Latest news on me

[Bill]

Hi Team! I've put off making this post for alot of reasons, but many of my friends here on the site have encouraged me to do it. As most of you already know, I lost my dear wife, Nicola, one year ago yesterday to cancer. The last three or four years have been a rough ride. I know this is going to sound rambly and somewhat dis-jointed, but I'm sorry. I'm trying to get to the crux of the story here without giving y'all my book for free (just kidding). At some point in Nikki's illness, someone signed her up for the Chemoangels program. Chemoangels send cards and small gifts to cancer patients out of the goodness of their hearts, without expecting and most often receiving nothing in return. Not even a thank you. That's part of the deal when you sign up. Well, Nicola received cards and gifts from an angel named Rita, and wrote back to her. (Imagine that). They struck up a friendship, long-distance. We lived in VA and Rita lived in CT. They corresponded and kept in touch throughout Nikki's illness. When Nikki passed away, I called family and friends, and then I called Rita, Nikki's Angel. She was distraught, understandably. We swapped phone numbers and e-mail addresses and that was it, or so I thought. Several months went by and then we began swapping e-mails, and then phone calls, and we realized that we had alot in common. We grew closer. Please keep in mind that during this time, I was living like a hermit, and all I was doing was talking to "my girls" (wink). I wasn't looking for anyone, and neither was Rita. She had sworn off men years ago, because as we all know, most are ***h****. Well, one thing led to another, and we gradually fell in love, over the phone and via e-mail. I decided to move to CT to be with her. To some, it may seem abrupt, but I don't give away my love casually, and those that really know me have been supportive. Rita is an awesome woman. Annually she donates money to a local orphanage so that children can start the school year with new shoes, etc., and with her chemo-angeling, she is a super person. Okay, I've rambled enough. You guys are always in my thoughts and prayers. I'm sorry to butt in with my own personal stuff, but I was encouraged to do so by my friends here. I love you guys. Take care, Bill

[eric]

Bill,

I would imagine that it had to be a difficult step for you to post this message. I can only tell you that I'm very happy for you. It's wild how life works sometime and it sounds like she's a true gift. You went through hell and God knows you deserve to be happy. Enjoy!

Eric

[Jean]

Our Dear Sweet Bill,
I for one am thrilled that life has opened a new door for you to enter. I am certain many of my sisters will be react the same way. You have been a strong supportor for so many of us....therefore, out of love for you and respect I support what ever makes you happy.

My best wishes for your happiness. Rita sounds like a loving tender soul (she would have to be to have your attention). As we all know, enjoy every moment of each day.....and I wish you many joys.

With Love,
Jean

[Paty]

Dear Bill,

Unfortunately I cannot express myself as well as I would like to, because English is not my firs language, however, I would like to congratulate you and encourage you to go ahead with your life. As you have mentionned, life is pretty rough sometimes and you have had your share for now. I think you deserve to keep going and try to be happy and have company. We all human beings need someone by our side, it is part of being alive. Good for you! you just have one life and there is no opportunity for rehearsals, so live and enjoy and be happy after all there is only one life. I bet you Nikki is happy that you are not alone anymore. My best wishes,

Paty

[Joan M]

Bill,

"After all ... tomorrow is another day." (Margaret Mitchell)

God bless you.

Joan

[Jackie07]

What wonderful news! I am so happy for you, Big Brother Bill. May God bless the two of you.

[rinaina]

Bill,
Life does work in strange ways and is full of surprises. In Yiddush there is a word "Beshert" which basically means it was meant to be. I believe you and Rita were meant to be and I wish you all the best together.

[harrie]

Hello my friend,
I am so glad you shared this with us. It means so much. Wow, I think you are going with the flow of life very well. I am so happy for you.
You see, when you live life so fully with compassion and love the way you do, all things work out good.
I wish you tons of love, happiness and peace as you continue on this life together with Rita. She sounds perfect for you and I bet you for her.

I just found this bookmark hanging on my daughter's bedroom door.....it says.....
The guardian angels of life sometimes fly so high as to be beyond our sight, but they are always looking down on us......
----Jean paul Richter

Muchas alohas,
Maryanne

[tricia keegan]

Bill, I'm so happy you and Rita have found happiness together and wish you both only good things through life....but you must know you've broken a few hearts here with your confession???? Lol, be happy:)

[Rendi69CA]

Wow....I love it! God bless you both.

