‘I have finally found my true love’

It was Halloween night. 2007. John Park’s sister Monica instructed him to come over to her house.

“My sister said, ‘Johnny, I’ve met your soul mate.’ I said, ‘I don’t want a soul mate.’ And she said, ‘She’s going to be here Halloween night. You have to be here.’ I just said, ‘I might or might not.’ So I was sitting at home trying to decide If I wanted to go and at the last minute I went down there.”

Franny Prevell remembers he was wearing an “old sweater” as if he had rushed over there and wasn’t exactly dressed to impress.

Still, the Costa Mesa couple really hit it off. They talked as if they’d known each other for years.

And they very well could have, but fate’s full of crazy punch lines. You see, Park’s sister Monica has been friends with Franny since they were kids, and yet Franny and Johnny never met when they were growing up in the ’70s and ’80s. Park is nine years older than Franny and had moved out of the house at a young age so they just never met. Plus, John and Monica had 10 other siblings so it was pretty crowded at home.

But after the two hit it off so well that Halloween night, Cupid wasn’t done with the practical jokes. The business card Franny had given John had an old phone number and e-mail on it. Eventually, Park had to call his sister for the right number, and he called Franny for a date.

“Right after that we’ve seen each other like every day,” Prevell said. “It’s neat because we’re both Christians and we love to go to church. Finally, I’ve found someone who likes to go to church as much as I do.”

What really drew them together, aside from having a great deal in common like churchgoing, was the bond they forged as they healed the wounds from two failed marriages apiece. The circumstances of their hard luck were similar so they understood each other’s pain.

Last year, in our Valentine’s Day love-letters feature Park wrote: “My heart is finally healing because of you.”

This year, it was Prevell’s turn, and she said: “I am so happy. I have finally found my true love.”

Indeed, she is delirious. Prevell can hardly contain a giggle when asked about how they met and when he proposed. The two are getting married July 26 at the Balboa Pavilion.

We wish them all the best.

FRANNY’s LETTER

This letter is an ongoing one and this year I will share too. Well last year we were only going out and this year we are engaged! We are getting married this summer on July 26, 2009. This letter is to Johnny Park and believe it or not we grew up in the same town and I knew his sisters but I didn’t know him. His sister Monica and I are good friends and she introduced us at her Mom’s house in Bayshores. I am so happy. I have finally found my true love. Johnny and I get along so well and we have so much in common. God has really blessed us with such a wonderful relationship. We love to go to church together which is amazing to me that I have finally found someone who loves to go to church as much as I do. I look forward to many great years with the most loving and quality person ever! With love, Franny

Following are our other love letters from you, dear readers. Happy Valentine’s Day!

To my five favorite Valentines, Steve, Jordan, Ian, Evan and Gunner. I love you so much! You make my life complete!! Love Kim (mom)

Dear James,

As a follow up from last year, I wanted you to know this Valentine’s Day is more special than I thought it could be! Seeing you with our son, Bennett, and becoming a father suits you so well. You have always been a wonderful husband and now you just amaze me with how great you are as a dad. We love you so much, and we want you to know we appreciate how hard you work to provide for us, thank you. You are a wonderful man, and I couldn’t ask for more. You have my heart forever! I love you PAPA!!

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

Love,

Adele M

To my beloved Janice... In our small place by the sea, bright mor- ning suns will surface and waves will pound, but neither with the intensity of my love for you. That is, your sensual red hair is the sun; and the surf sounds, when I think of you, are the pounding of my heart. For now, I ask only that you stay with me, through all our dawns and feverish sunsets. For in your kiss, you set the cycles and seasons of my soul. I love you, darling Janice, and honor and bless you always, especially on this day...

Love, Lee

To all of our daughters, Happy Valentine’s Day:

Jessica, our oldest daughter. I wish you a “Happy Valentine’s Day” and I wish that all of your wishes come true.

Natashia, our second daughter. I want to say “Happy Valentine’s Day.” May you find happiness in the future.

Raquel, our third daughter. Happy Valentine’s Day and may your life be filled with love and happiness.

Nicole, our fourth daughter. Happy Valentine’s Day. May all of your wishes and dreams come true.

All of you are very special. May all of you have love and happiness in your future.

