My Romantic Movie Beginnings...

I saw him sitting on a park bench waiting outside the cafe as I walked down that long sidewalk dotted with store fronts and lamp posts. I tried to hide the fact that I had seen him from a distance and acted distracted with the merchandise in the windows, though I couldn't tell you the first thing that was being sold. My heart was pounding, I was excited and nervous, yet ever hopeful that he would turn out to be everything his emails had told me he was.

My first thought when I saw him was, "Oh he's a good dresser! Thank God." LOL, sounds a little vain I know, but how a man takes care of himself says a lot about him. That, and he had picked Cafe Intermezzo for our first date. Yet another THANK GOD! I've been on so many first dates to the Chinese Buffet or that "first date" to the movies that was accompanied by your whole singles department at church because he couldn't get up the nerve to just ask you out...I'm telling all you single men out there, being romantic isn't hard or even expensive. Just ask her out and take her somewhere nice. Something as simple as a candlelit coffee spot is perfect. Just put thought into it. That's really all it takes. If you need ideas, just ask Shaun. He swept me off my feet from hello. Ok, off the soap box and moving on.

We went inside the cozy, candle lit cafe and over 2 slices of cheesecake and 3 hours later I had found my best friend for life. He was smart, had a huge heart for God, we shared so many foundational beliefs, he shared my quirky sense of humor and I picked up on his gentleness right away. We had so much in common and that first date just flew by. Not wanting to make him be the one to break things off for the evening and not wanting to look over eager I finally told him around 11:00 pm that it was time for me to go home. He walked me to my car, hugged me good night and asked if we could meet again. I told him "Yes", got in my car and immediately conference called my two older sisters who were pacing the floors at home wondering what was going on.. all I could say was "I REALLY LIKE HIM!!!"

And that, my friends, is our romantic movie beginning of the most incredible year of our lives. Happy 1 year, darling! Just 10 more days till I become your wife.