Feeling the love on Valentine’s Day

“We want to set you up with a really great guy, Andy Walburger.”

Who? Set me up? Sure, why not? I laced up my Converse basketball shoes and made my way to the front door. I was late for practice.

I was a junior at Newport Harbor High School. He was a senior at La Serna High School in Whittier.

The last thing I heard as I raced out the door and down our red brick front steps was Mary Ellen and her husband, Randy, laughing with my mom, “I can see the wedding napkins now — ‘Andy and Mandy.’ ”

I rolled my eyes.

I can’t believe I’m late. My first blind date — and I’m late. What am I doing?

I had spent the afternoon triple-jumping in stiflingly hot Riverside. My mom and I leapt into our big blue Ford van to race back to Newport.

Although traffic on the 91 was not in our favor, I was content. Relaxing in the air-conditioned car, I enjoyed a happy-tired feeling in my legs, a sun-kissed warmth in my flushed cheeks, and a building anticipation of meeting this Andy Walburger, whom I had now heard so much about.

Calm turned to panic as I discovered I had left my school backpack at the track. Traffic on the 91 was not kind on my return trip either.

“Andy, I’m so sorry. I’m running a bit late. Can we move dinner back?” Just like our previous conversations, this mystery guy seemed cordial. He was in Newport playing in a water polo tournament with his high school team. “OK, I’ll pick you up at 6:30.”

Dinner at the Cheesecake Factory at Fashion Island was delightful. The butterflies swirling in my chest distracted me from the cooling night (forgot my sweater) and my growling stomach.

Andy ordered teriyaki chicken with a grilled pineapple ring.

And he brought me flowers.

Dear Mandy,

Good luck at Stanford! Be sure to always take a fun class to balance the hard work …

Take care,

Andy

Dear Andy,

Thank you for your kind letter. Great advice …

Good luck — Mandy

Freshman year in college was intensely wonderful. Andy was away from campus, the only Stanford water polo player serving a two-year mission for our church in Argentina.

Is he going to kiss me?

It was the Tuesday after Thanksgiving break. Andy, with his teammates at a hotel buffet, had enjoyed his first turkey dinner since his Argentine adventure. I hadn’t seen him in about a week.

It was a scene straight out of a romantic comedy: I was the beautiful, love-struck (yet appropriately independent and headstrong) girl caught in an unexpected rainstorm and about to be kissed by the jaw-dropping hunky (yet sensitive and gentlemanly) hero.

El Nino poured down on us, creating a surreal solitude.

And then he kissed me.

We walked back to my apartment, in the rain, my hand in his.

And then he kissed me and wished me a good night.

(My roommate thought I was crazy: I looked more like someone who had fallen into a swimming pool fully clothed than the star of a big-budget romantic comedy whom I felt I embodied.)

Andy greeted me at San Francisco International airport with a giant hug and a bouquet of flowers. “Welcome back!” The six-hour flight couldn’t squelch how giddy and achingly grateful I felt to be back.

We had three short days together. I was studying in Washington, D.C., for the quarter, and Andy was tied to the West Coast in the thick of water polo season.

And so our whirlwind weekend began. Dessert at the restaurant where we went on our first date in college. A walk around campus to visit “our” spots: the old museum, the track, the first kiss. And then a shortcut through underbrush to visit a newly renovated part of campus.

“I want to show you something.” Absolutely — I was happy to follow the lead of my eager and somewhat jumpy (but terribly good-looking) guide. “They just opened the outdoor Rodin Sculpture Garden. I hear it’s beautiful at night.” I’m sure it is.

Andy was right — it was beautiful. “Look at this one,” he said as we made our way to a rendering of a woman reaching and twisting with open hand.

“Oh.”

In a moment that slowed to fill an eternity, I saw the red velvet box in the pristine marble hand. A stone glimmering back at me. And the man I loved down on one knee.

“Madeleine, will you marry me?”

