I fell so deeply in love - Real Love Story

Binyerem Ukonu of Ink Upon my Paper is a writer and published author. For today however, he'll be sharing about his recent (December 2010) marriage and the story behind it. Can money buy you love? Read on...

Ok! She is going to kill me at this one, but I must say this. When I met my wife, I did not know she was my wife, because she was so small and innocent. Her cousin was my friend, and I had gone for a street carnival along his street. He made sure I was there, after series of calls from him. Finally, I decided to go for the party with two friends of mine. It was towards the end of December, 2007, and it was in Owerri. It was meant to be the end of year party for their neighbourhood. It was fun to have gone. We had comedians of all sorts, and dancers, even those that danced with their belly on the bare floor.

I stood with my friend – her cousin, I remember, under a whistling pine tree, close to a yellow bus. It was in front of their house. He told me that his cousin – a girl – had just visited them from Lagos. He said that she was around for his sister’s wedding. It was even then that I knew that my friends sister was about to wed. She was in the navy, I remember. So, he called his cousin out and introduced her to me as Adaobi. She smiled all through our chatter. She was innocent indeed. I promised to see her the next day, but never did. I saw her again after three years, and it was then that she became my girlfriend. I had gone to Bonny Island, and she was still in Lagos, working with a bank.

I fell so deeply in love with her. Something had changed in her. She was now more mature, and spoke like a career woman. And nothing puts me on a high more than that. We promised not to let anyone know we had something together, and we kept our promise to each other. The day I proposed to her, we were hanging out with a few friends, and I looked at her and couldn’t resist it. I immediately pulled out my phone from my pocket, and composed the four word question; WILL YOU MARRY ME? I had only ten thousand naira in my bank account when I sent that sms. People that want to get married always keep good money in the bank. I waited, and finally, I my phone rang, at first. It was YES. I immediately ordered for more drinks, but no one knew why. I guess I am one of those that proposed without a ring.

We wedded three months after the proposal, on the 29th day of December, 2010. I dated Adaobi for eleven months. Our wedding was grand, and I can not remember who I invited that couldn’t make it. Even amongst writers, I had Ebenezer Alamie, Chizitere Ojiaka and Onyeka Nwelue. I overheard my best man telling someone that what he loved most about this couple (us) was the love that dwelt between them (us). To make things more beautiful, she understands the point that I am a writer. Not all partners do. I never believed in the myth surrounding 14th February, but I’ll celebrate this year’s valentine. As this season of love comes and passes by, I’m glad I’ve achieved a book, and a wife.

One Queen for every kingdom - Real Love Story

By ChiChi of From Now Till I do

The introduction

Afam and I met back in 2007, where we were both volunteers at a Youth Conference. My mum, also a youth worker, actually introduced us and at the time I remember us being very polite about the whole thing and were like 'hi - hi'.

Four months later we were both going to the National Conference and Afam’s original transport plans didn't go as planned. Through no fault of his own he missed his lift to Wales and I ended up driving us both down to the conference. It was during those two hours, while my sister slept in the passenger seat that we got a chance to talk and realised that we had quite a lot in common.

Living in different towns we communicated regularly by telephone and email. We would talk for hours about anything and everything and he made me laugh. I enjoyed his company.

We were both at a stage in our lives where dating was not an option. We didn’t want to be in relationships which didn’t have a purpose, so very early on in the relationship we laid our cards out on the table. This was key because we didn’t want to waste each other’s time.

It was on a cold Saturday night back in October 2007 where Afam told me that he cared about me a lot and believed God was calling us to develop a relationship that would eventually lead to marriage. That November I came down to see him for his birthday and we had our first proper date together.

Journey to the altar

The following year, after a fun filled family Christmas, Afam took me away for some one on one time. He booked us a table at a beautiful Thai Restaurant by the river and then proceeded to give the most romantic proposal.

'Darling, I have always known that there's one woman for every man, one Queen for every kingdom. From the moment you stole my heart, I have waited for this moment to say these words. I love you, I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?'

My words back were 'yes, yes I will, you know I will'.

It was great end to 2008.

Now will you help me write my future? Real Love Story

So you might have been wondering who N from the last post was. It's The Wordsmythe. She has her blog HERE, and is also a writer, and aspiring author. She is blogging every week this year, so make sure to follow her. Read on...

It was Sunday the 16th of February 2003, two days after Valentine’s Day. Another Valentine’s Day which had come and gone with no significant other for me! That was about to change!

The pastor asked us to pair up, share a prayer point each and pray for one another. For some strange reason and in quick time, everyone around me was partnered up leaving me to wander around the aisle looking for some other hapless soul.

It turned out that everyone in the auditorium had a partner except for me so the pastor asked me to be a third wheel to whichever pair would let me. I looked around noticed this tall, dark and handsome guy (I mean that literally) grinning like the cat who got all the cream. I’d never seen this guy in church before so I thought he might be visiting. He and his partner beckoned me over and we prayed for each other having shared our requests.

