Getting to know me: a love story {part 2}

At the end of part 1, J#1 had just tracked down my # at college and called me there.  {Remember, before there was Facebook?}  So, we chatted on the phone a few times, and then I was headed back to the Twin Cities for Thanksgiving break.  So we decided to head out for dinner.

For the Minnesota folks, we went to the Rock Bottom Brewery in Minneapolis the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving.  According to J#1, this was just "two friends going out to dinner".   To this day, I still consider it our first date.   Our other first date would have been that Saturday.  J#1 made me dinner {knew that day he was a keeper!} and we went to a pool hall.

From there on out, we have been together.  Although for those first seven months, he was in St. Paul and I was in Marshall, MN.  We would see each other every other weekend, and talk just about every other night.  That June?  We were engaged.

Not an overly romantic setting, but it was romantic enough for me.  And we were headed to a Minnesota Twins game that night.   Between my Mom, who had them put a message on the big screen saying congratulations, and a college friend who was an usher there that got them to play our song (Alison Kraus, "When You Say Nothing At All"), it was a pretty special night.

Fast forward 10 months later, April of 2001 and we were married.  Beautiful ceremony at my childhood Church (where I had been baptized, attended grade school, been part of youth group, buried my father, and more).  Fun and relaxing reception.  Our first song? That Alison Kraus song.

Funny story about our first dance song.  My mom had asked us if we had a song we knew we wanted for our first dance, and we told her the name.  She sort of gave us this skeptical look.  Then we played it for her.  By the end?  Tears in her eyes.  True story.

Very close 2nd place for first song?  "My Best Friend" by Tim McGraw.

A Caribbean cruise for a honeymoon and settling in at our first home.  The first of many...