Thursday, May 31, 2012

A Pejorative Term for a Significant Other

We left my parents home full of mixed emotions trying to process everything that had just happened. My mind flooded with thoughts...Did he like my family? Was he comfortable? Could he tell we were talking about him? Will he stay? What now?

He started the car and slid his right hand into mine as usual. I looked over to him and he smiled, "I like your family baby which makes me like you even more." And that was it! All of my fears and doubts left my mind and I was at ease except for the fact that a ring was still not on my left hand! I pushed the thought away and accepted that he would ask me on his own time. However, I did mention he better not ask too late because I needed time to plan. His response made it seem like he would make me wait at least a month or so before even thinking about asking me. Forty-five minutes into the trip we were driving we came across the Sam Houston statue and Josh asked to stop to take some pictures. A few wrong turns (which happens often) and he finally ended up in the parking lot. Into the woods we went to stand by the 100 foot statue of our state hero Sam Houston.

Josh looked like an ant next to the statue. I couldn't help but feel like the luckiest girl in the world, just being next to him made me feel whole. We took turns taking pictures of each other. As we started our way back to the car Josh pulled me to the side and we sat down on a wooden table to enjoy nature a bit more. He missed so much the sound of trees whistling in the wind, I could tell he was absorbing the smell of the ground holding on to it before we entered the city again. A reminder of his hometown in Arizona, Josh felt at home in the midst of those giant trees. Some flowers caught our attention and we decided to take some pictures. We began talking about the weekend and how great it had turned out. His hands a bit sweaty were around my back and neck as I hugged his waist. His soft lips graced my forehead as I inhaled his scent. "Well now that I've asked your dad I guess all I have left to do is ask you to marry me huh?" he slyly stated. I pushed him away from me as I rolled my eyes turning around to leave back to the car. That is the last thing I wanted to hear, especially since he told me he was planning on making me wait a month or so for it to be a surprise.

He pulled my left hand back towards him as he kneeled on the ground and said, "So now would be a good time, right?" I COULD NOT BELIEVE MY EYES. I wasn't sure whether to cry, laugh, slap him, or run away. Was he being serious? Should I cry? I was motionless for a few moments (or what seemed like an eternity)...too long for him because he shoved the ring on my finger as I finally was able to force my head to move up and down. He jumped up and hugged me which made me burst into tears. Finally my lips were able to say yes over and over again. We just stood there hugging and laughing, mostly me just crying (tears of happiness of course). I couldn't believe it!! It was official and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Only six weeks of dating and we chose to spend the rest of our lives and eternity together. It felt right. Like two puzzle pieces finally coming together, after all the wrong ones, to complete the picture.

You should hear his side of this story....

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Apparently ankles can sweat

Fast forward about six weeks into our relationship, it was finally time for Josh to meet my family. We took off Friday afternoon to Houston quite exhilarated for what lay ahead. I had never brought a boyfriend home to my parents so they knew it was pretty serious and I was a bit nervous. We already had plans to visit the Houston Livestock show and Rodeo and were especially excited to see Brad Paisley sing. I was hoping that sometime during the visit Josh would talk to my father about getting his blessing to ask for my hand in marriage. I had no way of even imagining what was to happen the next few days....

We had pupusas that night, and of course Josh loved them (now we eat pupusas like once a week, he even craves them). I could tell he was a bit nervous by his sweat soaked hands because most of the attention was on him. I was really happy my cousin Prissy and her parents were there to keep the awkward moments from happening. Crisis averted! My parents liked him from the very beginning. Josh was articulate, kind, respectful, tall, and a blue-eyed handsome man. I was mostly surprised by my dad's receptiveness. We all laughed and talked for a couple of hours until our eyes betrayed us and we said good night.

Saturday was a fun-filled day. There were cows, sheep, horses, chicks hatching, boots and just about every cowboy east of the Mississippi there to show off their skills. It was quite the experience for Josh. He got to experience some real Texas pride up close and personal. The Brad Paisley concert was amazing!!! I had already prepped Josh before we came by having him listen to every song and he even tried learning some of the songs. The day went on and I kept trying to convince myself that Josh had snuck in the conversation with my dad and would ask me to be his future wife any minute during Brad Paisley's "I thought I loved you then" song. To my short-lived disappointment it didn't happen.

