Our Dating Story

For those who are interested

Sparing some of our details, I will share the more interesting parts of our dating story. :)

As you read, we were set up on a blind date. May I say that Greg was the perfect gentleman. Things went very slowly at first - in fact, it was a comfortable slow. I remember talking with him by his car one night and I saw a shooting star! Now, I am not superstitious like that, but thought I would make a wish anyway. I wished that if things were "going to happen" that they would happen naturally. Well, they did - everything just seem to fit. Just a month after we started dating, Greg asked me to marry him . . . actually, what he said was, "Marry me." So, it really wasn't a question as much as a statement. lol I simply said, "No. I can't." I explained that I wanted to marry someone of my faith. A few weeks later he asked again. And, again I told him that I couldn't. I did like the poor guy, so I kept seeing him. **Note: I am not above giving Greg grief over his "romantic" proposal. **

In fact, I liked him so much I decided to have some fun with him. Now, my cousins (KJ, AJ, and VJ) taught us about short-sheeting a bed and making cute dance invitations and such - - thanks for the lessons! We had a New Year's Eve dance coming up at church and so I thought I would invite Greg (the non-dancer). I got permission from his mom and spread Hershey Kisses all over his bedroom floor (yes, he was living at home) and make a big card that said "Now that I have "kissed" the ground you walk upon, will you go to the dance with me?"

Well, that got rave reviews, so I decided to go a little further . . . with rice! Now, as a brief history: my mom had a friend who cleaned Greg's house. On occasion, she would ask my mom to help her. On one of their cleaning days, I gave my mom a bag of rice and asked her to empty it in Greg's bed. Keep in mind that all the parents were excited about their little love match - so my mom was eager to comply. I can almost hear her and K giggling as they carefully poured the rice across the foot of Greg's bed and then unassumingly made the bed up! To this day Greg grinds his teeth when he recalls his night . . . he had late ball games and came home exhausted. He crawls into bed just aching for sleep . . . only to find a whole bag of rice on his feet! I suppose Greg didn't quite know how to use the vacuum because he wakes his mom up to show her the mess and they both go to work vacuuming the good stuff up. I think it was a great idea and would do it again if I didn't have to clean it up myself. LOL

Okay, moving on . . . a few months after we meet, with Greg still talking about marriage, I ask him if he wanted to know why I was so set on marrying someone of my faith . . . he agreed to take lessons and it wasn't long before he wanted to be baptized and join the church. Wow - I can say that I didn't see that one coming! A month after that, it occurred to me that I really did want to marry him. He hadn't asked in a while, so I thought I should just take it upon myself to answer him on my own. I wrote the word "YES" on his car windshield with soap. Meanwhile, my mom kept him in the house talking while I worked. I finished my job, and told him that I was tired and he needed to go home. The smug guy thought he knew what was going on when I disappeared and my mom kept him talking. As we were walking out, he was expecting me to say something . . . don't' know what. We get to the door and I send him off . . . still no word. He walks to his car looking at the moon thinking he has misread the whole situation. It isn't until after he starts the car that he sees the soap writing. I think the guy just about cried when he jumped out and ran back to give me a hug. FINALLY, he had won his girl. lol

He later tells me that I have to now ask him to marry me! No problem there, I buy some flowers from our favorite florist and tape them to his shower head with a note that read, "Now that i have "showered" you with flowers, will you marry me?"

A few days later we get the ring (yup, I got to pick my own) and showed his mom. I can still hear her . . . "Are you engaged?!" Anyone who knows his mom can picture that excitement and the tears. It was great.

Now, Greg did fun things too - I think he deserves some credit.

He took me on a well-planned treasure hunt around town. He had gone ahead of time and taped clues all over town (behind stores, on the side of the road, etc) and drove me around to find them. At the very end were 2 dozen red roses! This all came about b/c I had been in a minor car accident (not my car and no injuries). I can only imagine what I would have gotten with a broken arm or something. ha ha.

He totally won my heart over food! Growing up, money was more than tight. If my mom bought a pack of gum at the store, we had to share the pieces by breaking them in half . . . even then it was a treat! If we ever ate out, we always ordered water (to this day I still order water with my food). Well, on one date to McDonald's, I couldn't decide between two sandwiches. I told Greg my dilemma and he told me that I should just get both! What?! This was a concept so foreign to me that I was totally excited to try it. Those who know me will have no trouble believing that I ate both sandwiches just fine. I decided then and there that Greg was a keeper. He also made a comic book of "our story" - drew the pictures, typed it up and everything.

Well, I think I have covered the highlights. If I am missing something, let me know.

Whew, so that was a long entry - thanks for reading!