To celebrate Valentine's Day we at SheWired wanted to depict real stories of women in love, so we put a call out to our readers on Facebook and Twitter. Below are the wonderfully inspirational, moving and beautiful stories we received. The first story is from Meg and Katie, a couple who recently made headlines when their alma mater refused to print their love story (the university has since reconsidered its position).
Meg and Katie:
Katie and I met in the fall of 2008, in the first few months of our senior year at St. Joe’s. Even though SJU is a small, rather homogeneous, university, with the amount of interaction and common activities/interests Katie and I had, we might as well have been from different planets. Outside of her Spanish and Psychology classes, Katie lived in the gym or on the river – she was a member of the University’s crew team and had time for little else besides athletics and schoolwork. I, on the other hand, was involved in almost every other activity at the University, in addition to being a Resident Assistant and a double major in Elementary and Special Education. Despite our polar opposite lives, we initially met at an LGBT support group and later at a friend’s party. Katie likes to say that I “set my eyes on her from the start,” but trust me - it was pretty mutual! We’ve been inseparable since that night over three years ago. Somehow – in between Katie’s practice schedule and weekly regattas, and my ‘everything else’ – we were able to spend an inordinate amount of time together and fall in love.
We graduated the following May and remained in Philly – Katie getting her Masters at SJU and me starting my career as a teacher – and began to build our life together. So when Katie asked me to marry her on a wine and cheese picnic in one of our favorite spots by the Art Museum in Philly, it was a no-brainer to say yes (I actually think the words were ‘Abso-f*king-loutely’)! Despite Katie growing up in a suburb of DC and me being from South Jersey, we have made our home in Philadelphia and look forward to our wedding here in the summer of 2013!
Jocelyn and Megan:
Megan and I met in 2010. I was working my holiday job in our local mall in Hazleton, PA. We made a quick glance at one another, than went on with our day! I made a comment to my coworker about how cute she was and left it at that. Later that evening I had a message on Facebook from her. We talked via Facebook for a while, and then exchanged phone numbers, and then finally she picked me up from work and took me for sushi. Megan was not out, she knew she was gay, but at 21 years old she had never acted on it. As a matter of fact, it was months before she even admitted to liking me. But I knew within a couple weeks it was real. We went to NYC to see the tree about a month after we met. That was the moment I knew I was in love. I knew - regardless of the fact we hadn’t even so much as held hands - this was the reason all of my past relationships didn’t work. This woman was meant to find me... and if I could just ride out the nerves and silence.... We were going to be perfect together. And we are! It all happened so effortlessly. She is my best friend, we never fight, we just understand each other on a level that no one else can. Even her coming out was simple and accepted. Her family and I have a wonderful relationship. Over a year since that trip to NYC we are more in love than I ever knew two people could be. Every minute of waiting, confusion, and agony was worth it.
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Samantha and Jess
Neither one of us was supposed to be at My Sister's Room, an Atlanta lesbian bar, on September 6th, 2009. I was supposed to be camping. A last minute trip cancellation left me bored and a bit depressed. I never went out alone but decided to head out to my favorite bar on a whim. It was only Jess's 3rd time there. I didn't see her until I was nearly ready to leave for the night.
We met on the back deck via an intoxicated girl I had met only moments prior. During a break in our conversation, her somewhat glazed over eyes became fixated on something behind me. Slurring every word, she yelled "Hey Ft. Lauderdale girl!" I turned and looked in the direction of the yells and there stood a very pretty brunette whom I had not encountered in my many trips to MSR over the years. (Trust me, I would have remembered someone so striking!) Turns out Jess and Ms. Tipsy had met the previous weekend. After ascertaining that she was also at the bar alone, we made small talk for a few moments. I had no delusions that this beautiful woman would possibly be interested in me, but I noticed the beer bottle in her hand (and mine as well) was empty and asked her if she'd like a beer. She followed me in to the bar and we threaded through the packed dance floor. The noise was deafening so after beverages were obtained I made my way back through the crowd to reclaim my peaceful patio seat. Upon reaching the back door, I sadly realized that she was no longer behind me. With a whispered "oh well" to myself, I sat to finish off my beer and head home only to see her walking through the door again and towards me.