Sunday we had family over for fajitas. Josh was completely overwhelmed with all the family that showed up. To me, of course, it was just a normal gathering yet to him it felt like a family reunion. With Spanish words whizzing past him he sat there patiently and just smiled. I couldn't help but feel so much love for him as my family enveloped him and took him in as if he were already part of the family. Yet, a few hours later I was annoyed and I was getting impatient. Josh still had not talked to my dad and it was getting late. We were planning on leaving pretty soon and all Josh could do was pace around the first floor of my house. I was in the kitchen when Josh came up to me and said, "My ankles are sweating!!!" I couldn't stop laughing. I didn't even know that someone's ankles could sweat. I felt them for proof and sure enough there was a pool of water dripping down his ankles. I looked him square in the eyes and told him, "Suck it up, grab some courage and JUST DO IT!"

At last, he took my dad aside and they talked for about 45 minutes. I'm not too sure of what really went on in there. Josh claims my dad was calm and helpful. I can't help but wonder what those office walls would tell me if I asked. He got the OK and that's all that mattered. Now I just had to wait around until he asked...

Monday, May 21, 2012

A Birthday Celebration

February 1, 2012 marked a quarter of a century in Josh's timeline aka lifeline. FINALLY, I thought to myself...a guy who is older than me and sort of acts like it. I was freaking out all day thinking of what to feed him. I had already put my foot in my mouth by offering to cook dinner and then take him to play miniature golf. SHOCKER!!! He had never been in his life. (Note to self: he had no childhood). I left work early to begin my masterpiece. If any of you really know me, I don't like to cook. My pantry consisted of easy 5 minute dinners, frozen food, lots of cereal, and snacks. What was I thinking? Ok duh, I wanted to impress him. That was a big deal for me. Never in my life had I felt the desire to cook for a man especially on our 2nd date. I had previously stopped at the store during my lunch break to pick up a birthday card for him and even thought about buying a cake so he could blow out the candles. Lucky for him some admirer had already beat me to the punch earlier that morning so I skipped the cake.

The food was almost finished as he was knocking on the door around 6:30PM. I hugged him and wished him a happy birthday. The hug didn't last as long as I had hoped but I also didn't want my food to burn. We ate bite by bite as we conversed about our days. He complimented me on the taste and texture, especially on my rice. My stomach was churning! I just kept hoping he would swallow each piece just to apease me. The teriyaki chicken got a little cold but he still ate it all and for that I was grateful. Dinner was over and as I picked up the plates he opened his card. He called me sweet and chuckled as he read, "Feeling happy is like peeing in your pants only you can feel its warmth"

We left my apartment and as Josh opened the car door for me I remembered I had only brought with me my keys and cell phone. What an idiot! Now he surely thought I was a brat for making him pay on his birthday. I didn't say anything and neither did he when he paid for 2 balls and 2 golf clubs. We made a deal. Winner got 3 wishes. I was determined and focused. I had played a few months before on the same course and I thought I had it in the bag. He on the other hand was so nervous, so much so that he kept making excuses until he started making his shots. 40 holes and by the end of the night we had a friendly competition full of laughter, flirting, and Hole-n-One's (we each got at least one of those). I got better as the night flew by and he got worse! However, he still beat me.

He pretended to think about his first wish even though I could read it on his forehead and so he asked, "Did you let me win?" I carefully pondered his question. It was his birthday and his first time playing. I answered, "No." His hands flew in the air, he was bursting with joy while his tone converted to cockiness I allowed him to defend his win. A tender kiss goodbye left us anxious for the next.