“Of course.”

(Only later did I learn that my surprise evening was made possible by roommates with walkie-talkies.)

“Are you ready for some … “

“Football!”

Anna completes her daddy’s rally cry.

Super Bowl Sunday. A Super Bowl party crafted by Dad and complete with nachos, burgers, salami, and DVR rewind capacity. During the game, our Costa Mesa home is filled with cheers, referee taunting, some big-brother induced, high-pitched screams, belly laughs, and a few choruses of Laurie Berkner’s “I Know A Chicken.”

Of course, it’s the people who make a party. We invited only our favorites: Clayton (age 5), Anna (age 3), and Chase (4 months but the size of a small linebacker).

And, of course, it’s the people who make life so exceedingly good.

I love you, Andy Walburger. Thank you for being mine forever. Thank you for making my life so exceedingly good.

MADELEINE WALBURGER

Costa Mesa

It all started about two years ago when we used to work together at a BMW dealership in Orange County. I was in pre-owned sales and she was a sales assistant. We were in relationships with others. She was in one for almost five years, and I was in one for almost three years. We weren’t happy in our relationships, though. During the time that I worked with Nichelle I talked to her once. After talking to her and knowing that she had a boyfriend, I didn’t think I would have a chance with her, nor did anyone else at the dealership. I was so afraid to talk to her.

I told Josh, one of my co-workers, “That’s the girl I am going to marry.” He laughed and told me I have no chance. A couple of months later I left that dealership and went to another. I also had broken up with my girlfriend of three years. But whenever I would occasionally drop by my old dealership to visit old friends, I never ran into Nichelle. Then one day while I was visiting there, I happened to see her, so I sat down at her desk and started talking to her. I was so nervous, but then I found out she was no longer with her boyfriend!

After talking for about 20 minutes, I left and we said our goodbyes, but I did not get her number. After getting home I decided to check to see if she was on the good old MySpace. Yep, I found her, so I e-mailed her. After we exchanged a couple of e-mails, I asked for her number. When she gave it to me, I was so happy.

So we started hanging out. After a couple weeks, I called KOST-FM (103.5) and dedicated a song for her. She heard it at work while doing a delivery on a car, and her client heard it also. After a couple of months of seeing each other every day, I asked her to be my girlfriend and she agreed. On New Year’s Eve I asked her to marry me and she said “yes.” We knew we were going to be together for the rest of our lives from Day One. When something feels so good and feels so right, you just know it. We are getting married in five months.

HAOIE LUC

Irvine

Life is so unexpected. You never know where you will find your true love. Just like my husband and I, fate made us meet in an unexpected place.

I came from Taiwan. January of 2004 was my fourth month in Okazaki, Japan, where I was studying Japanese. He and I were put in the same class. We had a small class, giving us the chance to get to know each other. We studied, and in the break time, we could talk to our classmates.

One day, we were talking about parts of Japan we wanted to visit. I told him I wanted to visit Kanezawa (a city next to the sea of Japan). I heard there is a very beautiful and famous garden there. Especially in the winter, there is very special scenery. He said he had a friend who knows a lot of hotel people, and maybe his friend could find some cheaper place for me. Meanwhile, I needed to find my female friends who would like to come with me. I couldn’t find anyone, though. So I didn’t mention this trip to him again. After few weeks, he asked me about the trip. I could only tell him no one wanted to go with me. He said he would like to go. But — but I never go out with a man overnight! How could I say OK?

I think it was our fate. At that time, one of my friends said she wanted to go with me. Problem solved. Three of us went to Kanezawa. We had a good time there. He was very nice to us. And he was a very good company on the trip. After we came back from the trip, he and I and my two friends were together very often. We studied and watched DVDs. Sometimes we had dinner. I enjoyed his company a lot.

