In the days after the party I remember being super nervous about calling you. I did not want to bother you, or make you feel uncomfortable. I was not sure if you were interested in me (or if I was reading too much into our conversation). Someone told me that Aunt Molly told them that you were "Smitten" with me (I found out later that was not true), which gave me just enough courage to call you! I dialed the number and someone (Maybe your brother), and I asked if I would talk to Pam, and this is how the conversation went:

Me: "Hi, this is Chris, I met you at the party on Saturday."
You: "Hi"
Me: "How have you been?" You: "Good"
Me: "What have you been up to?"
You: "Not much"

At this point I almost hung up, but I somehow found the nerve to ask you out. I asked if you would like to go out with me sometime, and you said yes. Which I later found out was not because you liked me, but you wanted to be nice and dit not want to say no. I am so glad you said yes!

We went out 4 more times after the first date, and I remember thinking that you just wanted to be friends becasue you never seemed to give me an opportunity to kiss you or to hold your hand. Before our 5th date I was talking to my Mom, who talked to Aunt Molly, so talked to your Aunt Karen. My mom told me that you actualy did like me which made me feel a lot better.

On our 5th date we went to dinner at "TGI Fridays". After we sat down you said "So I talked to my Aunt Today...." I then got super nervous, and I thought "Oh no, she is going to tell me she does not like me" but then you told me you really like me but you just were not used to dating and you were not sure how to act. I was so relieved to hear that and it made me very happy!

After dinner we went to the movies, and if my memory is correct we saw "Final Destination". Thanks to our earlier conversation, I felt more comfortable and I was able to hold your hand during the movie. After the movie we went back to your house, and I finally got the courage to kiss you. I watched you walk into your house and thought to myself "I cannot believe I finally kissed her!" I was so happy and I could not wait to see you again.

My timing is not always the best, but during the few months where we were apart, I realized that I wanted to be with you. I wanted to be with you forever. I wanted to marry you. I reached out to via email to see if you would be willing to get together and talk. You replied to my email and said you you would be willing to come over and talk. You also wrote that you had something to tell me if I had not already heard it from the grape vine that seems to connect our families. MY heart dropped when I read that, and I was worried that you were going to tell me that you were getting Married to someone else.

When you arrived at my house I was nervous and excited to see you. First chance I got I glanced down at your hand I was you were not wearing a ring so I was relieved. Then we sat down and you told me that you were pregnant. I was shocked and surprised, and did not know what to say or do. I knew one thing for sure, it did not change how I felt about you. I still loved you and still wanted to be with you and decided I had to be part of your life somehow, even if only as friends. So I kept reaching out to spend time with you, hoping that somehow, by being present and steady, you might find your way back to loving me too.

By February 2004 we were back together and we knew we were going to get married. We had gone ring shopping and you picked out the ring that you wanted. I picked the diamond, the Jewler told me what to look for and I looked at several diamonds until I found the perfect one. Now I just had to wait for a tax return to come so I could actually buy it and officially ask you to marry me.

Even before I had the ring and we made it official you had told you parents what was going on. I remember you telling me that your dad wanted me to ask him for permission. I came over to your house and, we were sitting on the couch and you and your mom were giggling like little school girls and your dad was in the other room. You kept telling me to go and talk to him. So I went into the other room and told him:

I wanted to ask you before you found out from the peanut gallery, but I would like to marry your daughter. A short time later (Hey I can't remember everything) I had the ring and I was ready to ask you to marry me. I was nervous and excited, and I wanted to make sure it was special. I drove to your house and stopped to buy you flowers on the way. I wanted to get your favorite, Lilies, but they were not in season so I got you a bouquet of tulips. I was keeping an eye on Maggie while you were teaching a violin lesson in the front room of your house. I found a vase and put the flowers in it, and I attached the ring the the card holder. When you lesson was finished you came into the kitchen and I asked if the vase I chose was okay. You said it was fine without even looking then I said:

"Can you please read the card!:"

You did! You saw the ring! I forgot most of what I was going to say but I asked and you said yes!!!

Oh and I remember what you were wearing that night too, you had on a grayish loose fitting turtle neck sweater. Or was it turquise??? I know it was a sweater with a large collar looking like a turtle neck. I remember thinking you looked beautiful and I was so happy that you said yes! I was so excited to start the next chapter of our story together.