We have a tentative rematch scheduled. And he still has 2 wishes left.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

The First Date

I thought I was going to get to see Josh Monday night during FHE but I didn't because I had to work late which only enhanced my desire to see him again. Luckily Josh had already planned ahead! After he left my apartment Sunday night he had texted me and asked if I wanted to watch The Red Tails Tuesday night. I had nothing else going on and even if I had I would have canceled my plans in a heartbeat. So we had plans for our first official date on Tuesday, January 31. I was happy Josh was willing to forego the official "Guy Rule" of waiting 3-4 days before calling, etc. So I figured asking him back out for Wednesday night wouldn't be a problem especially since he was turning 25 that day.

Tuesday night finally came along after a long day at work. I came home and quickly got ready. To be late or not to be? I took a little extra time making sure each hair was in place. My clothes were carefully laid out as I fought between two outfits. Traffic was a little heavy and he was a few minutes late. I sprayed my neck and wrists with J'adore and covered my lips in Strawberry Frizz lip gloss. About a minute later there was a knock on my door. I jumped up and down for a second, smoothed out the creases in my shirt as I calmly breathed in an out towards the door. I unlocked the door slowly and as I opened it, there he stood as handsome as I remembered. He lifted his gaze towards me and gasped as he uttered with a smile on his face, "You look beautiful". I felt my cheeks warm up a bit, hoping he wouldn't notice I turned around to get my coat and purse. We took off in his white Corolla with the sun starting to set. Before going into the theatre we agreed on getting a box of Skittles. I really wanted some nachos but I was too nervous to ask or eat for that matter. We found some seats up at the top, a few rows above the only other couple in the theatre. Ohhh the benefits of coming on a Tuesday...

Our conversation had been flowing the entire night and I was thankful we were so comfortable around each other. My only concern was the end of the night!!! Kiss or no kiss? I always had a strict no-kissing-on-the-first-date policy and I thought it would be more special for our first kiss to be on his birthday. So the thought left my mind and we began to enjoy the movie. I opened the Skittles and he was kind enough to eat all of the sucky colors like purple and yellow. I only ate the orange ones. The movie was interesting but I couldn't keep my eyes from wandering over to him. Would he hold my hand? Is he going to try to kiss me tonight? I don't want this night to end!!! More than halfway into the movie he made his move! His back was against the chair and his hands held the sides of the arm rests. When slowly his hand slid right into mine which was on my lap. Our hands played with each other intertwined, our fingers caressing and swirling around. Just as I thought how surprisingly soft his hands were he whispered into my ear, "My hands used to have callouses on them back when I did man's work but now they're gone". I laughed a little inside...already we were beginning to sync.

My back began to hurt a little and I leaned forward as I put my hands under my chin. (Honestly I was hoping he would scratch my back a little). A few seconds later I felt a soft kiss on the back of my ear and as he inhaled my scent I slowly turned as we shared our first sweet kiss. His lips melted perfectly into mine. It wasn't sloppy or forceful. He captivated my lips perfectly and as he pulled away to look into my eyes he lingered a bit, his hand on my chin, slowly he made his way back to my mouth.

Don't worry we didn't miss the end of the movie I think someone dies??? :)

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Two Weeks Notice

Church had ended and already I was anxious to see Josh again. It was about 1:30 when I got home from church and he wasn't planning on coming over until 3:30. Glad I was given some time to clean and straighten up my apartment, still I could feel every part of me tingle with excitement as I counted down the minutes. I tried to eat a PB&J for lunch but I could hardly even finish half of it and so I waited. Then around 3PM my phone went off. *Text Message* It was from Josh: "Screw it. I'm done with math. I'm coming over! Where do you live?" My heart fluttered as I read the las few words. I gave him my address and 13 minutes later he was knocking on my door. I couldn't believe it! EVERYONE that came to visit me always got lost but he made it all the way to my door without asking for directions. Lucky for him the gate was open as well. There was something about his determination that intrigued me. The attention he gave me was flattering, of course any girl would enjoy it but somehow this time it was different. I felt like the only girl in his eyes. His beautiful baby blues shone out at me pulling me towards him like gravity. He didn't just see me...he saw right through me.

