...and it even has a VS connection.

Tomorrow is my wedding day. I'm marrying the love of my life and college sweetheart, after a few twists and turns (and years) along the way.

When I was at UF (JM '94), my fiance and I dated. I was a country boy from the Panhandle; she was a self-described JAP from Boca. At the time, I was at a different place in my life. I was never really recovered from cancer surgeries and the resulting after-effects of the treatments. When we graduated, we left each other...she moved back to Boca; I returned to the Panhandle.

...and it even has a VS connection.

Tomorrow is my wedding day. I'm marrying the love of my life and college sweetheart, after a few twists and turns (and years) along the way.

When I was at UF (JM '94), my fiance and I dated. I was a country boy from the Panhandle; she was a self-described JAP from Boca. At the time, I was at a different place in my life. I was never really recovered from cancer surgeries and the resulting after-effects of the treatments. When we graduated, we left each other...she moved back to Boca; I returned to the Panhandle.

Over the resulting years, we kept in very little contact with each other. An email once every two years or so.

After making most Gator home games since I graduated, I never saw her not once. That is...until 2005 football season. I was in the bookstore before a game, and I ran into her. We chatted like we had never been apart. Then, the very next week we ran into each other again...and chatted like we had never been apart. It was quite eerie...'fate' as we call it now.

After that second chance encounter, we started emailing each other more/calling each other more....and our romance blossomed again. We personally kept Delta afloat taking all the flights between South Florida and Pensacola. Thank God for Alltel's "Circle." Our families started tailgating at Gator games. We went to London together. She spent Christmas with my family. And, we realized that we couldn't live without each other, and the long distance was too much.

I proposed last April. She accepted. I moved to Boca shortly thereafter. I converted to Judaism (hatafat dam brit, mikveh, and all). And, the wedding is tomorrow.

If you're wondering what the VS connection is....I migrated to the VS shortly after the GSMB became unmonitored. After posting for a few years, I became familiar with the board regulars. Well, after reading a few posts from one of these regulars, I realized from some of the information he divulged (specifically about his UF years) that he was my fiance's brother. Small world indeed.

And, yes, the brother even pulled a VS stunt that left me devastated. I had asked her father for permission last January. Well, the whole family immediately started planning a wedding. Deposits were made. Caterers booked. Yada, yada, yada. Well, we met in Gainesville for a romatic Valentines Day weekend last year. Everyone on the planet thought that I would propose during this trip. Imagine everyone's surprise when it didn't happen. Trust me, I was planning on it...but, there was a problem with the ring...and I wouldn't propose without the bling.

After she returned home to Boca and didn't have a ring, her brother (the VS regular) jokingly posted a question. Something like: "My sister has been dating this guy...and he asked for my father permission to marry a couple of months ago...dates were set...caterers booked...etc...they went on this romantic weekend where he ended up not proposing...the guy says it's a problem with the ring....but that seems like a lame excuse...Is this guy taking my sister for a ride...what do all of you on the VS think?"

Well, you can imagine the perverted =) answers from all the regulars to that question. I was taking her for a ride. This guy's got a problem. He's putting your sister on. He just wants the sex. What a dumb excuse...he's gonna dump your sister.

When I read that her brother had posted that (and the resulting negative responses), I was devastated. Well, her brother was just 'joking'...some joke.

So, I truly am the luckiest person on the face of the earth. And, I truly believe in fate after all of this. And, yes, I can't believe I'm marrying my college sweetheart.