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It all started on June 29, 2010.
An old classmate had gotten in touch with me on Facebook about our class reunion being held in the Bahamas. I did a search for other people who graduated from Lanier High School in 1973. That's when I saw John's profile. He looked familiar so I sent him a message asking if he was going to the reunion.
He said yes...if it was in Macon, Georgia.
You see, I went to Lanier in Mississippi, and John went to Lanier in Georgia. I told him I was sorry I had the wrong person, and we ended up becoming friends on Facebook anyway.
After that, John would always like and comment on my posts. We began to talk more and more. One day my grandson, who was 13 at the time, saw me on the computer and said, "Grandma, you must like that man. I always see him on your Facebook. You should ask him for a date."
Now, I hadn't been in a relationship since 2006. I was first married when I was 16. That lasted from 1971 to 1981. Then I met someone in 1993, and we were married three years later but divorced after a year. I dated some after that, but I didn't date at all between 2006 and 2009. Then I finally felt ready to find the man of my dreams. I signed up for online dating and I had some people ask me out, but I wasn't interested in any of them.
Then John came into my life. My grandson said, "Grandma, I think that's the one. I see the way you look at him on Facebook."
One day John sent me a message asking if he could give me his phone number and if I would call him. I said yes. From then on, we would talk all day and into the night. I lived with my youngest daughter at the time, and she would come into my room sometimes at 1 or 2 in the morning, and say, "Stop that giggling!"
John was just so funny. He could always make me laugh and smile. I loved how he would sing songs to me, like "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." And there were so many things about us in common. We both had two girls and a boy, we both lost our jobs around the same time, we both liked to cook, we both lived on a Forest Avenue...and we both went to a Lanier High School.
Finally, in September 2010, John asked if he could come see me in Jackson, Miss. "If you say yes, I'll take you on a date," he said. I told him he could, but that I wanted him to meet my family first.
So in November, John came for my birthday. I couldn't believe how excited I was and that he had actually drove from Georgia to see me. He met my kids and grandkids, and we all had dinner at Logan's Roadhouse. I showed him around Military Park, the museum and the reservoir in Jackson. It was wonderful! He stayed for two days, and I cried when he left.
Thankfully, John came back for Christmas a month later. He met even more of my family then, and we had the best Christmas ever. John bought my daughter a dog named Jaz and he gave me a fish named Mongo. I thought it was romantic. The real surprise, though, was when he asked me to marry him! I was floored! I said yes, but alas, John had to go back to Georgia.
The new year came, and finally in February of Valentine's week, I went to see him during my vacation. I got to meet his children, his brothers, his sister and his grandchildren. They were so nice and sweet. I stayed a week, and John showed me all over Macon. I told John I liked it there. He asked if I would live in Macon, and I said yes.
John had recently lost his job at the post office when we first met. As a result, he also lost his house and was living in the InTown Suites. It was a tough time, but John had just gotten a job driving for Rainbow Carpet Cleaning and he told me he would work it out and that I should come live with him. Not long after I left after Valentine's Day, John was able to start renting a house from his supervisor at the cleaning company for a very good deal. He told John, "Now, go get that girl and bring her back here."
So in April on Easter Sunday, John came down to Jackson on the Greyhound bus, and he and I drove to Macon together. I've been here ever since. Every day, I think, this is where I belong. We've got a pear tree and pecan trees and plenty of space for us and our seven dogs. I love our life here.
John and I haven't gotten married yet, but one day. We both turn 60 this year, though we don't act like it. John especially is a jokester. We get along so well and I love everything about him. He's taken care of me when I've been sick, and he's given me a home. He is the man of my dreams that I prayed for.