And They Lived Happily Ever After

I've been tagged to tell you how I met Dave. Amy, you need to know that when you give me the chance to talk about my guy, it's never short and sweet LOL!! I'm just going to do it in a time line form for sake of ease.

Brief background notes:
- March 1989 - family left my childhood church and began attending W E F C(current church home) my Jr year of HS
- Dave is part of the 3rd generation of his family to attend W E F C but during the late 80's/early 90's, he was off doing his "rebelling" thing and our paths never crossed (that and being 6 years older we weren't in the same groups anyway)
- 1993/4 - Dave got things back on track, spritually, and came back to the church. He was in a relationship. We still didn't know one another.


Our Story
Summer 1994 - Dave came on board as a Jr High youth sponsor at church. I was already working with the Sr. High group. We had to attend monthly meetings together and I simply thought he was a very nice person (and I knew he was involved with someone when I met him). Very polite and hospitable.

October 1994 - Dave shared(during our sponsor meeting) that he and his girlfriend were at a crossroad and had decided to take a break to see if their relationship was meant proceed. Hmmmm, my ears kind of perked up at that bit of news. They weren't going to see or (I think) talk to each other for 3 months and then were going to meet and make a decision about whether to keep seeing each other.

Nov/Dec 1994 - through sponsor meetings and church we would see each other but we were still only friends. We were both in the orchestra for the Christmas program and had those additional times to interact. All of our friends who were also youth sponsors, kept telling me to "go for it". However, I knew that there was nothing to go for because he still was technically in a relationship with someone else. I am also very old fashioned and had no intention of being the one who "went for it". Let him pursue me LOL. After one rehersal, he asked if I had eaten yet and if I wanted to go and get something. You bet I did!!! Off to Friendly's we went for a bite to eat. We joke about who actually pursued whom (is that correct grammar?) at this juncture. Anyway, that eating event really opened my eyes to what an incredible man Dave is. We talked and talked and it was sooo easy and comfortable - about school, family, future plans. I found myself hoping that he wouldn't go back to the gf because I knew this was a person I wanted to get to know better.

New Year's 1995 - I found myself at a "let go & let God" moment. I was in ME with a friend and was really frustrated because I wasn't in control the situation. I think my feelings began to be invested when I knew the time was not right. In my prayer journal that New Year, I had to tell God that I was willing to accept whatever He had planned. If Dave wasn't in my future then I had to trust that HE had someone even more wonderful waiting for me (how that was possible, I was still struggling with). Life continued at status quo.

February 1995 - the time for the meeting with the gf came....and went (I only knew this because one of the other Jr. High sponsors (also a friend) told me). We still saw one another in church settings but that was it and he never talked about the personal life. It was also during this time that I did something for the totally wrong reason but that ended up being one of the biggest blessings in my life. Dave was going to be leading a short term mission trip to the Czech Republic that summer. So I decided to sign-up and be a part of the team. If nothing else, I'd see him at more meetings, right? I just recently found out from dear hubby that he spoke to the team trainers about NOT letting me go on the trip. They vetoed him.

March 1995 - I have to admit that I was starting to lose hope. Every time we talked there SEEMED to be interest or something on his part, there was definitely a very comfortable friendship. I knew that he and the gf parted ways weeks ago but still never heard anything from him. Oh, well.
BUT WAIT
A phone call one evening at the home of the S ladies. I really was in shock when I picked up the phone and it was HIM!!!! Even then, he was a very take charge kind of guy. He knew when he wanted to go out and what he wanted to do on that date. I said yes (like there was any doubt...or hesitation LOL).
March 18, 1995 - the first date :0)
We went out for dinner (after searching for several restaurants that didn't have an hour wait on a Saturday night) and talked and talked while we ate really fast. I couldn't believe the things we talked about, very personal and vulnerable stuff but it seemed so natural for us to share these things with each other. We followed up dinner by taking in the musical "Crazy for You" at the Bush*nell in Hart ford. During intermission, he jokingly proposed. I kid you not when I tell you that I would have had no problem accepting his proposal that night. You know how people always told you that you would just know when you found the right one? Well, I knew that night...and it really scared and excited me all at the same time. I was very happy that we had plans for the next night already lined up (going with a group to an Amy Grant concert). The show ended and he brought me home. The whole going to the door thing was a new thing, too. I didn't know what to expect or do. I was nervous and he gave me a kiss on the cheek. I went inside and jumped and down. My mom just laughed at me. Little did I know that he went away pretty ticked. Apparently, I must have turned my head because he was trying to kiss my mouth. I had no idea I did this (I told you I was all nervous!!) He said that no one who turns away from getting a kiss would have a second date. I am so glad the concert plans were already in place!!!! To this day we laugh about this night. In fact, as he was going off to work tonight, he was reading over my shoulder and realized I was writing about us. He said, "you make sure you tell them you were lucky we had more plans".

