Laurie and I both signed up on JDate after growing frustrated with the “traditional” dating scene. We were both single parents in our 40’s, separated and looking for someone special to share our lives. I was working full-time as a self-employed family practice physician with three children and very little time to have a social life. Laurie was working part-time in a medical office and juggling her work schedule with raising four children with very busy lives. Needless to say, neither of us had very much spare time to waste when it came to ourselves.

We both decided to sign up on JDate and really did not have any expectations one way or the other as to who or what we would find. After several dates that basically went nowhere, one email came across my screen from Laurie, introducing herself to me. We exchanged a couple of emails and photos and some basic information, and before long we were chatting online and spoke a few times on the phone. We learned a lot about each other online and on the phone and decided to set up a date to meet about a week later.

A few days after making the initial date, I called Laurie one evening during the week to see if she was free to get together that evening as I unexpectedly had some free time. I am a spontaneous person by nature, and was hoping that Laurie was too. She told me she would love to go out that evening, but had made plans for the night with a girlfriend who needed her support. So we kept our original plans and were looking forward to our date set for the following weekend.

We hung up, but a few minutes later, I got a call back from Laurie saying that her girlfriend unexpectedly had to cancel, and that she was available to go out after all! I was thrilled to learn that Laurie was just as spontaneous as I was. We quickly agreed on a convenient place to meet, which happened to be a restaurant near both of our childhood neighborhoods that we both knew well, and we met that night for dinner.

I walked in to the restaurant to find Laurie waiting at the bar for me. I introduced myself, our eyes met and Laurie flashed the most beautiful smile at me that I had ever seen… and for me, it was love at first sight!

We sat down for dinner and quickly found out that we had the same taste in food… we actually shared a couple of entrees on the first date. We talked for hours and learned a lot about each other, and found out that we actually grew up in the same neighborhood, went to the same high school and had a very similar upbringing. We figured our paths must have crossed many times, but we had never actually met before that first date in February of 2009. The evening ended with a warm hug and a friendly kiss on the cheek, and as I walked Laurie to her car, we made plans to meet again a couple days later. It didn’t take long before we were inseparable.

Since meeting, we have shared many life experiences together, but the most memorable was our trip to Israel. It was the first time there for both of us and we were thrilled to share this awesome “first” with Laurie’s parents and her immediate family. Before long, it was a foregone conclusion that we would be making this relationship permanent, a sentiment that was echoed by all of our friends. If I had a dollar for every time one of our friends asked us when we were getting married, I’d never have to work again!

I proposed to Laurie one evening when we were out to dinner with a group of friends to celebrate Laurie’s birthday and in front of the entire restaurant, popped the question while pretending to “toast” Laurie for her birthday. Needless to say she accepted my surprise proposal amid the cheers and tears of our close friends, not to mention everyone at the restaurant that night! We quickly set a date and with the help of some very close friends, decided on a destination wedding in Marco Island, Florida, hosted by our friends that live there.

On October 22, 2011 we were married under a Chuppah on the beach at sunset, looking out over the Gulf of Mexico, surrounded by family and close friends. As beautiful as that sunset was, it paled compared to the gorgeous bride that was standing next to me on that beach. We could not have asked for a more perfect day or for a more perfect way to start our new life together.

Laurie and I would like to thank JDate for helping us find each other. I can’t imagine my life without Laurie and cannot express in words how happy we are together. There are many stages in life, and throughout every stage, there are both joys and disappointments. We all make mistakes and stumble along the way, but that is what shapes our characters and allows us to grow and be who we are.

Laurie and I met at the perfect time for both of us and found the person that we know we will be spending the rest of our lives with. We both know that life is not perfect and that there are many challenges to come, both good and bad. We both love and support each other and know that whatever comes our way we will conquer together, along with our new blended family. Laurie has four children ages 11 to 18 and I have three children ages 13 to 19. While our children will always be a huge part of our lives, we have made the commitment to always find the time to listen and to support each other in everything we do. We couldn’t have gotten to this place without having lived our lives the way we did, and by making the choices we made in life, and we certainly wouldn’t have gotten to where we are today together without JDate’s help.

Our story is proof that dreams really can come true… all we needed was persistence, the strength and will to move on, and a little luck. The best advice we can give anyone who is looking for someone special and is not sure how to go about it, is to just “go for it,” give love a chance and sign up. You’ve got nothing to lose and a lifetime of happiness to gain.

Thank you JDate for giving Laurie and me the gift of true love, and for bringing the two of us together by creating the spark that led to the fire in both of our hearts.

Laurie and Craig
Ambler, Pennsylvania