Trying to decide what movie to watch and not able to agree on anything we decided to run to the 7-11 and pick up a redbox movie. My choice ended up being depressing and a bit boring but halfway through the movie he put his arms around me and held me close which made up for it. The second movie was more entertaining, we both laughed the entire time and still he held me in his arms. I couldn't help but feeling safe and at ease. I felt at home within his strong grasp and I didn't want to leave. Our stomachs soon started growling at us and we figured it was time for some dinner. We had pizza that night. I'm sure we could have eaten more than one slice each but the butterflies in our stomachs hardly made any room for food. After the movie ended, we sat and talked for a few hours, like two old friends reminiscing. Even the few long silences weren't awkward and I wondered "Where had he been hiding for so long?"

And then he looked at me and timidly asked..."Um I was wondering well um I don't know if you have plans already or maybe someone's already asked....but I was wondering if you would ....well if you wanted to be my Valentine?" I could hear the strain in his voice as he tried to hide the shaky hesitation. His hands fidgeted with the bottom of his pants as he tried to keep steady eye contact. Inside I was smiling so big I thought I would burst into laughter right there in front of his face. My heart was big and full and he looked so cute as he nervously awaited my answer. "Yes", I replied. He let out a big sigh, "REALLY?" And then I couldn't hold it in any longer! I chuckled and asked, "Yeah, why? Do you not believe me?" A smile formed on his face and he answered, "I'm just happy you said yes is all." Later I came to find out he had never asked someone to formally be his Valentine it had always been a required holiday for him in the past. But this time he had chosen me.

Valentine's Day was in two weeks and I had a date! I was already thinking of what I could pull from my closet for the big day. He left my apartment a few minutes later with a hug and told me, "Make sure we see each other before then, two weeks is a long time!" It was a weird request, for in my mind that wasn't even an issue. I was going to find any excuse to be near him again.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Termination to my Sabbatical from Men

The night was coming to a close, the seconds ticking away and yet we refused to give in to our weary eyes. Josh continued texting me after we had parted ways around midnight or so. I got home and with all the butterflies still in my stomach I decided to stay up and watch TV a bit, while I ate some Crunch Berries cereal. It was about 2:30AM when we finally gave in and went to bed but not before Josh had offered his shoulder to me to sleep on during church services the next morning. I thought his eagerness to show me his sweet side to be adorable and endearing. I lay awake in bed overwhelmed with excitement and somehow dozed off but then what felt like an hour later, my alarm went off. I popped out of bed immediately (which rarely ever happens) to shower and get ready but not before noticing a "good morning beautiful" text from Josh. My head was swirling within seconds but I needed to focus. I had to pick up my friend, K, on the way to church and I had a presentation I had hardly practiced for and I didn't want to be late! Josh had already agreed to save me a seat next to him and I just hoped he would be wearing the same cologne from the night before. Already my nerves were unstable and I could feel my body streaming with waves of shock which made me tremble.

I picked up K and on the way to the church I got a little lost. I was anxiously trying to get there but every turn took me further away from the church. Finally when I had caught my mistakes I was back on the right road when a small dog ran into the middle of the street and collided with my car before I could react. I stopped and looked in my rearview mirror just in time to catch the dog chase it's tail like it was drunk and then it just collapsed on the ground. I couldn't believe it!!! "Did I kill it?" My eyes began to water and I could feel my heart just sinking. Never in all my life had I ever killed an animal on the road except little bugs on road trips but they deserved it! This poor pup was just running across the street to play with some kids and I had ended it's life. I felt horrible. The owner walked up to the dog, scooped it up and said, "Don't worry baby it ain't yo fault. This stupid dog always be runnin' into the streets, tryin' to play wit da kids." She walked away as if nothing had happened all the while I was mortified by her attitude. I got back into the car and I saw a text from Josh "Hurry up! Where are you? It's about to start and it's packed today." I responded "I killed a dog." He laughed not really believing my story.