One day, he asked me to have dinner together. Only me! I liked his company, so I agreed immediately. During dinner, we talked about our families, our stories. Suddenly, he said, “I like you!” What?! Can you say it again? I was too surprised to react. Of course, I was very happy to hear that. But I was also worried that my parents wouldn’t let me date a “foreigner.”

After that dinner, I called my mom, and asked for her opinion. Surprisingly, she didn’t say no, and encouraged me to get to know him more. So we started to date. I want to say I am happy that I tried. Because after two years, we got married!

I think I am not the kind of person who easily falls in love. However, I am lucky to have found a person who is patient and will accept cultural differences. The important thing is we keep our minds open and understand our differences. Then you will find it is very easy to love the one you chose. Now I feel I am the happiest person in the world!

Shio-Hui Harrison

Corona del Mar

Joe had worked at Hoag Hospital in the Emergency Care Unit as a clerical coordinator for several years before I came to work there full-time as a day-shift charge nurse. Joe is a lead singer in two bands — one a rock ‘n’ roll band that one of our ER physicians heads up, and the other an acoustic band — so when we worked together he would sing quietly, or whistle softly. This was so pleasant to listen to, but I would never tell him because I thought if he knew someone was listening, he would stop doing it! We also enjoyed the same sense of humor, and would get into bantering back and forth, and make each other — and any other ECU staff members who happened to be listening — laugh.

We were both involved in other relationships over the years, and we spent seven years in a working friendship. Joe asked me over for lunch in November of 2005, and neither one of us was involved with anyone at the time. I thought it was just a friendly lunch, as it was lobster season and Joe free-dives for lobster. Over the years he had always promised to cook me a lobster dinner one day.

He was a perfect gentleman and a wonderful cook, but I still didn’t think it was anything more than a friendship until we went to a UCLA football game that fall, and then thought, “This might be something.”

We were engaged the following February and were married Aug. 26. He is so wonderful to me, as well as to others, and he treats me like a princess. The first thing everyone at work asked me was, “Does he sing to you at home?” Yes, he sings to me at home!

I think that being such great friends for so many years before any kind of romance started is what has made our relationship so successful. The other thing I have learned is that in order to make a relationship successful, you have to be able to make each other laugh!

I will still look at Joe occasionally and say, “Nobody told me it was going to be you!” And I couldn’t be happier that it was.

JOE AND SHARON HOIER

Aliso Viejo

Jay,

It has been 35 years since I stood under a crescent moon as a USC co-ed waiting to meet you. It was a magical moment. Twenty-eight years of marriage and six thriving children later, I remember the moment so clearly. You are my friend for life.

Love,

KAT MEEHAN

Newport Beach

I knew at first glance — at the sight of his long, sculpted fingers of his upraised hand — that the boy sitting in front of me in our 11th grade chemistry class was going to be wonderful. Like any typical 15-year-old, I was now madly in love. We eventually became high school sweethearts and went steady for several years. In our third year at UC Berkeley, Joe and I chose to part. His path took him to France, mine to Costa Mesa. Four decades later, we reunited and have been very happily married ever since. From teenager to senior citizen, Joe is still my very special someone. Thank goodness for chemistry.

FLO MARTIN SAINT-CLAIR

Costa Mesa

Now that my Valentine has joined me in Newport, my life is complete. I met Janice in 1988 at Hoag Hospital when she and I, then unknown to one another, were visiting an ill relative of mine. Immediately, I sensed her compassion and tenderness, and her good looks made her, hopefully, the future queen of my heart!

In the years since, I have known her to be devoted to not only me but also my family. She is good, caring and always the best a woman, or anyone, can be. She also cooks and can set up a cupid’s picnic on a moment’s notice. Indeed, I could also tell you about our walks on the beach.

For Valentine’s night, I will be hosting, at Alta Coffee, a reading and contest for lovers and lovers of poetry. And like other contestants, for their special loves, I will be pouring out my heart to her.

