Fall into Love: Cecelia Dowdy's story

Finding Love Online
A Fall into Love story by Cecelia Dowdy

When I was in my thirties, I’d been hearing about online dating. One of my roommates had signed up for online dating so, I decided to give it a try. I set up a profile on Match.com. I met some interesting people on that site, but, I didn’t really click with any of them. When I received a response from a man named Christopher Toomer, I was intrigued. He literally lived down the street from me and we had a lot in common. We listened to the same kind of music and both of us also loved reading.

He gave me his phone number and I called him on the phone. We started talking about music, work, things that were interesting to us.

The conversation kind of paused when he said, “I’m totally blind.”

I said, “What?” I’d thought I’d misheard him.

He then explained that he’d been born blind. He even mentioned how he’d trained with a seeing eye dog one summer but never completed the training. The dog pooped on his shoes and he’d had to leave the training facility early because his mom had broken her hip and he was needed at home.

I was stunned. I honestly didn’t know if I wanted to date someone who was totally blind. But, he was independent, owned his own home, and he had a good job at the IRS as a computer programmer.

So, during our initial conversation, he told me he had to go because he was on his way to the grocery store. He said he was going to Safeway, right down the street from us. So, curious, I went to Safeway to observe him. After all, I could see him but he could not see me. He walked into the store, grinning, swinging his cane back and forth. One of the supermarket employees met him at the door. He gave her a list of groceries that he needed to purchase. So, she went to get the groceries while he sat down and patiently waited for her.

So, afterwards, I admitted about what I’d done, going to observe him without his knowing. After that, whenever we talked on the phone, our conversations would last for hours. The first time we went out, I went to pick him up in my car and we went to Starbucks.

We started seeing each other regularly after that. He’d come over to my place or I’d go over to his. I made him a dinner of fried fish and when we slow-danced to James Brown, that’s when I knew I was in love!

We got engaged about a year later. He took me out to dinner at a romantic restaurant called Paul’s. He asked me to marry him and I said, “Yes.”

Our wedding was perfect! Some of the wedding guests told us that ours was the best, most romantic wedding they’d ever attended. We uncaged a dozen doves into the air. The dancing, the food, the love…it was so wonderful – a day that I’ll always remember!

We’ve been married for fourteen years and we have a 12-year-old son. Our lives are full and complete! We are truly blessed!

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Author Bio: Cecelia Dowdy has been an avid reader since she learned to string letters together to form words. 

While pursuing a business degree in college one of her professors tried to convince her to get an English degree since he felt she was a great writer. Years later, after receiving her B.S. in Finance, she took her former teacher's advice, and started pursuing her literary career. 

She loves to read, write, and bake delicious desserts during her spare time. She also loves visiting new places and listening to old tunes with her husband. Currently, she resides with her spouse and young son in Maryland.

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Blurb for Sweet Dreams (book) by Cecelia Dowdy: Misty Stewart found Christ shortly after the birth of her baby, causing her to make drastic changes in her life. Short-tempered and street-smart, she realizes being around her un-saved, dysfunctional family is draining her, so she feels the Lord wants her to distance herself from her relatives. She hopes this distance from her family will allow her to deepen her faith, making it possible for her to raise her two-year-old daughter, Jennifer, in a better environment. 

Struggling to raise her daughter alone, she bonds with her new neighbor, Sterling Richards. She’s drawn to kind-hearted Sterling, but wonders about the deep sadness that he harbors. Sterling has familial problems that run deep, and romance is the last thing on his mind.

Sterling Richards, a professional baker, is grieving over the recent death of his father/business partner. Since his father left him as the sole beneficiary of his life insurance policy, his relationship with his identical twin brothers is strained. Why would his father fail to include his twin sons as part of the inheritance? He now struggles to mend the relationship with his brothers, struggling to run his father’s bakery alone.

Can Sterling and Misty find the courage to love one another?

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Connect with Cecelia:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cdnovelist
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CeceliaDowdyAuthor/

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Fall into Love: Gail's story

Forever Kind of Love
A Fall into Love story by Gail Gaymer Martin

More than thirty years ago, at a church-hall dance for the widowed or divorced, I sat with friends waiting for the country dances to begin. A man stood near the beverage table, and curious, I walked there for a soda. As I passed him, I said hello, and we talked. He was alone, and it was his first time at a singles event. I invited him to sit at our table, and he did.