She sat opposite from me at the table and, after a bit more small talk and a few snide comments regarding our fellow bar patrons, I asked her a question that almost killed the whole thing: "so, how old are you?" At the tender age of 24, I knew I was a baby to many in the crowd. When she replied "32," my poor young heart just dropped. Of course, she asked me the same question, but she didn't leave when I gave my age. As I was trying to think of something clever to say, a couple of my friends walked up to say hello to me and asked if we wanted to go inside and dance. I danced with one of them while Jess danced with the other. A small note regarding height: my friends are both 5 feet tall while Jess and I are both 5 feet 9 inches. After a couple songs, the height differences were killing us and so we swapped partners. Now I found myself dancing with this beautiful woman that I was becoming more attracted to by the second. It took about a half hour, but I finally got the nerve to kiss her. She reciprocated and, somehow, 3 hours passed, the lights came on, and the bar was closing.
Outside the front doors of the bar, another hour passed interrupted only once by a strange man soliciting a threesome. On that note (and since it was after 4am), we decided to call it a night after exchanging numbers. Jess kindly offered to drive me to my car, which only led to another hour of kissing. We didn't realize her lights had been on the whole time and, as she attempted to begin her 45 min trip home, her car wouldn't start. We tried to jump it with my SUV, unsuccessfully. We even flagged down a passing bike rider who also gave the jumper cables a shot with no luck. She called Geico. We found a stairwell to snuggle up in while we waited and watched the sun rise as we talked. Geico had sent out a large, dread-locked gentleman in an old unmarked Cadillac and we actually watched him drive by us twice before realizing he was our car-jumping expert. We finally flagged him down, he jumped her car, and Jess and I left in opposite directions towards our homes.
I drove to see her the next night and every night after work. Only a few weeks later, she moved in with me. We have been together and inseparable ever since.
Anna and Terri:
We actually met 12 years ago at The Ten Club here in Indianapolis, IN. At the time, I was in a terrible abusive relationship. She made me feel so good because she had so much love in her eyes when she looked at me. I was very reserved because my abusive partner was watching me. So I kindly told her that I was seeing someone and left it at that. I felt a connection with her through her eyes and I smiled at her to let her know that I really appreciated the attention she showed me.
This past year I broke up with my partner of 7 years and was ready to stay single for a long time. I was living it up with friends and not at all looking for someone to be with. My ex told me that she was looking on CraigsList for someone to spend some time with and that I should do the same. I told her that there was no way I was doing that because there are to many weirdos online and it just wasn't my style anyway. Besides the fact that I really didn't want to look for someone else and was happy being single.
I decided one night to look on there and just look for friends. I replied to one ad and that's it. The ad caught my eye for some reason. It had been a couple of days and I hadn't heard anything. I gave up on it, but then she texted me. We started texting back and forth and she told me that she was only looking for friends as well. I already felt a connection to her through the texts, which I know sounds crazy.
I was texting with her one night when she told me that she had ran into some trouble and wouldn't be able to talk to me for a few days. I felt genuinely concerned for her and I hadn't even met her yet. I told her that I would do anything to help her so please let me know. I hadn't heard from her for several days so I texted to ask her if she was ok. We ended up talking on the phone and when I heard her voice I just knew I had to meet her. We planned on meeting the following weekend.
I ended up in a difficult situation that Friday night (the day before I was to meet her) and I called her. For some reason I already knew that she would be there to support me. When I called her she told me, "Get over here now" as if to say come on home. I went over to see her immediately. I walked up to the door and knocked. She opened the door and turned around so that I could only see the back of her...she is shy.
When she turned around and I looked into her eyes, I knew that I was home. There was an instant feeling of belonging and relief. It was like I was walking into the one place that I was always meant to be. I felt comfortable. I was home.
We hit it off right away and as we started talking we realized that we had met that long 12 years ago. It seems as if we just had a lot of growing and experiences to go through to finally be ready for each other. I am so in love with this woman and I cannot imagine my life without her. I know 100% that I am exactly where I am supposed to be and Terri and I belong together. We have been together for a short 3 months now and it has been absolutely amazing. Even though we are older and have experienced many things, we have been each other’s firsts for so many things. I have never felt so safe and comfortable. Everyday I feel more connection with her and I realize how lucky I am to find something that others only dream about. I am looking forward to spending my life with her "and they lived happily ever after."
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R and K:
We met at the bar in downtown Los Angeles. This is how the story goes...
I was always trying to go out and socialize since I moved back to LA. So one day I get a call from a friend (long time gay dude I’ve known since I was 16, but only hang out with twice a year maybe, otherwise I always run into him at lesbian bars, with a group of girls).
