To everyone who will read this story.  You will hear a story that sounds as if it were a fairy tale but I assure you it is no tale.               CLICK LINK FOR TIMELINE

     See, the story goes that there were two people on this earth that lived at opposite ends of the world 9,000 miles away.  Neither one knew of the other. 

     The man lived such a lonely life.  He would smile but not enough to show his teeth.  He would laugh but not loud enough for others to hear.  Everyday was the same for him.  He’d get up in the morning, eat his breakfast, go to work, come home, eat his supper and go to bed.  Friends would try to get him out of the house but he’d seldom go.  When holidays would come he would go to be with the other people, but usually just sat and watched everyone else have fun and enjoy life.  He tried to join in but always ended up back in the corner to watch.  All he dreamed of was to someday meeting that special woman to share his life with and live so happy with, the way he read that could be lived only in a fairy tale.  So he thought.

     Now on the other side of the world was a woman.  She was the most beautiful woman in the world.  All she wanted was to find her true love.  When other guys would say how lovely she was, how they cared for her and all the other sweet words, her heart would melt with joy.  But for all the sweet words that were spoken to her, heartache would soon follow because she’d find out that words were all they were.  Is there no meaning behind those sweet words?  Is there no one out there with the honest feelings to go with these words?  She knew that her true love was out there somewhere, but where?

     Then one day the man came upon a place from the internet where he could meet other people.  He wondered what this place was like.  He blindly searched it like he did so many other things in life, looking for that special person to show him happiness and fill him with joy.  What he didn’t realize was that she too had came upon the very same place and searched also.  Now in order to do this they had to list themselves and say “SOMETHING” about who they were.  The man did his first search at that site and on the very first search there she was!  “What have I found here?” the man said.  He saw this most beautiful woman.  He stared at her picture, and read about who she was.  Feelings that he never before began to run all through his body.  “Who is this lovely creature?”  He just had to find out.  So the man wrote a short letter to her.

     He wrote something like,” hello, I saw your profile and am interested in knowing more about you.  If you're interested please reply” Then his heart sank with sorrow because thoughts, bad thoughts, ran through his mind.  Why would she want to write to him?  She is so beautiful, much younger, and so full of life and joy.  Surely she was already happy with a man.  Surely she would not be interested in him.

     Now when the woman received the message she was happy that someone had found her.  She replied just as she had before to others who’d given her sweet words, but something told her that this one was different. 

     When the man received a reply from the woman his heart began to race.  What was happening here?  She actually wrote him and was interested if finding out more.  He would have to continue writing and see what would come of this, if anything.  What came of this goes as follows.

     When the man received the reply from the woman his heart began to race.  What was to happen with this?  Was this for real or just another trick in life to give him more hurt?  But the excitement was just too great for him to give up on it.  If it would all just turn to hurt then let it be so, he just had to find out more.

     The man made a special folder on his computer and named it Jane for that was the name of this most beautiful woman.  He read his first letter from her and oh the joy and excitement that filled his heart.  He wrote her back immediately and then waited to see if there would ever be another one.  The next day there was just that, another letter from Jane.  She was actually interested in finding out more.  Again, he wrote back to Jane, this time putting his full heart into the letter to let her know who he was and what his dreams were.

     Each day the man got out of bed early.  Not to eat his breakfast but to check his e-mail to see if there was something from Jane.  Yes, each day there was just that.  Each letter was more and more special to each of them.  Each letter touched the others heart more dearly than the previous.  Their feelings of love for each other were nearly immediate.  They shared the same interests, had the same dreams, and lived each day for a word from the other.  They used the instant messenger to be able to talk to each other without the wait for the next day.  Phone calls were special too.  The first call was the most beautiful moment.  To actually hear the voice of the person that makes their heart sing.  He was so nervous that he actually dialed the phone number twice just to make sure he had the correct number.  Over less then two months they’d wrote more than 130 pages of letters and instant messengers, at size 9 fonts, to each other. 

     The man was so much in love with Jane.  He just knew that she was the true love he’d always wanted.  He felt like never before, to have so much happiness in his life.  So, one day on the instant messenger, he asked Jane to close her eyes.  He asked her to picture in her mind him kneeling before her with his hand in hers.  When she said that she could see this, he said.” Jane, would you marry me?”  Without any question in her mind she’d heard the words that she’d hoped to hear from him.  “Yes, I will marry you.  You’ve made me the happiest woman!” 

