Love Of My Life and Soulmate

The love of my life was sitting right in front of me for many, many years. We were destined soul mates that just needed time to bloom.

Have you ever met someone without thinking about how much they would actually touch your heart and become a part of your life?

So many "almost" chances to become something more to each other, but for some reason, it just wasn't the right time.

I thank God every single day he and I were given a second chance to fall in love.

Photos displayed on this article are owned by: Jolene Belmain

Other images used are from the public domain images found at Karen's Whimsy

That we would be this happy right now.

We are engaged to be married in July of 2012, although neither of us ever thought that this would ever happen...

We have lived in the same town for pretty much our entire lives. I went to the same grade school as his best friend, even had his best friends sister as a kindergarten buddy and walked her home after school. Even though we both hung out with some of the same friends throughout high school we had not met, and yet, we were only one grade apart from one another in the same middle school and high school.

One day in grade 12 we were both invited to a mutual friends house for a birthday party, this would be the very first time that Otto and I would meet. Otto remembers us being introduced that day in 1995 although I must admit I do not remember meeting him that day. All I do remember is going to that party so very long ago.

That initial meeting would be the last time that Otto and I would see each other until two years later.

In 1997 Otto and I would meet once more, only this time, I would never again forget his face. This was also the year that I started dating someone new.

Back then I had a large group of friends and we would generally all hang out pretty much on a daily basis. If we weren't working during the days then we would get together and spend time with each other. When the nights came, being young we would of course head off to the local bar where we would all go drinking, dancing our butts off, and laughing every little bit of the way.

Factors would change in a couple of years that would cause things to fall apart in my relationship at the time. My boyfriend moved away and I was supposed to transfer to my job up that way and move in with him. I just didn't feel like he was the one I was supposed to be with so we broke up.

My boyfriend didn't feel as strongly as I did that we weren't supposed to be together though so he moved back in an attempt for us to stay together. It worked for a few months longer but then the relationship was over for good.

yet so far away

In 2000 Otto and I started hanging out every day, and even though our friends were still there, we found some quiet time in the evening now and again to just be with each other. We watched movies together and talked about everything under the sun. It seemed that we never ran out of conversation. We just always had something else to say to one another.

One day there was an opportunity for us to move in with each other, along with a couple of other friends as roommates. A house was available to rent, and if there were four of us to split the costs, then together we could afford it. There were four of us all ready to move in when a week before move in day one of our friends backed out. At the last minute we had to find someone to take her place.

There was a girl I was working with looking to move out of her parents place, so she decided to move in with us... but this would turn out to be disastrous for Otto's and my blooming friendship.

It turns out that the new roommate and I seemed to have a lot in common and I started hanging around with the her more than I was Otto. I was slowly pulling away from Otto, and he started getting increasingly more jealous of the new roommate and the time I spent with her. Before too long I found myself being introduced to a new guy who would in time become the father of 3 of my children and my husband.

The new roommate had found a second job working in one of the local bars, and had started skipping out on her weekend shifts where we worked... so I was not only working my full week load, but picking up her Saturday's and some Sunday's as well. This was really adding strain to our friendship. After my new love interest and I were introduced, we started hanging around with each other all of the time, so this naturally put an even bigger kink in the relationship between us as well (and not to mention also with Otto).

The new roommate would very soon move out one weekend while the rest of us were away on a bowling tournament. Of course we were all a little upset that she did it without telling anyone, not to mention leaving us to pay the extra rent, but we were all kind of glad to see her go. Another long term friend moved in shortly after her leaving.

There were a lot of hurt feelings between the two of us which would remain unresolved for years to come. We realize now that although we talked every single day back then, we never really discussed our true feelings. We just did not have the communication skills required to make a relationship work at that time in our lives.

Our friendship just wasn't ready for us to be together in a full blown "In Love" relationship quite yet. Although Otto and I would still hang out together now and again at group functions, things were definitely different between the two of us.

Ten years would go by and my marriage ends. Needing the support of my friends, they welcome me in with open arms to help me through a difficult time, it is just what I need.

My friends and I now spend a lot more time socializing with each other at "family functions" since most of us now have children. Our social activities are now filled with bbq's, play dates, and an occasional night out social drinking at a friends when the kids are out on a sleepover. Otto and I renew our friendship once again. We are back hanging out together, watching movies, having fun, laughing, and once again talking about anything and everything, including the past and what exactly happened between us and our relationship back then.

It has now been over fifteen years since our friendship officially started, and neither of us knew that we would be where we are today. We make sure we discuss everything that is going on in our heads, and that we keep communication alive between us, knowing that this is where we failed the first time around.

The kids see him as their step-dad and he fits into the role perfectly. Here we stand, never taking advantage of each other, thanking each and every day that we have each other to be with. We are blessed to have this second chance to be together. We consider ourselves as being Lucky In Love as we have gotten this chance, yet again.

We never go to sleep angry or upset with one another. If we are arguing before bed, we will talk it out. We make sure we tell each other every day that we love each other, and give a good night kiss every night.

Life is never perfect and there will always be rough roads ahead, but we will make the most of it, as a family.

You were always my rock, it just took me a long time to realize it. I always leaned on you when I needed help and you were always there for me. Even though I tell you all of the time, you will never know how much I appreciate everything you do for me and our family, or how much I truly love you and am in love with you.