Love,

Mom and Dad

Ava and Sam

Danielle/Wonder Woman,

You are such a devoted mother and wife. Thanks for being my Valentine each day!

Happy Valentine’s Day....

Love, Andy

Belle:

From the moment I first saw you across the boat I knew we had to meet. After two more chance meetings we had our first date. We fell in love. We were married. I love you more than ever. Please be my Valentine.

Bud

We would like to send this message to my wife, Michelle, who has given so much to our family. We want to let her know how much we appreciate and love her. She holds down two jobs, and we are so grateful for all she does.

We love you, Scott, Taylor, and Niki Peterson

My beloved Ipo,

Some wise soul once said, “When you love someone, all your saved-up wishes start coming out.” You do make my wishes come true — a life filled with fun and adventure and security and comfort and laughter. And love, much love, more love than can be measured. For richer or poorer (thank goodness!), in hockey season and out, you have kept true your promise to love me more each day. You always say you are a lucky guy, but really I am the lucky one, being married to you.

I love you.

Always in all ways, your BooBoo

I’m so lucky you’re my daddy.

You’re the best one there can be!

That’s why this valentine is filled

with lots of love to you from me!

Love, Lauren

My Sweet Carmen,

On this, our sixth Valentine’s Day together, I want to tell you how I love and appreciate you more each day. Your love has made my life richer and fuller, and I’m lucky to have you. You’re my biggest supporter and my biggest critic, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Our two precious creations are so fortunate to have you as their mom. Apparently my immaturity provided beneficial experience. I look forward to our rare “alone” time now, and hope we have many years to reminisce about our lack of sleep and other current petty problems. You pick the movie tonight.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

With all the love in my heart,

Scott

Phil,

This will be our 10th Valentine’s Day together. Thank you for being a great husband and superb father. Drue, Cade, and Briggs thank you too! We love you! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love, Cari XOXOXO

For: Arie Katz

Thank you for being the Dad and Husband who helps make all our dreams come true!!

We love you!

Your Valentines,

Clara, Susan and Emma

Jon,

Never in my wildest dreams could I have ever imagined being married to such a man as you. Waking up to you every morning is a dream come true. You allow me to be myself and challenge me to be a better women of God. I admire you and your outlook on life. You are the most selfless person I have ever met and I know this world is a better place just because you are in it. I am excited for our future together, but even more excited to spend the now with you everyday of my life. I love you!

Lydia

To My Dearest Valentine, Matthew.

You are so very special to me. The joy, love, laughter, and comfort you bring to my life every day is undescribable in any amount of words. I am beyond grateful to have met you and to have shared the past six years of our adventures with you. This year is extra special for us as we look forward to celebrating our enormous love for each other together with family and friends on our soon approaching wedding day. I couldn’t be a luckier girl to be the one you marry and share your hopes and dreams with. I know we will create a future together that will be fantastic; memories full of love, happiness, laughter, and best of all, togetherness. I love you always and forever. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love,

Haviland

For David and my boys...Brian, Joe, Kevin and Max

Grandma’s love song

Skittamarink a dink a dink

Skittamarink a do

Skittamarink a dink a dink

I love you!

I love you in the morning

and in the afternoon

I love you in the nighttime

and underneath the moon

Oh, skittamarink a dink a dink

Skittamarink a do

Skittamarink a dink a dink

I love you!

Dear Steve,

We have been very fortunate to have shared 20 years with many great times and wonderful memories. I am blessed having you as my partner, confidant and best friend. You have taught me how to love unconditionally. You have always been there for me encouraging me, supporting me allowing me to become the woman I am today. Thank you for the gift of love! Now it’s my turn “to watch over you.”

Love Always,

Maria

Jenn, wakey wakey eggs and bakey. Will you be my Valentine? All my love, Jeff

Lucy

You are a dream come true, and I am eternally In love with you. Never once do I forget how special you are and how lucky I am to have you in my life’s journey. You have my heart forever. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love,

Bubba

Honey-Cakes,

As a perennial bachelor at age 50, my prospects for a happy ending looked kind of sad. Then I found my Million Dollar Baby through her personals ad. On this our 12th Valentine’s Day together, with our 12th wedding anniversary on the horizon, it looks like it was forever-at-first-sight.

