Part II

The Dating/Engagement Story

Bryan and I started hanging out in January 2003...our first unofficial date was to the basketball courts at Lamar U dorms. Bryan called me to see if I wanted to go play. Sure I was athletic and I liked hanging out and talking with this guy so I know I would like to play basketball with him. When we got out to the courts there was already games going on and all they need was one player so Bryan jumped in and I was left on the bench. I sat there for a few minutes waiting to see if they might need me to play....well they didn't. So I thought to myself I could sit here and waste time or I could go and study Psychology. So I got up and left. No problems I wasn't mad I just didn't have time to waste sitting there. So I got up and went back to my dorm. The next day I got a some what frantic call from Bryan he was apologizing profusely because he was sorry I did not get included in the game. He thought I was mad and that is why I left the court. We talked and scheduled another basketball day. That was the spark that lit the flame. We began hanging out, playing ball, watching movies, eating dinner together at the cafeteria. We became fast "friends". This friendship went on about three weeks and I really like this guy...I just wanted to go through a dating relationship that honored God, that was my goal. He asked me if I would be his girlfriend...so high school right but he wasn't proposing yet...LOL :). I told him "no" he needed to talk to my dad first. He wasn't expecting that one. I just wanted to do things right. Get my dads approval and all. Well he was like I don't know your dad. I told him here is his number call him. Well that didn't work out. About three weeks later it was Valentines day we still had been hanging out. Kinda awkward...I really, really liked Bryan. Finally valentines day he asked me out. I could not tell him "no" twice after all I was falling for him fast. That day Feb. 14, 2003 it became official we were a couple. The semester proceeded quickly. I was a bridesmaid in his sisters wedding. He escorted me down the isle and I remember thinking don't you get any ideas in your head. I have college to finish. Well we both were in pursuit of stronger relationships with the Lord so through the summer we decided to break up for a while to make sure our motives and relationship was pure. Bryan had a youth intern position he was participating in and I was headed to Germany for a mission trip. The separation was so hard. I missed him so much. We still talked pretty much everyday. There was a period in the summer that he stopped talking to me for two straight weeks. I moped around the house like a lost kitten. Darlene my summer mom told me "Michael just admit to yourself that you love that boy and get over it." He had gone to two youth camps and when he got back he called me to explain why he had not called he had to see if the feelings he had for me were real or if they were all emotions. I asked him if when I got back from Germany would he be at the airport with my parents waiting for me. He agreed to do so. I loved him. When I got home from Germany we were coming home from the airport and he asked me back out with him. I said yes. I loved him at this point I knew I did. He was who I wanted to be with forever. I was just scared of that. I was only 19 years old. How could I know for sure? That fall semester flew by. Bryan went into the ministry. Then he bought the ring. He asked me to marry him on October 10th. It was so sweet he proposed through 1 Corinthians 13. The love chapter. He asked me if we needed to work on anything in our relationship I told him we needed to work on all those aspects of our relationship. He said " I know we don't have it all figured out but I would like to spend the rest of my life with you trying to get it right." He pulled out the ring and what did I do...Cry! What every woman does! We kissed and then he took me to dinner at Olive Garden. We had a quick engagement...October to February. When you know you know...
To be continued....