Rendi

[Mary Anne in TX]

Bill, our blessings come when and however they come. I think it's so wonderful that you have found someone to love and have an adventuresome life with! Hooray for having the courage to follow your heart! I love how God works! ma

[RobinP]

Bill, I think it is wonderful that you are sharing your life with such an angel, who seems to be there just at the right moments in your life, making them blessed. May you continue to enjoy every moment of your life in this bliss, you deserve it.

"Chemoangels send cards and small gifts to cancer patients out of the goodness of their hearts, without expecting and most often receiving nothing in return."......Ah, but she did get blessed, with your wonderful family.

[Kathy S in Tokyo]

I am so glad I signed in and checked the site today! What wonderful news! Congratulations Bill and Rita! Excuse my over use of exlamation marks but this news is just !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! heartwarming and encouraging. Thank you for sharing.

[caya]

Bill,

Great news! I am sure your dear Nicola is happy for you, because she had a part in bringing you and Rita together. Go on with your life, I wish you and Rita much happiness.

all the best
caya

[WomanofSteel]

Bill, I am truly happy that you have found Rita. It is wonderful to have some happy news amidst all the goings on in our lives. I wish you two only the best!

[Becky]

Dear Bill

I have always believed that on earth, there are 10,000 people who are the right one for each of us. Many of these people we never meet many of them (they live in the Amazon, Europe, Asia and it is just location).

When you meet your soul mate, you stop looking for one (even though there are dozens of right people right in front of us). Sometimes, you even know - and snap your fingers and say to yourself, "if I wasn't married, I could really go for that person".

So, you have met another one of the 10,000 people on earth that are right for you. That is a wonderful and incredible thing (considering these 10,000 people are hidden amongst 7+ billion of us). I am totally, throughly and absolutely happy and thrilled for you. I am also happy for Rita too because she has you.

Congratulations and good wishes all around

[Gerri]

Aw Bill!

I read this with a lump in my throat and a smile on my face. Kismet, karma, serendipity - call it what you will, but this was meant to be.

Embrace your new life; you deserve every happiness that comes your way. I hope we won't lose you to Rita, but if we do we will certainly understand.

Wishing you endless joy,

Gerri

[Joy]

Thank you so much for sharing this personal and exciting news. I am happy for you. And as one who lives with cancer, knowing it may take me leaving others behind, I often pray that happiness will come their way and that they can maintain that for always. I hope Rita knows what a great catch she has. If not she will have to answer to all of us-and we are feisty. Enjoy, Bill and please keep us posted on these and other developments.

[Margerie]

Bill,

One overwhelmingly kind soul finds another..... I am so happy for you both.

And I hope Rita is fine with the fact that you sometimes chat online with babes all day.......

(any Napoleon Dynamite fans out there?? LOL )

Best wishes and best of luck on your upcoming move and new beginning,

Margerie

[mimiflower07]

bill...i 'm not to sure about all this. You need someone to fly down there and check her out...wink! Well if you have to go, you where to find us. Just a click away! Good luck and much happiness to you.
suzanne

[Faith in Him]

Bill,

It is wonderful that you found happiness with Rita. May God continue to bless both of you.

Tonya

[kimber]

That is absolutely wonderful Bill! I am so happy for you. You follow your heart my friend. Life is for the living. You deserve to love and be loved.

You tell Rita - she best be good to you!

Much love to you Bill -

kim

[schoolteacher]

Bill,

I am glad you have found happiness.

Amelia

[hutchibk]

Bill, I am a green-eyed monster. Typically I have been one to share my toys willingly throughout my life, but right now I find myself feeling a bit verklempt about it all... LOL.

Rita, you are one very lucky lady, and I am sure Bill is an even luckier guy! Congrats ya'll!

[StephN]

WE LOVE to hear about "love stories."

No need for paperback romances, we got better than that right here! Angels finding each other - that is what we like to hear.

Like Becky says, I believe we can have more than ONE soulmate in our lives. This is one of the mysteries that can visit us if we stay open to people and their love.

Somewhere I read that hearts don't break - they just expand.

[Mary Jo]

Hi Bill...

