Friday, May 3, 2024
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, many reminisce on how they first met and celebrate their love. Numerous residents within Hood County found their forever love and wanted to share their story.
Love comes from unexpected places
Many find love through mutual friends, online dating, and much more but some stories of love began in a classroom. Jacob and Laurie Biggs first met in fifth grade at Granbury Intermediate School in 1996 in their homeroom. The two also lived about five miles from each other and eventually became best friends. Laurie later transitioned to homeschooling but the two still stayed connected. The two dated on and off through the years before getting married when they were 17. The two will celebrate 20 years together this coming March.
Another story of love blooming in school was shared by Kaitlyn Laura, who is soon to be married to Dustin Herring. The two knew each other in high school and had mutual friends, so they were around each other often but never directly talked. Years after high school, Dustin’s brother was getting married, and Kaitlyn met Dustin again, this time at a margarita machine.
“I thought right then maybe this is my chance to finally be with my high school sweetheart,” Kaitlyn told the HCN. “You know that feeling you get in your gut when you are just speechless. That’s what happened to me.” No words were exchanged then and there but three weeks later she worked up the courage to message him via Facebook.
“Not even five minutes later he messaged me and told me to meet him for lunch. I said OK, hurried and got dressed and did my hair and makeup,” Kaitlyn shared. “We instantly fell in love, laughing at each other’s jokes and stories we shared with each other.”
The now-engaged couple is planning a wedding and looking forward to a lifetime of love with their three boys.
Brian and Caitlin Bedwell met through the Hood County Buy Sell and Trade Facebook page in 2013. Caitlin, a single mom, was in search of someone to come take a look at her Jeep when she thought the heater core was out. Brian offered to help, but needed his tools, so Caitlin agreed to follow him to his house. They made it to a gas station before the jeep wouldn’t drive anymore because of a blown engine. Caitlin offered Brian money for his time but since it was close to Christmas, he told her to spend it on her kids and herself. So she asked him to get drinks and ended up with his daughter, her kids and nieces at the local bowling alley. The two got engaged and married the following year and also have a son together.
“You can buy a washer, a dryer, and a husband all off Hood County Buy Sell and Trade,” Caitlin told the HCN.
Brittani Yates met her husband in Hood County back in 2018. She and Troy had previously gone through divorces before they met each other. Brittani had taken her little sisters and some of their friends to the roller-skating rink in town.
“I walked in at the same time as the most handsome man I had ever seen and his two kids,” Brittani shared. “We both looked at each other (looking for rings) and then continued on with our kids.”
Throughout the night the two kept making eye contact and grinning at each other but no words were exchanged. Brittani eventually decided to “step up” and make some conversation. She saw him trying to take a photo of his son and asked if he would like her to take a picture of the two of them, leading him to smile ear-to-ear and say “yes.” Their kids then all began to play together before they eventually had a conversation. Troy began to ask her questions and Brittani described feeling as if it was “an interrogation.” She later realized the rink only took cash and asked her dad to bring up some money for snacks for the kids. Troy asked her if her dad was her husband and Brittani was humiliated.
Later that evening, Troy asked her name and how he could find her on Facebook, and Brittani felt disappointed, considering they talked all evening.
“At midnight I got a message on Facebook saying ‘I am sorry I didn’t ask for your number. I was so nervous.’ We have been inseparable since then.
The two have been married since 2020 and look forward to many more years to come.
Finding the one
Along with their tales of unexpected love, these spouses shared some advice on how to find your forever love.
“Don’t be shy and say hi. The worst that can happen is they say no,” Laurie said. “Also don’t move fast in a relationship. It takes time to build a good foundation.”
“I was scared for the longest time to find love, but I suggest working on yourself and getting stable while also loving yourself,” Kaitlyn said.
“Go in without expecting anything because you could get everything,” Caitlin said. “I definitely didn’t expect to get a husband from getting my car fixed.”
“Love normally finds you when you least expect it,” Brittani said. “When it is meant to be, it will be.”
To those Hood County residents who are searching for love — you may find it in an unexpected place when you least expect it.
