Our First Date

Well, during my time not blogging, Chris and I passed the 10th annivesary of our first date. I think we should reminisce about that now.

As you will recall, if you have been reading and retaining all my blentries for many months, Chris and I met in March of 1999. He did not call me for some time. Even though he claims he knew he was going to marry me. Our mutual friend, Scott, had asked my permission to give Chris my number. So I knew he had a level of interest. Well, one fine day in May, I finally got a phone call from Chris Woods. He thought I might not remember him. I did. And I couldn't stop smiling about it. He asked me out for a group date for that Friday. May 21, 1999.

He picked me up in his roommate's car because he didn't have one of his own. He did have a push bike. (That's what they call bicycles in Australia.) We drove back to his apartment where he and his roommates were preparing tin-foil dinners. We went with two other couples to Spanish Fork Canyon. We had a campfire and cooked our dinners and ate and then Chris pulled out his guitar. He proceeded to woo me with his voice. At that time, Chris didn't like to sing other people's music. So he only sang ones he had written. (Note to all budding musicians: Chris' musicianship has improved significantly since he started learning other people's songs, too.) But when I told him I like U2, he picked out some With or Without You.

It was so much fun. I felt so comfortable with Chris and then he held my hand on the way down the mountain. He will claim that this was my idea. Um, he may be right.

The next day, Chris called me and invited me to go out again. This second date was a little awkward. Wait, wait, let me explain. There were a bunch of girls in Chris' ward who had invited a bunch of boys in the ward to go on a group outing--not a paired-off date--for a picnic and BYU dance. Chris called the girls and asked if I could come along. I think the girls thought that was weird. It is weird, but hey! It's Chris. So I helped these strange girls prepare the picnic. Then I ate with all these people. Then the girls (who were all about 19 or 20 years old) said we should blindfold the boys and take them on long round-about drives so they wouldn't know we were going to the Wilkinson Center for a BYU dance. I was so much more mature, being 25. I thought that sounded stupid. But I was a good sport.

We had much fun dancing and we were about halfway through the evening when I knew with full confidence that Chris and I would be married. I often think I loved him before I knew him. When it's right, you just know. And I have never doubted that. From then on, it was just a matter of timing. We were dating just one week when I took Chris with me to a work party. My co-workers told me we acted like we had been together for months! (Which, in Provo-speak is VERY LONG!) We were so meant to be.

I'll get to the engagement story in a couple of weeks. Look forward to that. That is, if I remember to do it. Believe it or not, I have a photo from our first date.

And then for our 3rd date, Chris took me to see Star Wars Episode 1. I, of course, had already seen it because it had been out since May 19. (Which was 2 days before our first date. See above.) And that is the date he kissed me. (The Star Wars date. Our third date.) Chris hadn't kissed anyone for 7 1/2 years. So it was a pretty big deal. I hadn't kissed anyone for nearly 4 weeks. So, um, I shouldn't admit that.

I knew we were going to be married, but some things happened to confirm my choice. Chris gave me some of his cds that he thought I would enjoy. They were all 80s music, European, and alternative. But the thing that impressed me is that they were alphabetized! And then he told me that he hung all of his shirts facing the same direction. I mean, honestly, are we a match made in heaven? (Your line here is: Yes!)