I was dead tired, it was a weekday, and yet I did not want to go home. Upon arriving at the bar I met up with my pal Jeremy, his straight friend, and two lesbians. I was SO EXCITED that the lesbians were Korean! I never get to meet them anywhere, and I had short conversations with one, but the other one didn't seem to bother talking to me.
I later found out she thought I didn't speak any Korean and she couldn't see my face to talk to me. When saying goodbyes, 'R' had asked me where I was from and I answered back I was from Koreatown. She said, “Me too! Let's grab dinner sometime." We exchanged numbers. The next day, I started texting her, and found out she lived in my apartment.
'where in la do you live?'
'gramercy st'
'I live on gramercy!'
'hmm... you must be close'
'im at 400 gramercy'
'you're shitting me....'
'no, i live there....'
'im 205'
'im 103'
'wanna go costume shopping?'
And it alll started… A wave of her other friends wanting to meet me and see if I’m really gay or not. Growing up, no one assumed that about me and they always thought I was messing around. Within a month, we started flirting, wine and dine, spending time. I was never attracted to a butch before, she is very pretty and her voice in masculine. I was loving the fact that she knew my music and she loved to dance. One evening with wine, I know we were drunk, before I left she grabbed me by the doorway and kissed me. It was funny because, even when she was very drunk, she kept grabbing my face and told me to look at her eyes as if she was checking to make sure I wasn't drunk! It wasn't until after a month that we got into a relationship. Maybe it was good game? She's the one who said she couldn't just 'date' me and we should be friends; she didn't feel good about being angry, because she doesn't feel like she was entitled to do that. I mean, she was the one that said she’s cool with open relationships. I didn’t date anyone else... So that time, when we went back to being friends? It was sad. I needed a drink, I wanted to go everywhere with her because I didn't want her to meet someone else.
We went to Rage Friday night, decided I was gonna be cool and ignore whatever she did that night. I only hung out with my gay friends but R kept dragging me around everywhere - I felt my heart drop when I overheard her saying she missed her ex sometimes. I guess our personalities are different, she's the type to say “thank you for being in my life.” I don't think about my ex, I'm the type to say “thank you for being in my life, I forgot about my ex before I even met you."
The next day, we were lying around... R told me she was not thinking about anything anymore, and she just wanted to do what she was about to do, and she didn't know why. At the moment it sounded good, but if I recall everything she said it was pure comedy.
"I'm not thinking, just.... doing it." And yes, we did it. And as we were doing it she said, "Just be mine..."
AH - so 80's, and I said yes. She still tells me she’s never asked someone out before, people always asked her to be their girlfriend first. I wish you guys knew Korean, it sounded so sexy in Korean.
You know... relationships are always rocky, but we learn and what's important is that we try harder to love each other. I can give in, and she can give in. For example, I'm afraid of the living room at night, she feels stuffy with the bedroom door closed, but she closes it anyways - small things. We're committed now, been together exactly a year and few days. I love her. It hurts sometimes, but I’ve cried, laughed, felt loved, and it’s the best sex ever! I love her so much!!!
Shinta and Jordan:
Jordan and I met when we were fairly young and still in our teens, she thirteen and myself sixteen. We were both really into role-playing back then and would spend a lot of time (when not preoccupied with school) surfing boards looking for both entertainment and that one story partner that would satisfy our itchy need for that day. That's when we first initially met, over the bemused words across a screen. It started out innocent and playful, our words melting into each other, being greeted with acceptance and curious interest. Before I knew it she was constantly on my mind, school turning into a slow motion blur as I stared at the clock, waiting for the bell to ring so that I could walk the two miles home and talk to her as soon as I possibly could. After a bit we both moved from the screen to the telephone, spending countless hours chatting into the late hours of the night (much to the parent's agitation and dismay), whispering secrets into each other’s ears and chuckling madly at crudely spoken jokes. I couldn't place it at the time, but there was something about her that made me keep coming back every day, aching for her high voice to greet me as soon as the ringing ceased. The way that she spoke softly yet with a hard, determined undertone that asserted her beliefs and ideals. It wasn't long when the impulsive need and desire to have her voice filling my ears turned into a painfully strong crush. At the time I was unaware of her sexual orientation and I had assumed she was straight since she had suggested otherwise. That wonderful moment of "I have all of these evolving feelings and can't do anything with them” feeling and how it makes you feel like you're frozen in time, waiting for a way to express them properly. It wasn't until some time later that I found out she was a lesbian as well and had always had a hard time expressing it properly due to her strict families beliefs. It was after that moment we became together and nothing in my life had ever felt more right. We had both already shared every inner working of our mind and experiences that the fact that we were now in an announced relationship felt like there was hardly a change. Still we grew even more and more connected with each passing day. Every moment away from her I felt cold and numb, this desire growing hot in my chest and heart that constantly urged me to be near her the best way that I could. Of course, the one aspect of a long distance relationship that tears at your insides and makes you feel numb at times where all your really want is to feel the others hand curled into yours or their head leaning against your shoulder. As difficult as those types of relationships tend to be (and how often they fall apart because of it) we endured through the first few years with our strength and love that only grew and deepened no matter where we were.
