“He is the man I always dreamed about.”

Valerie and Tom

So there I was - 38 and single again.

I started dating on Yahoo! Personals because a friend of mine insisted I join it to meet new people. I was new in town and recently divorced. I am a professional woman and did not do the bar scene. Dating in general had changed so much. I had been with the same guy for 24 years.

Yahoo! Personals was absolutely wonderful. I dated for almost a year through Personals. I didn't make a love connection at first, but I did meet some men who are now among my very best friends. Even though it wasn't love, we clicked as far as being friends.

Ready to take a break

After a year, I was ready to take a break from dating. Then I received a message. I thought, OK, one more. I met Tom for lunch (he had no idea what I looked like) because I was in the office and was not able to forward a picture. I saw his picture, and he was a very handsome man indeed.

When I replied to Tom, I never expected in a million years this man would be the one that totally swept me off my feet.

Everything clicked

Everything between us clicked. The chemistry was wonderful. That happened during January 2002. We were so much in love in the first week - I just knew we were meant for each other.

With Tom, I also gained two beautiful stepdaughters. He gained a stepdaughter and stepson from me. All of the children love one another, almost as it was always meant to be. It was perfect. We moved in together after three weeks and were married after six months, on June 6, 2002.

They are all jealous!

These past three years with Tom have been the most amazing time of my life. We are the same now as we were on that first date together - totally crazy about each other. He is the man I always dreamed about. Tom works for the government, and I travel throughout the country for my job. We would have never crossed paths in a million years if it wasn't for Yahoo! Personals and the encouragement from my friends. Now they are all jealous!

I found the love of my life, the man I want to grow old with.

Success tips from Valerie

• Be patient. I used Yahoo! Personals for about a year before I met the man I married.
• First date: We met for at a local restaurant for coffee, ended up talking so long we ordered lunch, and then met for dinner that evening.

Do you have a love story to share? Let us know!

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