Married members....how long?

[OrthoCanuck]

In honour of the new 'married' icon on our profiles I thought I'd ask all the married TAW members to share something about their marriage. For example, how long have you been married, whens the anniversary, is your spouse Orthodox, when did you meet, etc.


I'll go first. We will be celebrating our 11th anniversary on March 11th (yeah I was young). My wife and I met in grade 10 and became friends. We only started dating 6 months before we got married.


Please share your story.


Peace.

[Dewi Sant]

Congratulations :clap:

And best wishes for many many many more years. :thumbsup:

[Anhelyna]

We have been married for 41 years :D [ well in July this year it will be]

We met at his Sister's wedding and my mother was his mother's bridesmaid.

Oh and he is not a member of any Church - he says he's a non-believer

[eoe]

year 10 for me and the wife

edit: oops.. more stuff..

whens the anniversary, is your spouse Orthodox, when did you meet, etc.
December 31 - HA! Never going to forget that one (At least I better not!)
Spouse is converting with me (and the kids)
We met in college shortly before I got kicked out^_^

[Dust and Ashes]

how long have you been married

8 years

whens the anniversary

June 14th

is your spouse Orthodox

Yes. When I determined to convert, she said she would go where I went and now she loves our parish.

when did you meet

July of 1996. We worked at the same place but in different departments. The week of the 4th, we worked together and talked a little. I had come out of a bad relationship and had no interest in every meeting anyone again. After a few weeks, she asked me out and we've been together ever since.

[EvangeliGirl]

...how long have you been married...

three years since 8/31/05


... is your spouse Orthodox, when did you meet, etc..



No, he became a Christian shortly after we met through a Vineyard church, but he's never been discipled. He's not against my inquiry, however...

We met through mutual friends at a party. The next weekend we met again and were inseperable. We eloped after nine months, though we'd been physically seperated for six of those (against our will). Needless to say, once we were able to be together again we didn't waste any time!

Now were expecting our first child together but were also still waiting for a honeymoon... :)

(If you guys pester me enough I might share more of my story with you sometime....its complicated...just wouldnt want to bother if there wasnt interest...)

[OrthoCanuck]

were also still waiting for a honeymoon... :)


We never had a honeymoon either. One day I hope.:prayer:


Peace.

[Monica, child of God]

how long have you been married

10 years

whens the anniversary

11/14

is your spouse Orthodox

No. Southern Baptist with Calvinist theology, like I used to be.

when did you meet

July of 1995 and married 4 months later. We worked at the same place but in different parts of the organization. We weren't Christians when we met (I was a lapsed Muslim.)

[ufonium2]

how long have you been married

six months or so

whens the anniversary
July 24, 2005

is your spouse Orthodox
Yeah
when did you meet
We met at church. Although we're the same age, I've been pretty single-minded in life, and he's done a lot more exploring, so I'm like 5 years ahead of him in education. I learned after we started dating that he had been scared to ask me out because of the education gap. I didn't want to ask him out, because he had been talking about pursuing monasticism and I didn't really want to compete with God for him ;) So we were friends for almost a year without dating.

So we started hanging out a lot, and he was at my apartment watching a movie. We'd just eaten, and because of my instrument I'm a freak about brushing my teeth after every meal. So I get up to brush my teeth, thinking "if I don't, I'll really gum up my horn." Meanwhile, he's thinking, "She's brushing her teeth. She wants me to kiss her." That misunderstanding is the generally agreed upon start of the "dating" phase of our relationship. :)

[elizabethevangeline]

So we started hanging out a lot, and he was at my apartment watching a movie. We'd just eaten, and because of my instrument I'm a freak about brushing my teeth after every meal. So I get up to brush my teeth, thinking "if I don't, I'll really gum up my horn." Meanwhile, he's thinking, "She's brushing her teeth. She wants me to kiss her." That misunderstanding is the generally agreed upon start of the "dating" phase of our relationship. :)

LOL! What a great story!

Tho, it's a classic example of the misunderstandings you'll be having the rest of your married lives. One being practical, the other thinking romance, etc. (no cynicism meant...just thinking of how often my husband & I have not been on the same page!)

[Monica, child of God]

Meanwhile, he's thinking, "She's brushing her teeth. She wants me to kiss her."

That is so cute and funny :)

[elizabethevangeline]

I guess I'll add my bit.

Married 15 yrs.
Anniversary in Oct.