After a time when I was finally able to get a job after graduating high school and the economy going down the gutter hole, I saved up the money as fast as I could and prepared to finally see and hold her in person. It took a little bit of negotiation over where we would both be staying and being sure that my boss would allow me to take the days off but at last the plane tickets were bought and I held them gingerly in my hands as I boarded the aircraft taking me to my beloved. There was a sense of "this has to be a dream" as I was caressing thin ticket slip slowly in between my hands, wondering if I was going to wake up any moment now in my half empty bed with her soothing voice wishing me a good morning. It was the moment that I laid eyes on her that my chest grew heavy and my heart leapt into my throat - that one, clear moment in time where nothing in the airport existed but her. The way the light shone off the thin light brown curls of her hair, blue-green eyes shining with laughter. Every moment she smiled at me after that my whole body would feel as though it turned to jell-o. Never in my life did I ever think that someone would ever have the ability to make me feel warm and accepted, nor that I would ever love someone so much. I had always been a terribly crude person before she came into my life, seeing things in such a painfully realistic way that I harbored that into a hate for others around me, making myself appear to be cold-hearted and wishing that I could live the life of a hermit in the middle of an island. Jordan has changed me so much since she came into my life, teaching me to be accepting of, and kind to, those I hardly know or may not know at all, to see every day with a ray of light and to live in happiness instead of a constant irritability. I have told her countless times over the years that we've been together that I have so much to thank her for, for all the things that she has taught me and for allowing me to be a part of her life so intimately. To this day we have never had a true argument or fight. The both of us have always been able to know when the other is feeling terrible without saying a word, or when the other is in need without even asking - this instant, sudden feeling of just knowing. Not very long ago I asked her to be my wife and to allow me to take her hand in future marriage. When she gave me that sweet, deep smile and a whispered yes I knew that for the rest of my life, I would be happy. I would have my soul mate by my side until the end of our mortal time on this Earth. I could never ask for any more than that. If I could I would arrange the stars in ballad for the all the love I feel for her in my heart. There's nothing in the world that can tear us apart, and although we have had our troubles like all relationships do, we have always persevered and stayed strong for one another through hard times. Although we have only been together for five years (and counting), it feels as though we have been involved all of our lives. She's off in training for the military now, and I push through each day in anxious wait for her to come back to me so that we can once more be together. My fiancé and soon-to-be wife Jordan is the most important thing in the world to me, the love we share spanning across too many lifetimes to count.
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Brittany and Kel:
My fiancée Kel and I met a little over two years ago on a dating website called Go Fish. I was 22, just starting to fully come out. I saw this girl's picture on there (Kel), and her age was 31. I thought to myself, she's a lesbian who's out of my league! (Her photo was butch-hot, and she was an older experienced lesbian, were my thoughts.) Well, I never emailed her, but the next day she saw I had looked at her profile, and a few weeks later we went on a 9-hour first date, the most wonderful date I had ever been on. She was the first woman I went on a real date with. We talked, went to the zoo, out to dinner, walked and talked, then out to a movie. After our second date we were inseparable. I have never loved someone or anything more than her. She quiets my loud mind, and makes my heart beat slower and faster all at the same time. She makes life wonderful, and is also my first for everything. I am also her first for a lot of things as well. We lived an hour apart from each other when we first started dating, and she would drive over just to see me for an hour before I went into work.
We went to Vermont for vacation together last summer, and our last night there I proposed to her. We are getting married in Provincetown in September of this year!
