First Date

I wasn't good about journalling 6 years ago (not that I really am now, but...) so some of this may not be too accurate, but it is what I remember.

Mid-September 2007 found me me moving up to Rexburg, Idaho for my first semester at BYU-Idaho.  I was going to live off-campus with my Great-Uncle and Great-Aunt, study music, and work at Walmart (glamorous, I know).  So many people teased me that I was going to a BYU school to get married and that I would be engaged before the end of my first semester.  This is not what I had in mind.

That summer I had been working at a Sam's Club, so it was easy to make the transfer to Walmart, I just had to put in a computer request, call the manager, then complete the request upon arriving in Rexburg. I pulled into Rexburg with a good friend.  We both unloaded our stuff and did some unpacking, then snagged another friend and headed to Wally-world to shop for some necessities and finalize my job transfer.

I asked, at the customer service desk, for someone to show me where to go to find a manager to get things done.  They called someone and a few minutes later a guy in serious need of a haircut and shave sauntered up.  It was Lawrence.  He walked me to the back of the store to the management offices and we talked.  We were both music majors, he was a return missionary, he was a local boy, and he was in some sort of intern program or other with Walmart.  Lawrence doesn't remember this first meeting.

After that we didn't see each other much, not even at school, despite being in the same program, and we didn't work together often either.  But about the end of October He started coming by my usual hang-out for between classes.  He would stop and talk for a minute on his way to class and then be on his way.  Then I changed my routine and started going somewhere else to while away my break between classes.

November 17-ish I got a friend request on facebook and a message that read something like this:
"I'm hoping this the Melissa that I work with at Walmart, so if you aren't just ignore this.  But I was wondering if you would like to hang out or something some time."

Being my giddy-girly self I hastily responded that I would love to do something sometime, but I was going home for Thanksgiving later in the week.  I was honestly excited to go out with him after having the chance to get to know him some over the semester.  Two days later, a Sunday, we were chatting and he had to work, but after work we decided to get together.  I had a friend over so we played some games and watched a movie, then all sat around and talked for a while.  I knew that I had found someone special and I was even more excited about possibly going on more dates with Lawrence.

Sure enough he called me the next day, and the next before I left for home for Thanksgiving.

I am so thankful for that awkward first date request and our casual first date.  I am thankful that he eventually got up the courage to ask me out.  I am thankful for this wonderful man in my life who is my rock.  He keeps me grounded and supports me through everything.  I am so very thankful that he holds the Priesthood and works very hard to support our family so that I can stay home with our kids.  I am thankful that he is a wonderful and patient daddy and loves to spoil our kids.  I am so thankful that I chose to marry this man and that we were married in the temple for all eternity so that we can have each other and our children forever.

I LOVE YOU LAWRENCE!  Thank you for asking me out on our first date six years ago.

(And no, we were not engaged before the end of the semester only a month later.  That didn't happen until February.)