Caryl McAdoo – Romantic Real Life Interview – Part 1 of 1

Shannon here: Caryl McAdoo shares insight into her real life romance and two Historical Romances up for grabs. Print copies of book one in the Texas Romance series, Vow Unbroken and book seven, At Liberty to Love. One winner will receive both books. Comment or answer the question at the end of the post to enter. Deadline: July 9th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Caryl:

 
 

• Who said, “I love you” first, you or your spouse? AND How soon after meeting your spouse did you know he/she was the one?

I have a funny story to tell. I met my sweetest-heart in the summer of 1966. We were both sixteen. We both worked for the Parks & Recreation Department; Ron for Parks, and me for Recreation! He came to mow the lawn where my Rec Center was and took his lunch break there, coming in to shoot some hoops after he ate.
Just so happened, he worked with one of my friends at Mac—we went to town rival high schools (he-Irving High / me-the new MacArthur)—named Freddy. Well, he came to my window to check out a basketball and flirted then asked me for a date when he brought it back. So the next day at school, Freddy warns me that Ron was talking all about me and how he could make it past first base. My friend told him, ‘No way, Caryl’s not that kind of girl.’ Freddy bet Ron five dollars he couldn’t then warned me.
On the night of that first date (June 17, I’d made a date with three guys…I’d had a date every night of the summer so far and did not want to break my streak…going for a record! 🙂 So, I told Mama I was going with the first one who got there and she could tell the others whatever she wanted. I left with Randy that night. Little did I know though that Ron stood me up, too. A great-uncle had passed and his family left straight after school to go to South Texas for the funeral—no cell phones then, he couldn’t call—so he stood me up, too.
When he got back, he called all apologetic. I forgave him readily!! Tee hee hee And he asked me out for the next Saturday, the 24^th. We did go on that date and went out every other night of the summer and into the school year through November—that’s when his mother made him stay home one night!
Anyway, back to the QUESTION…Ron told me on our second date that he love me. So he was first. But I didn’t trust that to be true after what Freddy had told me. But after the first date…it was us forever. Six weeks in, we’d decided to get married as soon as we graduated, have a baby boy first and name him Matthew Ebeling McAdoo. SO Freddy did lose the bet because of Ron being willing to fall in love and spend his life with me over a FIVE DOLLAR BET! I don’t think Freddy paid off, but he was a groomsman in our wedding.
Oh, and YEARS later, Ron’s mother told me that he told her after the second date that he was going to marry me. For him, he knew right away. It took me a couple of weeks before I realized God had sent me the best possible man to grow old with! We graduated in May, got married on June 22, 1968, and had Matthew Ebeling June 28 of the following year! 

• Where did you and your spouse go for your honeymoon?

Ha! I have another story! There won’t be room to answer very many questions!
So my paternal grandmother came from Long Beach California for my wedding (I was her favorite granddaughter). A few days before it, she was in a car wreck and got bunged up bad. She came to my wedding in an ambulance on a stretcher!
The night of our wedding, after the ceremony, we all went to a nearby hotel ballroom for the reception. Mama and Daddy hadn’t shown up…they were late—very late. When they finally arrived, I found out the reason was that my maternal grandfather had started hemorrhaging and taken to the emergency room, so they’d gone there first.
We decided that with Mama AND Daddy needing to be at the hospital and me having an eight year-old-sister and five-year-old brother, we should stay and help them during the family crisis, so we skipped our honeymoon to babysit. That first day, my brother climbed up on the bathroom sink and broke it off the wall then scared, just closed the door and didn’t tell anyone. The house flooded, and we had to call the fire department out to suck up all the water! MERCY, right? 

• What’s the most romantic thing your spouse has ever done for you?

That first year we were married, he would send me love (greeting) cards in the mail and leave them around our little apartment where I would find them. I remember one of them said we’d see eighty together, so that’s only fourteen years away now! And he wrote me poems all the time, too.

• Do you and your spouse have a favorite romantic restaurant?