Courtney and Sarah:
Video by their friend Jonathan. The song lyrics are posted below:
Courtney grew up in Utah but she's not a Mormon
Sarah is Jewish and now she works for a rabbi
Just like she never thought she would
Courtney is a champion swimmer
Sarah use to run cross country
But now they're just a couple of vegan lesbians
Taking the world by storm
Sarah moved back to the tree of life because she couldn't stand to be apart
The spirulina junkie has tamed her wild heart
And in the book that they're writing
And the life that they're living
They're gonna change the world
With their compassion
Sarah was persistent when Courtney didn't want to kiss her
And secretly Courtney really did want to kiss her
The first time she said no and the second time she said no
The third time she was afraid but said yes and she was amazed
Throwing dance parties and making raw chocolate
Working with Carol J Adams
They love to meditate and they practice Kabbalah
And one day they'll have a black lab
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Janet and Michelle:
Janet: Age: 30
Career: A jack of all trades. I have a Holistic Nutrition Counseling certificate from Integrative Nutrition, Master and Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, working on a MBA, and a BA in Sociology. I currently own my own health coaching business and work as a Director of Marketing and Strategic Planning for a Neurology group.
Favorite Things: My animals (and yes I have a farm), fashion, coffee, sweating in the sun, baking and cooking, eating out at Japanese and organic restaurants, traveling and spending time with Michelle, just laughing.
Favorite Memory with Michelle: The first moment we met in the outside entrance of my building in NY. She looked confident, Jewish, and full of love and light. I could not stop staring at her eyes, her amazingly warm smile, OK her nose, and was instantly drawn to her energy. It was love at first sight! Later at dinner I persuaded her to go to the bathroom with me for our first kiss...
Michelle: Age: 28 - some would say otherwise (I have nice skin and jokes).
Career: I'm a construction guru I'd like to think, but to be more specific I am a business developer and estimator in commercial construction. I 75% retired from party promoting as my night job once I met Janet.
Favorite Things: Tennis, guitar, traveling (as long as Janet is wine-o'd up), being a foodie, eating Janet's delightful baking, spending time with our kids (3 dogs, 2 cats), and laughing with her (it keeps me in shape).
Favorite Memory with Janet: Not many of you will understand this, but her and I definitely will. It was when she came to visit me at Lollapalooza and the last day her flight was cancelled and I was fist pumping at DEADMAU5. It occurred to me that she is the life altering being I need in my life, when I decided to run at the end of the concert and express all my feelings to the exhausted woman sleeping in bed.
How we met:
Love at first click. Online Romance.
Janet decided Friday she wanted to maybe meet a nice Jewish girl while moving to NY; Michelle, wanting to meet a nicer girl outside of her radius, had been searching as well. The sites linked up and somehow Janet appeared.
On Saturday, Michelle quickly sent a note to Janet. "How do you prefer to eat your latkes?"
"I eat mine with honey... and I cook better latkes then you." Michelle figured this would rattle her chain a slight bit.
Janet found this quite intriguing... a smart (gorgeous) Jewish girl? Can it be? She replied, “I eat mine with applesauce...." and left it at that.... She already knew she cooked latkes better than Michelle but forever found her match. Truth be told, due to the picture online, Michelle came off as a player, so Janet asked her for Facebook information. It wasn't until she stalked through all of Michelle's photos that she realized this is a Jewish Beauty.
They met two weeks later in New York. Janet took the risk and moved to Chicago months later. Together they then started their journey in Southern California. A match made in heaven with their hardest decision being what would you like for breakfast?
The Proposal:
So... We're engaged! Even though we both said it would never happen, we've decided that we can't live without each other from the first moment we met (and now to combine all of our animals and our last names, oy vey). You know that belief in Serendipity, well truth be told it exists.
So Michelle helped put together this proposal video (directed and made by THE Morgan Hildebrand) for an unsuspecting Janet, and made her watch it on YouTube, while on a trip to NYC in the hotel room (Janet in PJs, Michelle not wanting to put on PJs because she thought "I can't propose in PJs"). Michelle almost fainted. Janet Cried. She said YES. Janet followed suit and proposed to Michelle in Boston over New Years; Michelle said yes, Janet Cried. Again. Enjoy.
(Details: Michelle dealt with a very unhappy Janet for those few weeks or so that Morgan and Michelle were making the video due to numerous text messages, and a false statement of money borrowing to hide the fact that this beautifully artistic video was being made for Janet. Once the video was made, it was GO TIME).
Denise and Katy:
Katy and I met in December of 2006 in Conroe, TX. She says she knew that I was "the one" the first time she saw me, and I knew she was, the first time she wrapped her arms around me. We have been through some pretty rough times together, but I think it has made our love for one another stronger. We just had our 5-year anniversary and we have started talking about having a ceremony in the near future. Katy is the love of my life, my soul mate, and my best friend. I'm looking forward to growing old together and enjoying our life.
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