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.