I liked him right away. He was funny and made me laugh. He loved family, especially his two kids, he was musically talented which is important to me and was a churchgoer—to my surprise, the same denomination as I am. I couldn’t believe my ears. He wanted to visit my church to hear me sing with the choir, but he could only come on Sundays that he didn’t have his children since he wanted them in their Sunday school. I was touched. Here was a man who didn’t try to impress a woman, but let her know his kids and their church was a priority. He got me at that moment.

He did visit my church where he also met my mom. He took me to breakfast afterward, and his personality and values made a huge impression. That day I knew I could marry this man. Later my mom said, “Don’t get me wrong, but you were like an old married couple. You’re comfortable together and seem to click.” Mom was right.

We’d met in September, and before Christmas, we were dating exclusively. I was head over heels, and he felt the same. When things looked serious, we wanted each other to meet our dearest friends, so I planned a Chinese dinner and did all the cooking, and we each invited a few of our closest friends.

Before dinner, my friend Bernice said she’d brought some fortune cookies, and I was delighted that she had. The other couple brought a bottle of champagne as a hostess gift.

After dinner, Bernice distributed the fortune cookies. When she finished, each person read the messages inside. When I opened mine, it said, “This house will be filled with happiness,” an appropriate message for me, surrounded by friends and the man I knew I wanted as my husband. When I broke off a corner of the cookie, Bob watched, and I sensed he wanted me to do something, but I was at a loss.

Instead, I continued to nibble the cookie. When it was nearly gone, I felt something suspicious in the corner. I said “yuck” and pulled out a piece of tissue fearing what was inside.

Bob leaned closer. “What is it?”

I shrugged and didn’t want to open it. But he encouraged me, seeming as curious as I was repulsed. When I pulled off the tissue paper, a beautiful solitaire diamond ring fell into my hand. “Someone lost their ring in this cookie.”

Everyone talked, but Bob shook his head and grinned. The truth struck me. “It’s a…an engagement ring.” Tears of joy rolled from my eyes. I had no idea and neither did anyone else except my friend with the cookies. I saw that I wasn’t the only one with tears. Everyone rushed to us with hugs and handshakes.

Bob hurried to get glasses and the bottle of champagne. With a loud thwack, the cork flew up and bounced off the ceiling, leaving a small dark indentation in the plaster. We laughed and then our best friends joined in a toast to our engagement.

A number of years later, Bob decided to paint the dining room. I looked up at the dark spot and hated to see it vanish, but the ceiling needed paint with all our new decorating.

Bob tackled the job, and days later I found the courage to look up at the ceiling. My heart danced. He had painted around the dent. When I let out a cry, he came in to see what had happened. I pointed to the ceiling. “You left the spot.”

He grinned, then drew me into his arms and kissed me. I fell in love all over again.

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Author Bio:

Multi-award-winning novelist, Gail Gaymer Martin is the author of Christian contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and women’s fiction with 68 published novels and four million books sold. CBS local news listed Gail as one of the four best writers in the Detroit area.

Her books have received numerous awards, including the ACFW Carol Award, Romantic Times Reviewer Choice, Booksellers Best, National Readers Choice, Holt Medallion, Award of Excellence.

Gail is a founder of American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Speakers and Writers, and Christian Authors Network. She is a keynote speaker at churches, civic and business organizations and presents workshops at conferences across the country.

Gail was a lifetime resident of Michigan until moving to Sedona, Arizona.

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Book Blurb for Autumn's Fresh Beginning:

In high school, Derek Randolph, a bungling, chunky sophomore and her best friend’s brother was the bane of Jessany Cosette’s senior year. 

When Meg convinces her to return to town for their high school’s centennial celebration, she agrees and finds herself staying in Derek’s home with Meg. But to her shock, Derek has become a handsome hunk with a killer smile and a newscaster on TV. 

Derek can’t believe the skinny string bean friend of Meg’s has become a gorgeous woman. Yet past memories remain for Jess and old friend’s won’t let it go. Even though she agrees to appear as Derek’s girlfriend to aid his possible promotion, can her growing feelings survive the past that she can’t forget?

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Connect with Gail:
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ LinkedIn

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True Love Stories: How We Met

Who knew that connecting with kindred spirit family friends over Sunday dinner and a later on, a romantic date blooper involving a milkshake would make two people know they were meant for each other and lead to marriage?

God knew! Read on to find out how God's providence was in the details of making a marriage dream reality for Julie Arduini. 

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How We Met
Julie Arduini’s true love story

I was a recent college graduate definitely not looking for romance. I had a job I loved and was trying to find my place as a fairly new Christian. Looking back, I can see God’s hand clearly in our getting together.

