I'm Just a Nut Looking for a Squirrel....

Back in 2001 I was just starting to emerge from a time in my life that I now refer to as "The Dark Ages". I hadn't dated in about a year. I thought I was done with relationships. I had been used and abused by men and had had it. I had pretty much decided that if I wasn't married again by the time I was 40 that I wasn't going to get married again or even date for that matter.

I was at my all time highest weight - 350 pounds. I felt like no one would want me and that I wasn't worthy of love at that weight. Boy - was I ever wrong!!

At the time I was volunteering for a fire department as an Emergency Medical Technician. In the firehouse world anyone who volunteers for a fire department is known as a "squirrel" and the fire station is known as the "squirrel house".

In July of 2001 I thought that I would place an ad on LoveonAOL.com. I was just doing it for fun and didn't have high hopes of meeting anyone. I answered three ads. One guy never answered me back, one guy emailed me for a couple of weeks and when I suggested talking over the phone didn't answer me and then the third one took two weeks to answer me. I had pretty much given up on him. The title of his ad was: "I'm Just a Nut Looking for a Squirrel". He emailed me and apologized for not getting back to me sooner. He had been on vacation and this was the first he had been on the computer in two weeks. We emailed each other for a couple of weeks and then he suggested that we started communicating on the phone.

I was nervous the first time I talked to him. We talked for 3 1/2 hours that first night. We hit it off extremely well! It was like we were the same person but yet different at the same time. We had so much in common it was scarey! We talked on the phone for 2 weeks and then he suggested that we meet in person. He asked me what I looked like. I thought "Uh-Oh!! He's going to find out that I'm overweight and then it's going to be over - just like all the other guys!". I told him what I looked like and that I was very overweight. His response was that it didn't matter - I was beautiful to him no matter what. He liked what was in my heart and liked the person that I was. He loved me unconditionally!!!

We went on our first date on August 27th, 2001. He saw me and it was love at first sight. He told me I was beautiful!! I was smitten from that moment on!! We dated for almost two years and on June 30th, 2003 we got married!!!

That's right - the man I'm talking about is my wonderful husband, Bob! I love him so much. We have had our rough times but we always come out stronger and more in love. I love him more each day. He is my everything!!! He taught me that if he could love me for who I was and what I was then I should love me for who I am and what I am.

So - he's my nut and I'm his squirrel!!!

Happy Valentine's Day, Bob!! I love you!!!