Neither of us are Orthodox yet, my husband has been supportive of my inquiry but his faith is shaken to the core.

We met in high school at a region-wide conference called "Basic Youth Conflicts" (ha! there's some baggage). We didn't talk much, (our parents sat between us) but our mothers exchanged addresses. I wrote him a letter (gasp...so forward) and we were pen-pals for 4 yrs before we started dating long-distance. Dated about 2 1/2 yrs before we married.

[Happy Orthodox]

Wonderful stories!

[Theophorus]

14 years. We converted at the same time.

[ByzantineDixie]

Great idea, Canada!

Married 23 years, 2 sons, 18 and 21

Anniversary is October 30

Spouse is a diehard Lutheran (although when we first married he was willing to be anything BUT Lutheran and I was willing to be anything BUT Catholic). He is not happy with my pending conversion but he hasn't asked me to choose between him and Orthodoxy either. It was rough on him. I left the Lutheran church last year when he was head elder.

We met on a blind date at a bar. A mutual friend introduced us. He is a wonderful, faithful and faith-filled man. I am exceedingly blessed.

[MariaRegina]

Ever since 9-11 we have always forgotten our anniversary because of the news bulletins reminding us of the terroristic attack.

We met on Thanksgiving 1981, at a Congregational Church potluck for singles. At the potluck, I saw a table with seven men (no women) and concluded that the odds were in my favor, so I took the only seat left and seven pairs of eyes were upon me. Two guys asked for my number, and my husband followed up on New Years Day 1982. I had forgotten who he was.

On February 7, 1982, my birthday, he asked me to marry him.

Yes, we were married on 9-11, that is September 11, 1982.

We have one son, who is 21 years old.

He is Orthodox and our whole family converted together in 1996.

[Orthosdoxa]

Almost two years to the most wonderful man on the planet Both Orthodox, he converted a few months after I did. We met at the church as inquirers, became friends, and the rest is history.

[MariaRegina]

Ever since 9-11 we have always forgotten our anniversary because of the news bulletins reminding us of the terroristic attack.

We met on Thanksgiving 1981, at a Congregational Church potluck for singles. At the potluck, I saw a table with seven men (no women) and concluded that the odds were in my favor, so I took the only seat left and seven pairs of eyes were upon me. Two guys asked for my number, and my husband followed up on New Years Day 1982. I had forgotten who he was.

On February 7, 1982, my birthday, he asked me to marry him.

Yes, we were married on 9-11, that is September 11, 1982.

We have one son, who is 21 years old.

He is Orthodox and our whole family converted together in 1996.


Forgot to add that I was a "Vatican operative".

My Catholic Confessor convinced me that I was destined to convert a Protestant and then marry him. And I did exactly that.

Except, that 14 years later, we both converted to Orthodoxy along with our son who led the way. He was the one who convinced us to go Orthodox. He was the little child who led us to salvation.

[EvangeliGirl]

So we started hanging out a lot, and he was at my apartment watching a movie. We'd just eaten, and because of my instrument I'm a freak about brushing my teeth after every meal. So I get up to brush my teeth, thinking "if I don't, I'll really gum up my horn." Meanwhile, he's thinking, "She's brushing her teeth. She wants me to kiss her." That misunderstanding is the generally agreed upon start of the "dating" phase of our relationship. :)

I love it! Congratulations newlyweds!

[Jacob4707]

I guess I'll add my bit.

Married 15 yrs.
Anniversary in Oct.

Neither of us are Orthodox yet, my husband has been supportive of my inquiry but his faith is shaken to the core.

We met in high school at a region-wide conference called "Basic Youth Conflicts" (ha! there's some baggage). We didn't talk much, (our parents sat between us) but our mothers exchanged addresses. I wrote him a letter (gasp...so forward) and we were pen-pals for 4 yrs before we started dating long-distance. Dated about 2 1/2 yrs before we married.

Good ol' Bill Gothard, eh?

Faith shaken to the core - that could be good, or that could be bad.

[Khaleas]

We had our 'Navy wedding' (civil service to move ahead with security clearances etc) 12/30/04 and then we had our WEDDING 10/09/05. We have still to live in the same state, but we work with what we have and it has definitely taught us to communicate.

