September 9th 2009, (09/09/09) this is the date my girlfriend Rebecaa, who is now my wife, and I were first introduced via the CLM website - an important date in history but an even more important one to my wife and I since to us is a magic number.

If a gold pendant is engraved ”999” it means it is a pure gold pendant which is equivalent to 24-karat gold, the number 999 also means forever or infinite love in Chinese culture.

Coincidentally on our visit to the Jade Temple while I was in Shanghai we purchased tickets on February 18th to view the Buddha`s in the temple and to pray, and one of the tickets we had purchased had 999 in its serial number, let`s just call it fate.

My wife and I have always felt that we were destined to be together, even though I am American and she is Chinese.

After many chats online through the CLM site and exchanging email addresses, it was obvious I was in love with this woman and to let her know how much I loved her I sent her flowers on 10/09/09 and like a flower our love has continued to blossom.

We started talking on Skype in October, and I had told her that I had to come to China and meet her. We discussed when I would be able to come to China and unfortunately, I did not have enough vacation time left in 2009 to meet her so I started thinking about when she would have time off from her job and Chinese New Year`s immediately came to mind.
So we planned on my visit to China to be for Spring Festival and I booked a flight. Rebecaa helped with finding a hotel for me and she picked out a great one by the way.

February 14th, 2010, my plane landed at Pudong International Airport (God was smiling on us because there were no delays/no weather problems and no security issues.) and after going through security check and picking up my baggage I was on my way to meet the most magnificent woman I have ever known.

Now I want you to think about this for a moment if you will. I just spent sixteen hours on an airplane to meet the person who I knew I loved and I knew she loved me and this is not the sort of thing you do just for the fun of it.

Entering the main lobby at the Airport, I was excited/nervous and smiling from ear to ear! Here I was, in Shanghai making the dream a reality! Suddenly there she was, Rebecaa! My smile must have taken up my whole face.

As soon as we were close enough I kissed her on the cheek and hugged her close right in the main lobby at Pudong International Airport. Then we quickly left the Airport and took a taxi to the Hotel.

The taxicab ride to the Hotel was the most memorable taxicab ride I had ever known, getting to hold hands with the most beautiful woman I have ever met, talking about how we made this happen and looking forward to the time we were going to spend together for the next ten days.

I had purchased an engagement ring prior to my trip because I knew I was going to ask her to marry me and at the end of the night before she was preparing to leave I got down on my knees and proposed We had  already mentioned the possibility of marriage but being old fashioned as I am I wanted to do it right, engagement ring and all. She said yes and all I can say is that being in Rebecaa`s presence felt like being home, I knew we were meant to be together.

The ten days we spent together are ten of the happiest days of my life, getting to meet her family who were so warm and welcoming to me and planning our wedding and all the traditions that go with it are memories I will cherish the rest of my life.

So my wife and I would like to extend a big thank you to the entire staff at China Love Match for bringing us together/for running a topnotch online website and now they can add us as one of their success stories, hopefully you too will soon have your own success story to write about.

NOTE: Rich777 and Rebecaa are now working on her visa to move to the USA. Meanwhile Rich is putting together a lengthy series of articles that will form one of our blogs on our new CCeMagazine which will replace the current CLMeMagazine in 2 to 3 weeks. Rich will be describing in detail his adventures leading up to, commencing and going forward in his marriage to his captivating Chinese lifemate. Stay tuned.