The ‘House of Gong’ was our favorite nice restaurant. Whenever we’d go there, I’d always order two extra eggrolls to bring home to Mama and Daddy because she loved them so much. The restaurant didn’t last as long as we did.

• Do you and your spouse have a favorite song?

Laura’s Theme Song from the movie Doctor Zhivago was ‘our song’ back then. I had You’re Still the One as his ring tone on my phone recently. Mine would be Wind Beneath My Wings now. His would be Kenny Roger’s Lady.

• Do you and your spouse have a favorite romantic vacation destination?

When we were finally able togo on a honeymoon…like five years after we were married, we went to San Antonio – had to be close as we had two sons by then, a four year old and one three. But it still is a romantic city. I’d say my favorite Texas city to visit.

• What simple gesture does your spouse do that melts you every time?

He brings me coffee every morning! And feeds me during the day when I’m busy on the computer. He is my best friend, and the most wonderful, most Christ-like, and the wisest man I know. I feel like Mary, the mother of Yashuah when she said, “Blessed am I among women.”
This June 24^th…just six days ago, we celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of our first date, and two days ago, our firstborn Matthew Ebeling turned forty-seven! On June 22^nd, we celebrated our 48^th wedding anniversary on vacation yachting in the San Juan Islands and Gulf Islands of western Canada. On our anniversary day, we were at Ganges and the next in Victoria, British Columbia! Bless the Lord for giving us such a wonderful trip and time together.
About Caryl: Caryl McAdoo is all about loving God! She currently writes four series: the historical Christian ‘Texas Romance’; a contemporary ‘Red River Romance’; The Generations, her Biblical fiction, and the newest Days of Dread Trilogy for mid-grade readers. Known as the Singing Pray-er, she loves praising with new songs the Lord gives her and prays her story gives God glory!
In 2008, she and her high school sweetheart-husband Ron moved from the DFW area—home for fifty-plus years—to the woods of Red River County. Caryl counts four children and sixteen grandsugars life’s biggest blessings believing all good things come from God. Besides glorifying Him, she hopes each title will also minister His love, mercy, and grace to its readers. Caryl and Ron live in Clarksville, the county seat, in the far northeast corner of the Lone Star State with two grandsons. Learn more and connect:

Caryl’s Website             Caryl’s Newsletter              Caryl’s Facebook              Caryl’s Blog

Caryl’s GoodReads            CarylsGooglePlus          Caryl’s Linkedin             Caryl’s Twitter

Caryl’s Pinterest          Caryl’s Puzzle            Caryl’s YouTube            Caryl’s Bookbub

Caryl’s Amazon Page              Caryl’s Simon & Schuster Page

About the book – At Liberty to Love:

Obedience is better than sacrifice…and trumps romance, no matter how sweet.
Profound loneliness propels a childless widow west with the idea of choosing an orphan to share her life. On the way, a fellow traveler takes her by surprise. She never dreams, is unprepared, doesn’t need another man, but can’t get him out of her head…or heart. He’s so perfect—every bit the one she’d searched for as a young woman—except his mistrust of God has erected a wall she cannot breach.
Marcus Ford blames God and struggles for peace after losing his wife and baby. Not once has he considered another woman could be the answer, but the widow is like none other he’s ever met. He falls hard, but plans are taking him east. Hope dashed sends two hearts into the pit. If only Ford could forgive God or the widow ease up on her adamant resolve.
Will God’s mercy shine a beacon in the fog of despair and prove sufficient to heal their souls?
What Readers are Saying: I don’t know how Caryl McAdoo does it, but each book in this Texas Romance series just gets better! “At Liberty to Love” is book 7, and its message  is “Obedience is better than sacrifice…and trumps romance, no matter how sweet.”  This book is a must read.  I highly recommend this author and whole series. – Joy Roberts, Tennessee reader
Can’t wait for the drawing? Purchase now: At Liberty to Love 
Question for Readers: Have you ever been yachting, sailing, or on a cruise? If so, tell us about it. If not, where would you like to go if given the chance?

Come back July 5th for Gail Pallotta!

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