Our first date was 5/5/03, just a few weeks before he graduated from the Naval Academy. I met him through some mutual friends who were also friends with his family from way way back. So two days after I met his parents the first time they asked me to come with them to Italy to his sister's wedding and spend the two weeks there with everyone and their brother. It was instant immersion and I knew I was gonna marry him within the first few weeks we dated.
He's 100% supportive of me being Orthodox and he's working his way toward becoming Orthodox as well. He already tells everyone he's Orthodox... :thumbsup:

And for the next 6 years at least... Home is where the Navy takes us.

[MariaRegina]

When did Erwin add the golden wedding rings to our profile?

Great idea... now I won't have to worry about people who fail to read my profile chasing me.

[choirfiend]

So we started hanging out a lot, and he was at my apartment watching a movie. We'd just eaten, and because of my instrument I'm a freak about brushing my teeth after every meal. So I get up to brush my teeth, thinking "if I don't, I'll really gum up my horn." Meanwhile, he's thinking, "She's brushing her teeth. She wants me to kiss her." That misunderstanding is the generally agreed upon start of the "dating" phase of our relationship. :)

Of course, you know that you really did want him to kiss you, anyway:)

[choirfiend]

And those of us without the rings know that we're free to be chased!!!

lol, I'm pretty happy with the way things are for now, though.

[EricTheRed]

I was married for 14 years till last. My wife and I fought over the remote to much so she left me for some younger guy........:D:D:D

[elizabethevangeline]

Good ol' Bill Gothard, eh?

Faith shaken to the core - that could be good, or that could be bad.


No kidding. Still not sure which way it's going to go...I think he still feels swept up & carried away by a fast rising river.

[Khaleas]

And those of us without the rings know that we're free to be chased!!!

lol, I'm pretty happy with the way things are for now, though.

Maybe they have to add a green or red light for singles available/unavailable... :D

[FlyFast]

How long have you been married?
16 years
3 daughters between 4 and 10 years old

Whens the anniversary?
I'm a guy, what is this aniversary you speak of? ^_^
Aug. 12, 1989

Is your spouse Orthodox?
NO
She was physically in an Orthodox church once during the Greek festival. She said it gave her the creeps and she won't go back.

When did you meet?
Sometime in 1986 through Campus Crusade for Christ.
I dated all of her friends first, then married her right after graduation.

[Kolya]

We're 8 years next month (Feb 12). We met at our old Prot Church, and were both divorcees. Long story short, we became Orthodox together and were Chrismated on the same day. We were Crowned on our anniversasy last year.

[EvangeliGirl]

Is your spouse Orthodox?
NO
She was physically in an Orthodox church once during the Greek festival. She said it gave her the creeps and she won't go back.

When did you meet?
Sometime in 1986 through Campus Crusade for Christ.
I dated all of her friends first, then married her right after graduation.

Ha! You should have her read Peter Gilguist's book, "Becoming Orthodox", about him and a bunch of others who were leaders in Campus Crusade that became Orthodox together!

My husband dated two of his best friends wives before they dated their future hubbies. I met another one his best friends first who was interested in me but My husband snatched me up!

[OrthoCanuck]

Wow, this thread got more responses than I expected! Very cool.

I never mentioned in the OP: My wife is not Orthodox. She is nominally Christian (very nominally). She was only baptized a year and a half ago. But, she is fine with my conversion and with me bringing the kids along with me. She went to the Vigil on the 24th of Dec. but it was a bad experience (kids were acting up and she got a migraine just before going). Hopefully she will go again. Actually since we were together I've been bouncing around and, aside from 6 years as a Muslim, I never settled down in a Christian Church....until now. I did a lot of damage to the faith formation of my family. Now only time and God can heal it.


Keep up the good posts.:thumbsup:


Peace.

[OrthoCanuck]

The gold wedding bands don't fit too well with me because my wife and I wear silver bands. I'm not too fond of wearing gold.:)

Peace.

[Annabel Lee]

I'm married but I didn't even know that there was an option for marital status in our profile.

[Ioan cel Nou]

how long have you been married, whens the anniversary, is your spouse Orthodox, when did you meet, etc.