After the service, I got talking with the guy. It turned out he’d been attending the church for a while. We exchanged e-mail address and promised to stay in touch. I also asked him to give a friend a ride when he told me where he lived.

For the next two weeks we communicated by email, getting to know each other. As I read his emails, he struck me as the type of man I’d been praying about for a husband. He seemed caring, generous, kind and chivalrous. He cared deeply about his family and seemed loyal to his friends. I could tell he was a conscientious worker as well.

Our first telephone conversation lasted about four hours, going on into the early hours of the morning. Needless to say, neither of us was very productive at work that day. A month to the day we met, again after a church service, he handed me a tatty little exercise book. It was his maths book from primary school. In it, he’d written a note which read;

This is my past. Now will you help me write my future?

From the Man's Point of View - Real Love Story

This is one of the sweetest things about this February Love theme. I woke to an email from the husband of one of my contributors who wanted to surprise his wife by sending in his own part of the story. Of course I said YES. He starts from the very beginning, so he goes first. Come back in the next 24 hours to read N's part. For now, enjoy Mo'Cushla's story!

Mo’Cushla’s Story….

I’d seen N in church a few times, she was pretty hard to miss being that she was in the choir and everything. I noticed how she always seemed to be smiling when she sang which I found both endearing and amusing. I liked her, but having recently become ‘serious’ about my faith I wasn’t sure if that was because I felt she was attractive, or if it was something more serious. She stood tall and looked as if she worked out, but not too skinny, she had curves in all the right places… (what can I say, old habits died hard back then)……
Thinking back, there was once a time I would have found a way to introduce myself to her and used every trick in the ‘players’ handbook to get her number…’ But I guess God wanted to show me a different way of doing things ….

I should stress at this point I didn’t fancy her ... in that way. I just liked the way she carried herself and wanted to say, ‘Hey’...But how to do it, I had it all planned out in my head….It would be casual, nothing scripted, I’d say, hello, she’d say ‘hey’, we’d smile, a brief pause and the world would go on...

I didn’t know any of her friends, I didn’t talk to any of the people she hung out with, and despite my confident exterior I wasn’t about to just walk up to her and risk being shot down… (you never know with some women, Christian or not !!). The one friend I did have asked why I was so interested in her, I replied I wasn’t, I was just curious..…. its not like I fancied her or anything, (and honestly I didnt’t) ….I just felt she was a cool, good looking girl and she’d be nice to know, that was it ….or so I thought. My friend jokingly said I should go and pray about it… we both laughed and I forgot about the conversation.

Bernard Pivot Blogfest

This blogfest is from Nicole of One Significant Moment.

1. What is your favorite word? LOL...does 'hey!' count?

2. What is your least favorite word? 'bloody' as in the cuss word

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Good music just takes me away.

4. What turns you off? Limitations, unnecessary ones. I just love me my freedom.

5. What is your favorite curse word? "oh no!"

6. What sound or noise do you love? Thunderstorms

7. What sound or noise do you hate? Crying babies

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Astronaut

9. What profession would you not like to do? Medicine

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? I love you child, welcome.

Happy Valentine's Day

There are two parts to this post and they both fit into the spirit of Valentine and my February Love.

Thanks to Christina Lee of Write-Brianed, you can read this short excerpt where the two main characters kiss for the first time. This is Kevwe and Efe from A Love Rekindled, my upcoming book. After being college sweethearts, they were separated for seven years, and this is evening of the day they met again.

Kevwe gripped her wrist and stared into her eyes, covering her hand with his and intertwining their fingers right on her thighs. Efe trembled. She would have jumped to her feet if the feel of his fingers kneading hers on her laps was not so distracting. Her heart raced, muddling her thoughts.

“Let me show you how much I’ve missed you,” he murmured, desire in his gaze.

His fingers stroked over her slender knuckles and along the length of her thigh. A rush of pleasure suffused her brain as he leaned towards her. His manly scent flooded her senses and her head swam. God, she wanted to melt into him. Her heart jumped as she remembered how it used to be between them.

They had been young, so much in love. When they split she missed him so much, and she had been filled with regrets. Maybe going all the way with him would release her from the prison of the past. Her body certainly wanted it.

She whispered his name like a plea and shifted forward. He fit between her thighs like they were made for him. The loneliness that lay like a piece of hard ice in her heart thawed in that moment. Their lips met and clung together. It started gently, but in an instant the kiss became hot, and then turned hungry and desperate. The hurts of the past disappeared; the only thing that mattered in that moment was the heat of arousal.

Young Love - that's YAmore

Young love can be so sweet and innocent, and that's what YAmore is all about...

From the Oasis of Young Adult fiction

We love blogfests. And we love good YA romance. So we decided to combine the two in our first annual That's YAmore Blogfest.

Starting the Friday before Valentine's Day (that's February 11th), we invite you to post 250 romantic, swoon-worthy words from your YA WIP.

This is actually from a short story that made it into a scene in A LOVE REKINDLED...

