The Beginning

We started out as friends. He was one of the 5 best friends that formed the first day of Freshman year. It seemed like everywhere we went, everything we did, we all did it together. I remember countless nights where we stayed up till the girl/guy curfew and then went to the common rooms and continued hanging out long after we should have been in bed. Hours of sitting at computers next to each other, i.m.ing. But as freshman year drew to a close it was obvious the year of our group was over. I was slated as the only one of the (now 6) friends to be returning for Sophomore year. They were all set to transfer.



Brian was spending the summer in Wisconsin and was hoping to transfer to an art school up there. But in middle of the summer I got an email from him telling me his deposit for his apartment never arrived and as a result he was returning for Sophomore year. We were only friends, I may have liked him a little, without admitting it to anyone, but we were just friends. However, when I found out he was returning I started screaming/jumping/laughing so crazy-like that when I ran out of the office to tell my family I scrapped the bottom of my foot on the door and didn't even stop to look at it I ran/hopped/hobbled down the hall way, excitement in tack.

It turned out only one of us didn't return that year, and maybe she was the glue that had held us all together, but our group wasn't as tight that year. In fact we never did anything all together. A few one on one friendships remained, but none grew stronger than my friendship with Brian.

Throughout Sophomore and Junior year our friendship grew, as did my feelings for him. I continued to get good night hugs from him almost every night, and on the nights I was being stubborn or was simply too busy, he came to find me. Eventually I told him how I felt, and shortly there after we went to a dance together, as friends. In hindsight, we both think this was basically our first pre-date date.

This picture looks awful date-like doesn't it? 

He told my best friend (and later Matron of Honor) that he wanted to kiss me but he still wasn't sure if he wanted to date me, so he wouldn't because he didn't want to make me wonder, confuse me, or lead me on. At the time I was like "hello, kiss the girl" lol, but now I see how even then he was honoring me and showing me love and respect the way a Godly man should.

Aren't we adorable?

Even though I had now been "in love" with him for what felt like for-ev-er on this night I was able to really see what it would be like to date him. He held my hand, he made me laugh, got me drinks and cake, and he even DANCED with me (husband, this is a good reminder to you as we are headed to another wedding this weekend! Remember when you used to dance with me??? It was fun! And I liked you more for it...hint hint).  I loved this evening together, even though we ended it still as friends, it just cemented that I liked him and why.

For the next 6 months or so we were still just friends. That summer I stayed and worked on campus. He only lived about an hour away so he came up to visit me several times, we went out to the movies (and he actually started paying for us at one point), we played card games, we went for walks, we got to know each other even better, which at this point I didn't really realize could happen. This is the period in time we refer to as predating. We talked either on the phone or online almost every day and really started deepening our friendship.

Finally, the first week of senior year we had our first date. Though it wasn't actually a date. It was a class assignment to watch the movie Magnolia together. What a weird movie. At any rate, I was bound and determined to keep my distance, have the door open, be the friend he'd asked me to be. I didn't want every moment we were together to be marked by my crush on him. But hard as I tried, he kept getting closer to ME.

After the frogs rained from the sky and the movie finally came to a close Brian said "So I guess now is when we talk."

"Talk about what? The movie? It was weird! Strangest movie I've ever seen!!!"

"No, about us." He said moving closer still to me.

Talk about butterflies. He then asked me out, telling me he was ready to jump and see what happens. A reference to a metaphor I'd given him earlier in the summer. Moments later we had our first kiss. I was finally and officially dating my best (guy) friend.

There you have it folks, the most memorable first date ever, with a little back story and highlight of our first pre-date. The Lord still had a lot of work to do before officially bringing us together as husband and wife, and has molded, and grown us even more since then. I am so grateful for the journey we have been on together.  Thank you so much for stopping by today, feel free to look around and learn about the life we've had together since this delightful, though unusual first date.

This post was inspired by Mama's Losin' It! And is linked up to today's Pretty Much World Famous Writer's Workshop.

And here is the random raining frog scene from Magnolia, because I knew you wouldn't believe it unless you had scene it, and because it really makes a huge impact on how weird and unforgettable this "first date" really was. Enjoy!