We've been married 5 years. The anniversary is 21st July (5 days before my son's birthday, so easy to remember). Gabi is a cradle Orthodox Romanian. We met in April or May (end of one or beginning of the other) 1995 when I was doing Protestant missionary (aid, not preaching) work in Romania and became friends. We lost touch for a while (between September '96 and July '99) and then I went back to Siret and met her again as she was working as a nanny for my godparents' son. We kept on a rather difficult long distance relationship when I had to go back, got engaged the next year and married the year after that (I did keep going back as often as I could, of course). We were married in the historically important church of Sf. Nicolae in Balinesti (my wife's home village) built by St. Stephen the Great's (see icon) chancellor Ioan Tautu. It's currently being restored after decades of communist neglect but unfortunately they don't have money to clean the iconostasis. If I were ever to become wealthy, that's the first thing I'd help out with. I also hope that I can be buried in Balinesti. I've attached a picture of the exterior. The inside is completely frescoed, but I've got no pictures of them (certainly not since the restoration anyway).

James

[Mary of Bethany]

Coming up on 31 years on May 16th.

We have two sons - 25 & 30.

One of my brothers worked with him at a McDonald's, and set up a blind date. We were married about a year later, at my parents' home, by a Baptist minister. We went on a 3-day honeymoon to San Antonio, then came back to live in my apartment.

Hubby's still not Orthodox, but I'm still praying for him and my sons!

Mary

[rainbowbright]

been married five years.

Our anniversary is June 21

One son, 3 and daughter, 1

We met when I was on Spring break from college in 2000. My friend from Japan, who swore she was going to get me hooked up with a guy, came to visit me and she was an exchange student of my hubby's parents and she had to go visit them, so I took her over. My husband was just then separated from his ex-wife and was living with his parents. At the time I thought he was about 35, but was only 22. Well, my friend did just what she said and hooked us up. Our first date was akward because it was with his parents and my friend and her boyfriend- it was especially akward because I knew his parents about five years before our first date. But needless to say, we got engaged after six months of dating and then married 11 months later.

I became Episcoplian because of him and we were married in the Episcopal church. ourwhole family converted the same time- Until recently he didn't want to convert because he decided to become buddhist and said he only converted to make me happy (he's been Hindu, pagan and every other anti-Christian religion there is), but he finally came around to realize that buddhism is just a false illusion and is now very happy being Chirstian.

Okay I'm done boring everyone.

[kamikat]

We've been married 9 years, on Nov. 23, 1996. We have 2 sons, aged 6 and 3.
He claims to be a Taoist, but I still don't quite understand what that involves. His family stopped going to church when he was a small child.
We met at a historical reenactment, had a long distance relationship for 6 months, then in his senior year of college, I moved into his place when his roommate moved out. We lived together for 3 years before getting married. He's a workaholic, so we haven't had a honeymoon either. We plan on going to England and Scotland this year for our 10th, but I've developed a fear of flying. I'm not sure I'm up to it.
kamikat

[Marxist]

19 years this year on 7/11.

She's Catholic (non-practicing), I converted to Orthodxy.

I was doing graduate work at Fordham University in NY and she was working on campus as a nursing assistant when we met.

[OnTheWay]

He claims to be a Taoist, but I still don't quite understand what that involves.

It's basically the philosophy laid down by a group or Chinese philosophers that has been modernized a great deal. The Tao is a formless and eternal "force" which has no will or other personal qualities. The funny thing is that the founder, Lao-Tse (who some argue is a mythical character), became a deity. It's more or less an offshoot of Buddhism and Confucianism.

[InnerPhyre]

These are great stories, everyone. Really good to hear. I agree they do need to add single/celibate icons as well. And then they should make a "ineptly single" icon for people like me ^_^ .


My last relationship lasted about 4 years...of course then it ended because I began preparing for the Roman Catholic priesthood and had the idea of celibacy so burned into my brain that I didn't date at all for the next 2 years thinking it would be pointless for me to get involved with someone and then head to seminary. As I began to inquire into Orthodoxy, I assumed that none of that would change, but seeing how well a parish can function with married priests has started to cause me to reconsider, and now I am faced with the fact that 2 years out of the dating game have left me functionally retarded and totally oblivious when girls like me. They literally have to beat me over the head with signs that say "ASK ME OUT YOU FOOL" before I realize they are interested.

[Dust and Ashes]

They literally have to beat me over the head with signs that say "ASK ME OUT YOU FOOL" before I realize they are interested.

Hey, that tactic worked pretty well for me. :D

[The Prokeimenon!]

Almost two years to the most wonderful man on the planet Both Orthodox, he converted a few months after I did. We met at the church as inquirers, became friends, and the rest is history.

I hope this "wonderful man" doesn't find out about me :D