mirror. I clipped a car that was speeding through the parking lot. It was a mess, and not a cool life moment for an 11th-grader. But everyone survived, and here we are. The sparks are still flying.

—Carlos Coto

Oak Park

I walked into the room and there she was, tan and beautiful. Our eyes met just briefly before she looked away. I stood for a moment thinking about whether I should approach her. I took a step forward, and without hesitation she stepped back and looked at me again before turning away into the other room. I knew why. She didn't know I knew, but I did. I knew she didn't trust men. That's why she was avoiding me. And I also knew she had been homeless and spent time in a shelter with others who were less fortunate like her. But that didn't matter to me. I knew I could change her. I knew I could win her over. After some time, with love and understanding, I eventually did. And now? Well, let me tell you that girl is happier than ever. She will do just about anything I tell her. She comes every time I whistle, and she always greets me at the door when I get home. I do have to keep her on a short leash whenever we go out, however; she can be so jealous and

ACORN FAVORITE! protective, but I don't mind. I love you, Scooter! —

Gary Rich

Agoura

Once upon a time, two foreign students met in Strasbourg, France, and fell in love. The girl was American, that's me, Kathy Dinkel. The boy was German, my husband, Konrad. French was our only language. Our courtship continued after we returned to our home countries to continue our education. We wrote to each other in French. At the end of this year of separation, Konrad came to America, learned English and became a graduate student of European history at UCLA. Kathy began teaching elementary education in Simi Valley. A year later, we married. Our four boys will help us celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary this coming July 12. What has kept us in love over the years? We spend a lot of time together and try to communicate how thankful we are that we met. Life is sweeter together.

—Kathy Dinkel

It all started in 1988 when Emily and I were in the eighth grade. It was a small private school, and we were forced to be in class together. I was the annoying one, and we were not friends but knew each other well. Eighteen years passed.

On March 8, 2006, I sent a message to a pretty girl on MySpace. It read, "You sound both fascinating and intriguing at the same time. I am 31 and live in Woodland Hills. Read my profile and let me know what you think." Out of the millions of MySpace users, it happened to be Emily. She recognized my face and wrote me back.

In November 1996 I took her to The Venetian Las Vegas for a "belated birthday" and proposed to her while gliding down the Grand Canal in a gondola. It was so beautiful, and it was the surprise of her lifetime as she was not expecting what took place. She said yes, and we married on Sept. 16, 2007.

Emily is a beautiful, brilliant, witty and compassionate woman that stole my heart. She is the love of my life, and I would do anything for her.

—Eric Schwartz

Agoura Hills