     On September 21, 2002 Jane and Edd were married.  But how, since they’d never even met in person.  On the instant messenger, Jane with a witness, Edd with a witness and a minister friend, they exchanged their Vows to each other.  They told of their commitment and love to each other.  Sure this isn’t a legal marriage but to them they were in front of God and others and the marriage was as real as any.  But this is not the end of the fairy tale yet.

the story continues, Edd and Jane were married to each others hearts.  But they were still 9,000 miles away.  How were they to get together and marry for real, legally?

The government of his country said that he could apply for a fiancé visa and bring her to him but that if it were to be approved that they’d have to have met in person at least once in the past two years or show cause why they hadn’t.  Not wanting to take a chance at long delays, a trip to her country was planned.  On October 21, 2002, Edd’s plane landed in Davao City, Philippines.  The very most exciting time in his life was when he looked through the window of the airport, down upon the crowd and there she was.  He’d spotted her immediately.  She too spotted him right away.  When she saw him she began to shake with emotions.  To finally be together was about more than either one of them could take.  Edd ran down the stairs of the airport to come to Jane.  But just as he neared the door a man grabbed his arm.  “Sir, your luggage!”  Without giving thought, he pushed passed the man telling him to forget the luggage, he needed to go outside.

     They spent the next three weeks together.  Every moment that they were together they dreamed of their future.  They shared everything about their selves to the other.  Over those three weeks their love grew more deeply than either could have ever imagined.  If the rest of their lives were going to be a reflection of those three weeks then WOW! 

     As the time neared for him to have to return home their hearts began to break.  You see, he would have to return without her.  The visa still had not been processed and she did not have the permission to return with him to await their legal marriage.  They were to be separated again by all those miles, neither knowing when they would be allowed to see the other again.  Many nights before that day were spent in each others arms crying hard.  They tried to comfort each other but the reality of the separation was too much to hide.  The saddest day in Edd’s and Jane’s life was November 9, 2002.  That was the day he had to leave.  So many tears fell that day.  Both felt so much sorrow that they actually felt sick.  To kiss one last time to say good-bye and to feel their hands separate from the others was a feeling that cannot be put in words.  

Edd arrived back home and started the fiancé visa immediately.  He collected all the documents necessary.  Jane and Edd had started the papers while he was there.  Jane had filled out her part of the papers to give her information for the visa.  They had their pictures taken for the visa.  And they had even called the American Embassy to check on the process there.  At home, Edd printed samples of their letters, and copies of the plane ticket for proof of his having been there.  Edd also included many pictures of Jane and him together to show the government that they were truly in love.  Edd and Jane tried to submit as much proof so that the visa would be approved as quickly as possible.  You understand that Edd and Jane were in so much pain being without the other.

     Before Edd had ever left for his trip he had been told that the process would take about two months.  What a long time to be apart.  All they wished was to be together.  When Edd checked again upon arriving home he was told that the process had changed to around four months.  What was going on?  This wasn’t supposed to happen.  Why so long?  He could get no answer except that it would be processed and that they would let him know.

     To keep in touch with Jane, Edd and Jane continued their usual way of communicating with each other.  Through the e-mails and instant messenger and with phone calls they would try to be with the other.  This however, wasn’t working so well.  They prayed to God for comfort as they had prayed to him so many times before for his guidance and love.  You see God had given each of them a special gift, each other!  Again he answered their prayers.  He gave them comfort.  They found away so that Edd could send a message directly to Jane’s phone 24 hour a day and she could send one back.  This was not the same as being together and the hurt was still so great for being apart.  But now they could tell the other they loved each other when ever they wished.

     This is now a temporary pause in their story as they wait for the visa to be approved.  They wait so patiently for this to happen, trying to comfort each other as best as they can.  To kiss the others tear from their eyes, to try to hold and love so far apart. 

     This is going to have a happy ending and a new happy beginning to a new story.  Because the special gift given to each other from God will forever be present.  They have each other and love each other no matter what separates them or comes upon them.

UPDated 1/31/03

     On January 27th 2003 Jane arrived in Manila at the St. Luke's Medical Center with her sister Daisy for her Physical.  Since Edd and Jane had been together in November, their Visa process has been going like wildfire.  There first step was approved in only 29 days.  Originally they were told it would take 70-100 days and actually other people's have now changed again to between 205-250 days.  WOW only 29 days.  Thank you God.  On January 31, 2003 Jane and Edd's visa was finally approved.  She should be getting her visa around the first week of February.  Funny thing is that Jane reminded Edd that on November 9th (their last time seeing each other) that Edd had told her that she would be home to Michigan before Valentine's day.  And so she will be.  Thank you again God.

Anyone one feeling like they'd like to know more or just comment can write:  eddie@jstandish.com