Back then my motto — courtesy of U2 — was “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.” Nowadays it’s — excuse the expression — “Mission accomplished!” Thank you for believing in me and the possibility of an “us.” I will always love you.

Guillermo

Happy Valentine’s Day Dad and Eve!

Wishing you both a very Happy Valentine’s Day and year to follow that is filled with love, joy and all the things that bring you happiness. Thinking of you both.

Much Love,

David and Frans

Happy Valentine’s Day Frans,

I hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day. I can hardly believe that this will be our 10th one together but I’ve loved every one of them and also the time we have spent together in between them. I’m so grateful to have you in my life and as my partner. I love you very much. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Always,

Dave

Noah: The day you popped into my life, dear grandson, everything changed for the better forever! Every day for your six years you have become smarter, cuter and more F-U-N. And I have grown to love you more every day! Thank you for being a really good boy, and a delight! Love, Gramma Carol McCall

To my Princess Prancer!!

It was love at first sight, literally, when I was not looking for love.

Not just your beauty that enthralled me but the way you handled yourself with such confidence and grace.

Your patience and your understanding through our marriage of 18, not always easy, fabulous years is a testament of your strength.

The love and nurturing that you provide not only to me but to our wonderful children daily is a blessing that we will be forever grateful.

I look forward to your love and the opportunity to love you and cherish you forever more!

Your thankful and very fortunate husband,

Rodman

It’s funny how Valentine’s Day could be a regular day to people.

Or for other people such as myself see Valentine’s Day as more of a feeling you get in the pit of your stomach, the kind of feeling you get but can’t put into words.

It’s as though when you look into that person’s eyes, not only do you melt a little but everyone and everything around you and that person become hazy, and time seems to stop all at once.

What makes this feeling so amazing is that I get this feeling every time I look into my wife’s eyes.

I have been married with my wife Paula Estela Marin for 21 years, and I’m very proud to call her my wife. We have been blessed with two beautiful kids, Pamela and Raymond.

Paula is a hardworking mother and wife, and she is the reason why I fall in love all over again at the end of each day. Happy Valentine’s Day, Pauli.

Love, your husband,

Ramon Marin

Dearest Mr. Frog, a thousand marsh kisses to you on this Valentine’s Day! I love you, Mrs. Frog

My lovely Mrs. Frog, You are my true love on this Valentine’s Day and forever! Can’t wait to see you tonight for our romantic butterfly dinner at the Back Bay swamp! Croak, Croak, your only Mr. Frog

Ashley:

Valentine’s a day to say, “I love you,”

Tell you that I’m grateful that I have you,

Appreciate who you are in every way

All my love goes out to you this day!

Tim

Gina, my sweetheart and love of my life!

Your love is the wine, song and inspiration of my life!

I.L.Y.M.T.Y.K.

Love K

Love doesn’t make the world go ‘round,

Love is what makes the ride worthwhile!

Franklin P. Jones

Because I love you truly,

Because you love me, too,

My very greatest happiness

Is sharing life with you!

To the loves of my life,

Roger, Hayden and Hannah

Love, Donna

Jack — To my best friend, my lover, my partner, my husband — you’re a magnificent father to our new baby Jonas ... thanks for all you do every day. I love you dearly. Happy Love Day!

Mary Ann

B.Boy, LaLa and Tata,

Roses are red

Violets are blue

God truly blessed us

With each one of you!

Happy Valentine’s Day to the most wonderful kids in the world!

Love,

Bobo and Mommy

For my Valentine’s

Matt, Taylor and Ryan,

I hope I’m not too late.

The word love in my family is a word that is not mentioned enough. We do many family vacations, eat out, go to our kids sports games and watch TV shows together in our living room.

I think just being around each other shows our love and bond we have as a family.

But, I truly want to let them know three words, that “I love you” all.

Never let these three words slip away from the ones you love the most, family “I love you.”

Juliet

To Russ,

16 years of life together, which couldn’t have been better.

Love you forever,

Sandrine

Mimidou,

We are so proud of you, we just adore you!

You are the sweetest little girl in the world.

Mom and Dad

Sandrine Gann