Post by Lisa Cooper on Oct 7, 2005 17:00:05 GMT -5
After dating Bailey Waits throughout high school, and later marrying him, we divorced in 1990. I then spent the next 13 years in a committed relationship with Ray, who had joined me at our 10 yr reunion. It wasn't, however, until February 12, 2004 that I finally met the man, John Hill (former Navy SEAL and retired Operations Manager with Toyota's Industrial Division), with whom I wanted to make a lifetime commitment...it was a story of love at first sight, so pardon me, but I must share the story to let everyone know that dreams do come true when we wait for God's plan for our lives, rather than choosing our own paths.
My former employees had taken me out for a belated birthday dinner, and it just so happened that John had taken his employees to the same Bar & Grill that night. As each of our groups were departing for the evening, John stopped me and asked if he could buy me a glass of wine. I replied, "No. Thank you, but I don't have drinks with strangers," and I turned to walk away. I hadn't taken two steps before I was stopped dead in my tracks (it was like hitting a brick wall), and without even realizing what was happening, I turned back around and said, "On second thought, if that offer still stands, I would love to join you for a drink. Just give me a minute to walk my employees out." I did so, then returned to join him. We sat and talked until they closed the bar down at 3 am, then we sat outside and talked for another hour before parting separate ways. We both knew, and verbalized, prior to departing that night, that we wanted to share eternity together. (Since we had each previously resolved not to get involved in another relationship, we knew, without a doubt, God had a hand in our being brought together.)
We dated (during which time we picked out our engagement rings, discussed marriage plans, etc.) for the next 11 months prior to moving in together in February '05. God, once again, had a special surprise in store for us. I had been told for 20 years that I couldn't bear children, yet the night we moved in together we conceived our little "miracle child" who is due in four weeks. We also had the birth of our first grand-daughter, from John's 27 y.o. son, in May of this year. Yes, we're getting a very late start with beginning our own family (we also have 3 wolves, a 3 y.o., 8 mo. old, and 7 mo. old, who are part of our family! ), but again, it was God's plan, not our own, that things transpired in the manner in which they have.
As for professional life, I'm currently working with a national marketing and media relations firm that owns a number of subsidiaries. I serve in different capacities within several of the companies. I'm on the Board of Directors with one and serving as their IT Coordinator, I serve as Client Services Officer/Customer Relations Manager with another, and as Business Administrator with yet another. It's been a very challenging, yet rewarding, career move to say the least. I just haven't yet figured out how to combine the demands at work with those of new motherhood! I'm too old for this!!!