It's a rare gift to find the love of your life, but for one Socorro County couple it was a chance encounter that ended up turning into a half-century, plus 20 years of wedded bliss.

Virginia and Alick Elsberg will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary today (Feb. 3), and although they may be a little older, time hasn't changed the way they feel about each other.

"The first night we met was at my cousin's wedding," Alick said. "We'd never seen each other before and I told her, 'You're going to be my wife.'"

Virginia said she didn't know what to make of the handsome stranger she had just met, but admitted she was completely mystified.

"I didn't know what was going on," she said smiling. "It was on a Saturday that we met. Then he called me Sunday and wanted me to come over for tea."

For the Elsbergs, it was love at first sight and after dating for about three years, Alick and Virginia married on a snowy day in February. The secret to their success Virginia said is that they never gave up.

"You have to hang in there and roll with the blows," she said. "The big problem today is people don't give it a chance. I think they jump into it (marriage) and out of it without thinking."

Although times weren't always easy for the Elsbergs, they managed to build a life together and were blessed with nine children — four boys and five girls — James Jr., Edward, William, George, twins Sandra and Susan, Louise, Cynthia and Frances.

Virginia said raising children is something you can't learn from a book, but rather it's an on-going learning process.

"You just did it," she said. "And we did the best we could."

Alick was born in Liverpool, England, and imigrated to the United States with his family in 1938. By the time he was 20, he became a U.S. citizen and served in the U.S. Navy for three years before embarking on a lifelong career as a civil engineer.

Virginia, in the meantime, did a little bit of everything over the years, working as a door-to-door market researcher, interviewing people about different products on the market.

"She was an excellent researcher," Alick said, glancing at his wife with admiration.

Virginia also helped her husband when he opened his own business, Elsberg Constructors, where, for the next 40 years he spent constructing a variety of buildings including hospitals, airport runways, shopping centers and churches, mainly in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.

"Virginia helped me a great deal in my business," Alick recalls.

"I was the general flunky," Virginia adds with a laugh. "But I did what I could to help."

One of Elsberg's biggest projects was constructing the largest veteran's hospital at that time in Brockton, Mass. The project consisted of 33 buildings and took three years to complete.

Throughout their years together, the Elsbergs have witnessed many changes made to technology that have made a remarkable difference in how things get done today.

"Computers and software have changed a lot on how construction designs are done," Alick said. As an example, Alick said he used to have to work hours and hours creating formulas to measure wind stress when designing plans for construction of a building.

"Today, you just put the information into a computer and boom, you're done," he said.

Virginia also recalls how customer service has changed over the years, remembering how businesses, such as dry cleaners, would pick up your clothes, clean them and deliver them back to you.

"That was the good old days," she said. "They don't do that anymore."

While the world literally changed before their eyes over the years, one thing that remained constant is their love and admiration for each other.

From subtle, sideways glances at each other to finishing each other's sentences, the Elsbergs are the epitome of long-lasting love.

"I'm madly in love with her and I always have been — from the first day I met her," Alick said as he gazed at his wife, touching her hand.

"Same goes for me," Virginia said smiling.

While this anniversary is a milestone one in the chapter of their lives, Virginia said they aren't planning anything special. A quiet evening together suits them just fine. Even though the whole family won't be together, they are in the thoughts of their children as evidenced by the beautiful cards and well wishes displayed in their living room.

"We are so scattered that it's hard to get the family together," Virginia said. "And we had a big celebration for our 50th anniversary with all the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It was a wonderful weekend."

Contact Jackie Schlotfeldt