Mid-March/April 1995 - we spent every weekend night together and talked on the phone almost every day. It was kind of like a crash course in getting to know someone and it was never boring. I loved getting to know all about him. Our second weekend of dating I made dinner for him at my house. I remember saying to myself, if he shows up with flowers then I'll really know he's the one. When he got to my house that night, wouldn't you know there was a boquet of flowers in his hand?!?!

April 26, 1995 - after youth group, as had become custom, Dave came over to the house. We went up to the elementary school and swung on the swings for a while and talked. To my complete and wonderful surprise, the most wonderful man in my world asked me to be his wife. My answer was "are you joking?" Just what he was hoping I'd say LOL!! I quickly said yes. So 6 weeks after our first date, I was going to be this man's wife. What was even sweeter, was that it all happened in God's perfect way and time.

This is a long post and I know it doesn't even begin to capture the wonderful feelings that were a part of this whole process. Those six weeks of dating were so emotional, intense and just right.

Thanks for taking a walk down memory lane with me :0).

I tag Kristin & Amy L.

Mortification

I realize, that as the mom of 5 children, moments of mortification are bound to happen. However, it still doesn't make it any easier when they do.

A little background. When T2 gets a cold, he ends up flat on his back for a 24 hour period just miserable. I could tell last Friday morning we were in for an episode when he wasn't hungry and wanted to take a nap. We were going to good friends' house for dinner that night. He spent the whole afternoon and evening coughing (I actually think it was some allergy thing, too). After dinner he went and laid down on their stairs and then we just moved him to a pile of pillows on the floor. LP had fun just sitting on his head. But I digress. My mom was also at said friends' house for the evening. The kids were all hunkered down in the living room watching a movie and T2 kept coughing. My mom thought a drink of water would be just what T2 needed. he told her that he didn't want one but you know that we moms (and grammas) know best;0). The next thing I hear is, "Kate, he just threw up!" WTG, Gramma. It only happened because of the coughing but it was still all over my friend's white chair. We get T2 and the chair cleaned up as besst as we can. The Captain says that we need to get going. I agree and get the rest of the crew packed up. 10 minutes later, the Captain is still talking. I then hear my mother go, "Oh, no!!!" and start laughing. LP was sitting with T2 on the base of the chair (without cushion) that had just been puked on and somehow she managed to blow out and up the back of her diaper ALL OVER THE CHAIR!!! Yes, mortification had now set in. My friend (and we have been friends since diaper days) was laughing so hard she was crying. I was, too, but I was still so embarrassed.

Fast forward to this morning. BP spent Saturday night with my mom and apparently had a very good time. My mom called this morning to talk and shared that they have some really good conversations. Mom starts out by telling me, "BP says that you (me) told her that Grandpa L & I got divorced because G-pa found someone prettier than me". My mouth hit the floor and I just said "What?!?!" My mom was totally laughing at this and I assured her that I NEVER said anything like that and it is no way true (my dad's 2nd & 3rd wives could not and do not hold a candle to my mother in any way). I told her that if BP wanted to know about your divorce that she would have to ask you or Grandpa L. Then my mother proceeds to tell me that she also now knows that my husband and I sleep in the buff (and so does anyone else reading this). Yet another moment of complete MORTIFICATION. My mom said that she had to ask BP how it was she knew this (she was afraid BP had walked in on "something"). BP said it was because "one night she couldn't breathe and she had to come in and get medicine and mommy had to put her clothes on to help me". At this point I just kept saying, OMGoodness, I can't believe she said that, I am mortified.....you get the picture. Dave comes in the room at this point and hears me talking and wants to know what is going on. I told him HE could talk to my mom. She tells him "I hear you're sleeping naked with my daughter" and he replies "I just can't help myself". The two of them are laughing hysterically and I am just MORTIFIED!!! I know it's OK, we are two married people but good grief does my mother need to know?!?!!?

And I thought nothing could make me speechless anymore