LEE MALLORY

Newport Beach

It was late June, 1970, and I was attending a football-coaching clinic in Reno, Nev. On Wednesday of that week, I decided to take a lunch break back at the apartment where I was staying. As I was standing in the kitchen, a yellow flash quickly passed by the window. I wasn’t quite sure what it was at first. However, moments later I heard what sounded like a motorcycle coming back toward the apartment, and to my surprise, as I looked out the window here comes the same yellow flash, which turned out to be a yellow Honda 90 trail bike being ridden by an attractive young lady with flowing brown hair blowing in the breeze (no helmets in those days).

The friend I was staying with happened to own a Triumph 650 motorcycle and said I could use it any time I wished. With curiosity getting the better of me, I immediately hopped on the Triumph and in no time caught up with the yellow Honda. As I passed by the trail bike, I smiled and nodded a hello and proceeded into the hills above Reno.

On the way back from my quick excursion, I saw the yellow Honda parked on the side of the road with the rider standing next to it looking somewhat perplexed. I stopped to see if I could be of assistance. The young lady said the trail bike just stopped running. I made a noble attempt to right the situation and to my astonishment I actually got the Honda started. Turns out she was on her way to the golf course for a lesson, so I offered to ride along in case she had further mechanical problems.

Once we reached the golf course I offered to buy her a soft drink and we talked for several minutes. I discovered she was also a school teacher, so we had some things in common. The time soon came for her lesson. As I reached the parking lot I realized I would probably never see this lady again since I live near San Francisco, so I went back to the coffee shop. Just as she was leaving for her golf lesson I asked her if she would be interested in dinner some time that week. She replied that she was really tied up all week and that the only night she was free was that night. I said, “Perfect!”

That was 35 years, two sons and a granddaughter ago. As the advertising slogan of the time went, “You meet the nicest people on a Honda.” P.S. We still have the yellow Honda 90 trail bike.

JIM AND SUE BOGDAN

Newport Beach

I love to tell the story of how my husband and I met. I was out with my girlfriend on our girls’ Friday night out dancing; (we had a pact to never give out our phone numbers to guys we met and never date the same guy more than two weeks in row). I saw this handsome guy walking across the dance floor toward my table. He had on some great gray slacks with big bell bottoms that swayed as he walked. He was hot!

I was sure he was coming to ask my friend to dance, but he stopped and flashed his big smile at me and asked me to dance. After several dances we stepped outside to cool down and talk. We had so much in common and talked for hours. Four hours later I knew he was the one for me. I fell head over heels and knew I could never love anyone more. We both lost our mothers the prior year and were missing them and needing to share our memories. His compassion really touched my heart. Though my mother never met him, she was part of the selection process as she always told me, “If a man really loves his mother, he’ll make a great husband.”

Mother was so right! That meeting was 36 years ago today! We dated for four weeks before he proposed, and six months later, in the presence of God, our families and friends, we vowed “Till death do us part!”

I knew he was the one; I had a date the Saturday night after we met with a guy I’d been working on for a year. I actually called him and canceled the date. He thought I was just playing hard to get for months until he saw my engagement ring! And my husband had plans for a double date that Saturday night too. He took the girl home after one hour and called me!

Thirty-six years later, we’ve been through an Army tour, six moves, four children, four grandchildren, the loss of both of our fathers and so much more. The funny thing is that I love him even more today than I did 36 years ago, and it gets better every year. I love him with all that I am, and he loves me right back! He’s my perfect match!!

MARLYN BROKENSHIRE

Yorba Linda

“The Rose: Symbol of Love”

The rose

Glorifies God

With beauty and Scent

Hanging dry

Its brilliant colors advent

Its endurance in The Vintage Vase

God’s given the rose grace

For you and me

With kindness and love

Given us free

The rose symbol of love

From heaven above

For us to give

One to another!

PAWOUCHTA TREE

A.K.A. MARGARITT MONTY

Costa Mesa