January/February 2012: The month from Hell…

A bright light appeared in my life right after New Year’s weekend.

Tom — who lived in Oklahoma City — was completely different from any guy I had ever dated: he was religious, family-oriented, and best of all… my age! He lived a very laid-back, reserved lifestyle shockingly reminiscent of what my own life had once been. He was attractive, funny, and caring.

We would talk for hours about everything: important world issues, cooking, past experiences, hopes and dreams, and how much we liked each other.

After a few dates the first two weeks of January, we began dating… officially. I was happy. I felt a long-term relationship within my grasp, and I was ready to take it into my arms and never let go.

I was traveling from western Oklahoma to Oklahoma City every other day, splitting my time between visits with him and visits with my parents.