I'm so happy you shared this with us here. I've been wondering about you a lot lately and wondered how everything was going with your "angel." It sounds as if things are going quite well........http://her2support.org/vbulletin/images/icons/icon7.gif and I couldn't be happier for you. You know.......when this "angel" became a part of your and Nicola's life......God knew already what was going to happen. Possibly that is why this angel in particular became a part of your life. Do I doubt God works this way? NOT in the least. God works in mysterious ways and He has a plan for each of us. I believe God has decided to bless you with new, sweet love after all you've went through and all the love you've given. You surely do deserve this new love and so, by the way, does your "angel!" She is blessed to have found you as you are to have found her.

Such a fantastic story.........such happiness and love.........I think we all needed to hear that.

Thank you Bill for all you've "given" to us here. You truly have been an encouragment and blessing to each one of us.

Thanking God for your new found blessing of love.

Mary Jo

[lizm100]

Bill-

I haven't posted in months and lately haven't visited this site much. Your posts were always very warm and inspiring to me. I loved reading many of your stories especially the funny ones. You always gave new members a warm welcome. I can go on and one..... I just want to wish you all the happiness in the world, you definitely deserve it. BTW what part of CT are you in. I also live in CT. Hope you're enjoying the cold spell:+)
Take care,

Liz

[Cannon]

Bill,

I'm so glad you two have found each other and wish you all the happiness in the world - you deserve it!

[sassy]

Bill,

What wonderful news! I have no doubt that Nikki is rejoicing in the happiness that you and Rita were led to by your mutual love for her. Life is for living, and I am so glad that you have found Rita to share your life.

Just be sure that Rita understands she will have a ton of "on line babes" to deal with if she doesn't treat you just right!

[ElaineM]

Congratulations Bill. I am happy for you too !!

[chrisy]

See Bill, except for the jealousy part, we are all full of joy over your update. Life IS for the living.

I've never said this to anyone because it makes me cry, but in my darkest moments - my most fervent prayer is for John to never be without love. In fact, I'm sure I cried when you shared that with me when we were walking laps in Richmond - because you showed me that that prayer is answerable.

Or I might have been crying because my feet hurt and I was thirsty...but I doubt it.

Endless love to you both.
chris

[Bill]

All of your wonderful responses have brought tears to my eyes. You guys are the greatest. Thanks again for everything. (Liz, I live in Plainfield now, and I hope this cold spell is unusual, like when I moved to Arizona and it rained all week.) All of youse guys have a great weekend! Love, Bill

[Believe51]

Looks like she is your Angel now, Bill! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/204.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=_undefined) I left you a message last night on your cell, hope you enjoy it. Some people are lucky enough to be blessed once with a gift from God....you have been blessed twice and I cannot think of a better person for this to happen to. Love going out to you.>>Believe51

http://www.smileycentral.com/sig.jsp?pc=[object Object]&pp= (http://smiley.smileycentral.com/download/index.jhtml?partner=ZSzeb098_&utm_id=7926)

[Mary Anne in TX]

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_33_7.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=_undefined) Hey, wait a minute!!!!
I just realized that we have all given our praise and approval without a picture!!!!!
When do we get to see her, Bill?????????
ma





http://www.smileycentral.com/sig.jsp?pc=[object Object]&pp=ZNxpt141YYUS (http://smiley.smileycentral.com/download/index.jhtml?partner=ZSzeb097_ZNxpt141YYUS&utm_id=7925)

[Catherine]

Bill, I think this is great news. If anything ever happens to me, I do not want my husband to be alone unless he chooses to be. I want love, good health and happiness for all of us.

All the very best to you and Rita,
Catherine

[Lien]

Hi Bill,

I am so happy for you & Rita!

When my mother passed away in 1999 from esophagal cancer, my father was so lonely. 6 months later, her best friends' husband passed away. She and my mom had been lifelong friends. Now my father and she are an item. Both her sons and my sister and I are sooo happy for them. It's a magical gift to find love again. Enjoy!!!

Love

Jacqueline

[swimangel72]

Bill thanks so much for sharing your joyful news! I'm so happy for you and Rita - may you both share in life's many blessings!

[SoCalGal]

I've been waiting for this post. I don't know why but I already knew what it was going to say.

Those who were the happiest when married find another to love very soon. That's called living. It's healthy and good for you and also for your family to see you happy and living again. Everyone knows that one person can never take the place of another. You deserve to live and be happy.

Looks like you were left with an angel:)