Before I met Tom, I was friends with his family. Before I graduated college I worked in a shoe store and got to know the assistant manager. As we became friends, she talked about the Sunday dinners she enjoyed with her in-laws. She invited me and my sister and suddenly we were loving the Sunday dinners, too.

The Arduini family would mention the second son, Tom, but because he lived an hour or so north of us, he wasn’t there. My sister and I joked he didn’t exist. With six siblings, we knew all of them but him. We were friends with four of the Arduini “boys” and the only daughter. “Tom? Who’s he?” I joked through the dinners.

On April 30, 1995, I was running late, late enough I missed a dinner the family invited my sister and me to. I arrived to find everyone had left for the next activity, but there was Tom with his two children from his first marriage. I had vacation pictures with me from the cruise I took with my sister and felt awkward showing a stranger, but he asked to see them. We talked and when I looked at the clock, it was three hours later. That made me even later for the other plans I had for the day.

That night I met up with his family at the bowling alley, still running late. Tom was there, a surprise, and didn’t tell his siblings we’d talked, so they wondered where I was. Frustrated, I continued with the evening, laughing with this fun family. Later, I returned home and my mom asked why I was late.

“Ugh. I’m not happy. I finally met Tom, the older brother, who never bothered to tell the others we’d been talking and made me even later, so the rest of them were worried.”

Mom smiled. “Do you think he’s interested in you?”

I laughed. “Mom! He’s ten years older, divorced, with two kids. There’s no chance.”

I went upstairs to bed and heard mom laugh. She somehow knew he was “the one” and wrote our meeting on the calendar.

After that weekend, he kept showing up for weekend visits. I thought he missed his mom, but his sister-in-law, my friend that I had worked with, called to tell me the truth. Tom called her, wondering if I was seeing anyone. He told her he had feelings for me and wanted to ask me out. Imaging her shock when I admitted I too was interested.

When he finally asked me out, I was scared we’d break up and I’d lose the friendship with his family. A Christian all of one week, he said there’d be no breaking up. He knew we were going to marry. He felt God had showed Him this during prayer.

How did I know he was “the one?” There was his bold faith, and even bolder proclamation of love while visiting a dirt racetrack. But for me, it was solidified during a date when we were watching a movie on the couch and I had laryngitis. I’d guzzled a milkshake he bought me, chocolate of course, and I let out a burp I never saw coming. I was mortified at first, then when I saw him smile, we laughed and laughed. I knew he was it. He tells the kids that was the day he lost his hair because my burp blew it all away.

He first asked me out July 15, 1995 and proposed on September 15th. We married August 31, 1996.

His two children are adults, both in Wisconsin, and we now have a son-in-law. We also have two children of our own, a junior in high school and a fifth grader.

God has been so good to us.

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Author bio: 

Julie Arduini is an author with a passion to encourage readers to find freedom through surrender. Her first Adirondack contemporary romance, Entrusted, gives readers hope to surrender fear. A Walk Through the Valley will soon be available as an infertility devotional with five other authors. She blogs every other Wednesday at Christians Read and is a frequent contributor to Jasmine’s Place. 

To learn more about Julie’s writing and love of chocolate, visit http://juliearduini.com. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two children.

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Blurb for Julie’s book Entrusted: 

Jenna Anderson, sassy city-girl from Youngstown, Ohio, plows–literally–into Adirondack village, Speculator Falls, with a busted GPS. She gets a warning from the sheriff but has ideas for the senior center to prove she belongs in town as their director. Town councilman Ben Regan is as broken as the flower box Jenna demolished. He’s grieving and wants to shut down the center before there’s too much change and heartbreak. They work on community projects and build a slow relationship, but the council needs to vote on the senior center’s future. Can Jenna show Ben both her and the center are worth trusting? 

See more at: http://juliearduini.com/books

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Buy Julie’s book Entrusted:

Amazon.com- http://amzn.to/1zDWq04

Christianbook.com - http://bit.ly/1zUDkWN

Barnesandnoble.com - http://bit.ly/1AxyePM

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Connect with Julie:

Facebook- http://facebook.com/JulieArduini

Twitter- http://twitter.com/JulieArduini

Instagram- http://instagram.com/JulieArduini

Pinterest- http://pinterest.com/JulieArduini

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9819114.Julie_Arduini

Join Julie’s newsletter at http://juliearduini.com where subscribers complete the form in the right sidebar and watch for activation. For subscribing they will receive Julie’s novella Match Made in Heaven.