A Dating Story

I realized recently that I never did finish up with the Friday Introduction: A Love Story.  I did post over on Instagram, but not here.

How We Met is here.

Picking up where we left off...

When we started dating I knew he was the one I wanted to marry.  If he'd have asked me right then, the night we stated dating, I would have said yes.  But he is more practical than that.  He knew we should probably spend more time together (and of course he was right).  And we did.  Every moment we could, we were together.  It helped that we had classes together, of course.  We spent much of our time just being with each other.  Talking, learning, growing together, being silly (as is the case with these cheese puffs, a gag gift from my aunt). 

He was going though a reversion, and so we started to go to Mass together at Wyoming's beautiful little cathedral.  We went to University football games and basketball games.  He took me home to meet his parents.  He had such a love for his home, for his state.  I had only ever wanted to get out, get away.  But now I was seeing my home state for the beautiful place it was. 

It was time for me to graduate from community college and go to university.  I had thought about going to Florida.  He was going to Wyoming.  I finally began to understand and love my state and decided on Wyoming, partially to be with him, but partially because it just made sense.  I was an engineering major and Wyoming has a good program (and you can't beat instate tuition). 

So the summer of 2004, we both headed to the University.  We took summer classes to get a head start, and because we were majoring in different engineering disciplines (he was mechanical, I was structural), it would be the last time we would have classes together. 

That first night in my little apartment was the loneliest of my life.  His dad was helping him move over to his apartment, and they were spending the evening together.  My stuff was dropped off at my apartment with little more than a farewell, and just like that I was alone and away from my family for the first time.  But I was determined that I was going to make it.  I had to do this for me, and not just because of the cute guy I had fallen in love with. 

We started going to Mass at the cutest little Catholic church in town, and I started in their RCIA program.  I finally settled into a routine of sorts, and eventually a good friend of mine from home came to university and we got an apartment together.  Not that I was there much.  But it eased some of the loneliness. 

And then the moment I had dreaded came.  He felt we needed a break.  He needed to figure some things out.  It was only a week, but it was the longest week of my life.  I shouldn't have worried, he was spending his time in prayer, discerning if I was the one.  I spent the time studying for my classes and leaning on God.  I had to prove to myself that I was there doing what I needed to do for me, and not for him.  That I was learning about the faith and becoming Catholic because I wanted to and not for him.  That I was at University doing what I needed to do.  Looking back, that time was a blessing, but it took me years to see it.  And when the week was over, I knew and he knew that we had gone through a test of sorts and passed.  And I also knew, somehow that it was only a matter of time before we were engaged. 

More next time.