I met Debra at the supermarket where I worked in college and the first few years I was a teacher. Her family lived less than a block away and she shopped in the store. Then she got a job at the store and we worked together. I knew I was attracted to her, and she was very friendly to me. When she started to work the closing shift like I did, she joined the group of us that went out to eat a "midnight breakfast" after work. Then one night the rest of the crew slipped off to a different restaurant while I was giving her a ride home to change out of her uniform, so we were there alone. Things progressed from there. Yes, the rest of the crew did it because they all knew we were interested in each other. And yes, one of them was best man. Oh, we didn't find out each other's ages until the day before I proposed - turned out I am 9 1/2 years older - by then we didn't care much but worried about the reaction of her Dad and Brothers.

We got divorced, one son, then years later after her second husband walked out on her leaving her with a 3 and 5-year-old, our son got us back together (he used to baby sit his little brother and sister) and I spent a few years to get her to remarry. So they have known me since Jasmine was less than 4, they may have a different last name, but they are my children also. Jon is nearly 32, mentally impaired since birth and lives with us (bright 5 year old cognitively), Jasmine is almost 30 (both born in May) and a Pediatrician. We paid her way through UCLA Pre-med and she got through University of Virginia Med-School on grants, scholarships and loans with some help from us. She is doing her residency only 50 miles away, so we get occasional visits from her and our "Grand Kitty" Purrsephone. Princess Purr loves to go to the toddler gate that keeps the dogs in the family room (doggie door to backyard and their beds+my man cave) and tease them. "I'm in the HOUSE, you're in the family room. HaHaHa!"