Meeting My Husband Part II

Before I start writing more about the first date, I just want to say thank you for stopping by. Whether you are a casual reader, one time reader, or daily reader, I want to thank you. Blogs are such an amazing writing and sharing outlet. I love how I will be able to look back on these posts and remember how it all began.  I cannot wait to share these memories with my children and grandchildren. Now, I promise that my blog won’t always be about my journey of love, but it is one of the most important things about my life. As such, I wouldn’t be true to myself if I didn’t write about it. If you are someone who has been hesitant about online dating, I hope that sharing my story has encouraged you to at least consider the possibility. Without online dating, I never would have met my husband.

Image Courtesy of  anat_tikker at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Back to bowling……

While I can’t quite remember how many bowling games we played (neither can my husband), I do remember not wanting the date to end. I also vividly remember losing all of the games—not on purpose might I add. Jim asked if I was interested in getting a drink somewhere, or if I had to be home by a certain time. He wanted to see more of me?! He liked me?! Why would I pass up the opportunity of seeing more of him? Did I remember my two hour rule? Absolutely not—that was not even a consideration.  

We made our way to UNOs, and got drinks and talked. Again, it was so easy to talk to him. I really started to like him. When he asked me how many dates I have been on, I was slightly embarrassed. You now know the background of those dates, and how I never really connected with any of them. When Jim told me I was his first date, I immediately regretted sharing that I had been on about 10! He laughed, and thought I was joking. He then asked me on a scale of 1-10 how this date was going (he loves rating things J), and I said it was a 10. He asked me why it wasn’t an 11 (story of my life now haha). While he still thinks I was joking when I said that, I was not. It was one of the best dates I had ever been on.  Since Jim paid for bowling, I wanted to pay for our drinks. I knew, of course, that Jim wouldn’t let me pay. I actually waited until he went to the bathroom to pay. He was not happy when he came back! Ladies—while I agree that a true gentleman should pay on the first date, I also understand the urge to want to split the cost J

I didn’t realize how much time had gone by until the bartender said that it was last call. Jim and I had been there for hours! I also hadn’t looked at my phone for those said hours, and I had numerous texts from my mom. She thought something happened to me! Truth be told, I could have stayed there longer, but it was almost one in the morning! We both had to work the next morning, and poor Jim had a long drive ahead of him. I knew the moment I didn’t want to leave him, that Jim was “the one.” It was just a feeling I had. We parted ways, and I got a text from him right away. I can’t describe the joy I felt in that moment. To know that someone was interested in me, and genuinely wanted to see me again, was an amazing feeling.

When I finally got home that night (since I was still living with my parents), my mom was surprisingly still up! She asked me how the date went, and I said “I think I really like this one.” She just smiled and went to bed.

And after that first date, Jim and I became inseparable. We saw each other every week, and if we were lucky, twice a week. We became exclusive immediately, and we never looked back. Was it hard dating long distance? Oh..my..word…yes! I can’t imagine how difficult it is to date someone long distance across the country!  That is a true testament of love.  

                                                          One of our first outings together :)

And now you know the beginning of our journey. I will post more about our journey past our first date, our engagement, and our wedding, but now you know where it all began.

If you have been successful with online dating, I would love to hear more about your experiences in the comments section below! Or, if you have any questions/concerns, please feel free to ask away!  :)

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!  Go Pats!