__________

On the way back to her dorm, she was surprised by Kurt drawing her into an alley. She peered into his shadowed face.

“It would be good to know how you feel about me,” he said, “do you think we can have something more?”

“What do we have now?” she asked. They’d been seeing each other almost daily now for the past few months and all their friends knew them together. Yet, nothing had been defined.

“Well...we’re more than simply friends, right?” he asked.

“Are we?” she whispered in reply and lowered her eyelids. Her heartbeat raced and she folded her fingers into her moist palms.

“I really like you Virgie, and I want you to be my valentine.”

Virgie raised her face and searched his. Her fists softened. “I also like you Kurt.”

“Look at me.” Kurt stared directly into her eyes, as if reading her thoughts. “Virgie, you can trust me and I mean it. I wouldn’t do anything you didn’t want me to do.”

He placed his hand, which had been stroking her hair at her nape, then used the other one to hold her cheek, raising her face.

“May I?” Kurt asked.

Virgie knew what was about to happen, and she wanted to know what it would feel like to really kiss a guy. Kurt would be her first in this. The way he looked at her melted her heart. She nodded and closed her eyes.

International and cross cultural fairy tale! Real Love Story

From Amy of Making Mrs Mauritz.

This is one sweet tale of love across race, culture and nationality. I came across her blog while they were planning the wedding and I marveled at how awesome love can be when it breaks barriers. Enjoy...

Love can be found in the most unexpected places with the most unexpected person. My unconventional love story began one fateful summer day when I was studying at the Starbucks close to my schools campus. My diligent studying was interrupted by a gorgeous young gentlemen who wanted to know if he could sit with me. I pushed my books to the side and thus began our love story.

Who would have known in 1984 when we were both born that our paths would ever cross and that we were destined to be soul mates? He was born in a tiny town in the midwestern United States to parents of Swedish and German ancestry. I was born in a small city in Nigeria to parents who barely had enough money to make ends meet. Fastforward 23 years and our paths collided. A Texas raised Nigerian girl and a Midwestern American boy meet and fall in love.

Three years later we got married in a wedding celebration that celebrated our love for each other as well as both our cultures and heritages. I am truly blessed to be living a modern day international and cross cultural fairy tale!

___________________

First to comment, do state your choice of chapter 1 - 35, and please leave your email for a fast response, or make sure it is on your profile page.

Have a fantastic weekend people. Remember to do all those secret shopping you need to make Valentine's day special.

I told you I'd see you soon - Real Love Story

By Histiara.com, another blogger I admire a lot, for her writing and the personality that shines through her blog. I hope these stories are as motivating and inspiring as they are for me, this one has some love and life tips too.

First to comment, please state the chapter you'll prefer, or email it to myne @ mynewhitman.com. Cheers!

"Like playing footsies in the dark, our hearts melded before I saw your beautiful face." ~ Maidofheart 1995

I was a self-sufficient, confident, content single who wasn't searching for a man. I was pretty sure no man could melt my stony heart. I’d had years of practice and the carcases I left behind could attest to my uncanny ability to bruise the ego and grind a man to a halt. Life taught me a lesson: 'How to train your heart and never be taken captive again.' But life deceived me. My heart could melt and beat again. Here's my story:

One mildly hot mid-May Friday evening, I'd gone to spend the weekend with one of my best-friends. We were to be bride's maids at her brother's wedding the next day. As I got out of the car and stepped into the house, Nepa struck and the house was plunged into darkness. I groped around and was quite sure I had my bearing right. I took one step up to get into the dining room and bumped into a stone wall, a warm and moving stone wall and almost lost my balance.

"Oh sorry, excuse me. Are you alright?" A deep velvety male voice reached out a hand to steady me.

"I'm fine." I ignored the hand he offered and I shouted at the top of my voice; "Modele are you home? I hope there's petrol in the gen o."

The man chuckled.

My friend came down the stairs and made introductions whilst the lights were still out. We shook hands and I indulged him in a few minutes of polite small talk. When he was leaving he took my hand, pulled me close and whispered in my ears, "See you soon," and he stepped out of the house. Then the lights came back on.

Shock was not the word but the feeling that zipped through me. Who was this guy and how dare he cross my personal space. I was torn between anger and a strange feeling of excitement.

Excitement was one word I hadn't felt in a very long time.

Tips for a Healthier and Happier You!

I got the following guidelines in my email and want to share with you. I'm still struggling with some of them, but from the few I already practice, I know they definitely make me healthier and happier. I shared all on tweeter yesterday and my followers loved it and asked to see them in full. Feel free to share.


Health:

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow ON trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured IN plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2010 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep at least 7 hours per day.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts on things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes in the past, that will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...

Society:

25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time with people over the age of 70, and under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isnt useful,beautiful or joyful.
34. God heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is,it will change.
36. No matter how you feel,get up,dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come......
38. When you awake alive in the morning,thank God for it.
39. Your innermost is always happy,so be happy.

LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST:

40. Consider forwarding this guide to those you care about.