Catching my Rainbow...

Richie and Marie by Lake Michigan.

Well, I have been at a loss for words since I got home from the U.S. on Friday. Nothing could have prepared me for the wonderful experience that awaited me there...nothing could have prepared me for the overwhelming feelings that totally consumed me.

To meet the man I love for the first time was something that I can't really express, but I will try to.

I am a totally different person from the girl who set off on that journey just over a week ago. I am enriched, enlightened and have no doubts in my mind that I have found the man I have been waiting for my whole life.

My many years of chasing rainbows has now come to end because I have found mine. The pot of gold was gleaming constantly whilst we were together and continues to gleam right now.

I always knew I loved Richie and I had no doubts whatsoever that we would get along great, I just didn't expect the intensity of our time together. I suppose I have had glimpses of love and how it could be in my past, but it was always hiding behind dark clouds...and always out of my reach. I never wanted to grasp at it, because I couldn't. With him though, it was shining so brightly, I couldn't do anything else but....he has enabled me to both receive and give love.

It is the best gift someone can have.

As sad as I am at the moment, I wouldn't change a single thing. I thought my heart would break when we parted at the airport, but I've realised that this is what "love" is all about...and there will times like that.

I have a whole treasure box full of memories and I will draw on them over the next weeks and months, until we can be together again. I long for the day when we never have to say "goodbye".

Actually getting to Richie was like something out of a disaster movie...Oh boy, what a journey! I certainly won't ever forget it.

When I landed in Toronto Canada, we found our plane in the middle of an electrical storm!!!There was lightening bouncing off the runway and we found ourselves in a back-log of planes. When I eventaully got off the aircraft I was told my flight to Milwaukee had been cancelled!!!

There wasn't another flight for another 24 hours and I remember thinking "jeepers, I am only here for one week". So I made an impulsive decision and sat for 5 and a half hours and hopped on a plane to Chicago!!! I couldn't get hold of Richie and he didn't even know where I was!

On landing in Chicago, alone at midnight and totally exhausted I discovered that my luggage hadn't followed me and was in fact lost for the whole week!!!

I think I met my guardian angel that night, this kind stranger whose name escapes me, came to my rescue. She allowed me to use her phone to let Richie know where I was and booked me a hotel room. When I spoke to Richie he was rather shocked to find out where I was. He was miles away!!! I didn't even realise I was in Illinois, or how vast America is...until then. He wasn't too sure whether his car would make the journey but set off to the airport...O'Hare in Chicago.

Meanwhile, I had taken a shuttle bus and ended up in Mr. Singh's hotel. How grateful I am to that kind man. I had managed to give Richie the wrong directions and this hotel manager spent half the night on the phone locating him.

It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that we finally met.

To say I was in shock is an understatement!!! I have never been so relieved to see anyone in my life. It was like a scene straight out of a movie when Richie came into my room. All I could think was "look at you, thank God you're here".

Despite all the drama, it was the most wonderful feeling to actually be in the same room as him, breathing the same air and in the same time zone!!!

I will write some more about our time together and my U.S experience...in due course.

In the meantime, I am going to savour every moment we had together...and prepare for him coming to see me on my turf!

I know I caused an awful lot of worry and I would like to thank Berenice for all her help during those lost hours when I was....lost in a strange land. She was online with Richie frantically trying to locate me. I am so sorry you two.

I would like to share some pics with you too.

We have made lots of little films of our time and when we get a bit lonesome we can always watch them.

Until next time...........