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I really want to thank everyone who shared their touching stories for the “Nic Picks Your Most Romantic Story Contest”, I truly enjoyed reading each and every one!!!  Whether it was a friend, a spouse or family member, each story centered around one of my favorite themes, LOVE. As usual, everyone who shared made it impossible to pick a winner, as each story so romantic in its own way.  I really connected with Margaret Motto’s story about Jim and her sister Anne.  I love how fate brought them together in the end even though they had been right in front of each other the whole time.  I hope you all enjoy their’s story as much as I did (and Margaret, I hope you LOVE your new necklace!  Be sure to share it with Anne from time to time!).

In the Fall of 1998 my mother, a teacher, was assigned to hall duty during 7th period. A young man teaching 4th grade happened to have 7th period free as well and socialized with her in the hall. She had been his teacher years prior and having gone from teacher and student to then colleauges presented an interesting relationship. My mother would say to him ” you’re such a nice guy, why don’t you have a girlfriend”. He replied that in our small town there were not a lot of eligible ladies. My mother said “I have a daugher coming home from college for Christmas”.  It was all set. Jim, the younger teacher had been given the daughter’s phone number and the rest was “up to him”.
December 23, 1998 Anne, having arrived via train from college earlier in the day, was eating dinner with her family when the phone rang. Anne, the youngest, knew the call was coming and in hopes to avoid the ears of her siblings took the call in a quiet room. They talked for 45 minutes in which Jim asked Anne for a date on the day after Christmas and to a concert a month later. Anne was surprised that this guy was so eager to spend time with her when they had not even met, but she was excited and the anticipation of meeting him filled her for the next few days.
On December 26 Jim picked Anne up in the early afternoon. They spent a 2 hour car ride together talking easily as they drove to their destination. Jim planned a view from a lighthouse as the sunset, dinner at a nice restaurant, and a place with live music to top off the night. They returned to Anne’s house at midnight and continued to stay up talking until 3 am. The date lasted over 10 hours and they had not run out of conversation.

There was this feeling inside them that they were meant to be together. The conversation was easy but fruitful. The attraction to the whole person was there and they kept saying to themselves that it was uncanny that Anne’s mother had introduced them. And more surprising having grown up in the same small town and attended rival high schools they had many friends in common but had never met.

In July of 2003 Anne and Jim marry. In September of 2009 they welcomed their son, Samuel into the world. In June of 2009 Anne’s mother retired from teaching and in her retirement speach she thanked the school for having given her a job for so many years, the joy of the staff and the students and giving her a son-in-law she loves very much. She said in her speach – you never know when your destiny is putting people in your life or situations in front of you to prompt you to unite with what was always meant to be.

While Anne’s mother did the “matchmaking” Anne and Jim believe that their meeting was predetermined Divinely. And, they have the proof.   June of 1997, a year and 6 months before their first date Jim attended a party at a friend’s house. It was the last day of school for Jim and the end of his first year as a teacher. A photograph from that night has Jim standing with his arms in the air on his friend’s backyard patio. His smile fills the picture.   And underneath his right arm, sitting on a bench not too far away, is Anne.   As a gift to Anne, Jim framed the photo and gave it to her as a wedding gift because he said he wanted her to know that she was his destiny.

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to share their stories with us and I cannot wait for the next Nic Pick’s You Contest here on The Honora Blog.  Let us know what you think of Jim and Anne’s story below and feel free to share your own in the comments section!