When I got to the church he was there with an empty seat next to him. I walked over to him, as he looked me over, a big smile appeared on his face. "I can't believe you killed a dog! What's wrong with you?" he snickered. He gave me a hug and told me not to worry he also had an experience like that before. Of course it didn't make me feel any better so I tried to forget the accident. Fifteen minutes of being there and I was beginning to doze off. Josh scooted his chair closer to mine and offered me his shoulder, I looked up at him and smiled as I lay my head gently on his shoulder. As soon as our bodies touched our connection intensified once more. My eyes were closed but a smile curled up on my face. His sweet scent was alluring and I was put in a trance. I felt at ease next to him, like we had been doing this forever. It was easy to allow him near me almost like breathing and yet when I was near him I had difficulty allowing oxygen into my lungs.

Elise happened to be sitting behind me along with another two friends, Amber and Amanda, who noticed our "shameless flirting" tactics (or so they alleged). We liked each other and everyone in the room was well aware of it. Even the bold stares from a few people didn't keep us from enjoying each other's company. Whispers into each other's ears and grin's stretching ear to ear were continuous throughout the hour. My fingers traced the outlines of his firm back as I secretly wrote: I like you Josh. A LOT!!!

It was almost time to leave when Josh instantly turned to me with no hesitation:

J: Hey what are you doing today after church?
M: Nothing really.
J: I've got some math I have to work on for school but would it be alright if I come over and hang out afterwards?
M: Yeah, sounds good...

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Why don't we just dance?

So the plans were finalized after about 20 text messages later (probably an excuse to just text me). The plan was to meet up with some friends for dinner and then go to the dance. I went shopping that Saturday morning trying to find the perfect dress. I figured "Maybe I'll meet someone...". There was a black, strapless lace dress that came down to my knees that fit me perfectly, now all I needed were some tall heels and a cute cardigan to wear over it. As I was putting my outfit together, curling my hair, and putting on make-up (yes women are that talented). I couldn't help but think of who I would be slow dancing with. I knew there was going to be a lot of people there and I was eagerly fantasizing about all the possibilities. As I was leaving my apartment, the old man upstairs was walking to his apartment when he took one look at me and said "Whoa! Someone's getting lucky tonight!" I half smiled and hurried to my car half disgusted with his remark. I drove over to Elise's house to pick her up before meeting up with Josh. After changing her outfit a few times and fluffing her hair a bit we walked out of the house ready to dance the night away. We beat Josh to our meeting place (even though we were late and he lives 5 minutes away from the building). A few minutes later he appeared and I hopped in the front while Elise took the back. Taking the front seat proved worth the effort, I could tell he had taken the time to look his best. His hair was neatly trimmed, he had on a blue button up shirt (which made his blue eyes almost seem teal) with a black vest and a yellow striped tie. Not to mention his car was immaculate and smelled clean. He had a handsome smile on his face that made me feel warm and excited for the night.

The ride there was comfortable, hardly any silences (well with Josh and Elise monopolizing the conversation) followed by a few wrong turns. I tried to play co-pilot but was failing miserably so Josh moved his hand slowly in my direction to grab the phone in my hands but instead he lightly touched my hand which sent a spurt of energy through me. I think he felt it too because he laughed and made a joke about it. We got to the Mediterranean restaurant and Josh dropped us off at the front (he had already taken notice to my 5 inch heels) while he parked in the back. We got our food and we sat in front of each other. BAD IDEA. All throughout dinner he kept kicking me and stepping on my feet (he's 6'4 with hardly any leg room). It was the roughest "footsie" play I had ever experienced and truthfully I wanted to dig my 5 inch heels into his ankles! All in good fun of course. However, I didn't mind as much because the entire time we kept shooting each other flirty smiles, the kind of smile that you give someone with your eyes. Everything he said would make me giggle. I could sense his interest in me growing by the minute. "I had him in the palm of my hand...there was no turning back now!"

Finally we made it to the dance around 9ish. Josh had already made it very clear that it wasn't a date so we each danced with other people. Sometime during the dance he came over to me and whispered in my ear "Make sure you save me the next slow dance". Butterflies entered my stomach but I managed to respond, "Sure, come and find me". The next slow song was Lady in Red and just as promised he came over and whisked me onto the dance floor. His right hand lay just on the small of my back while he hugged me close, and all I could think about was the sweet smell of his cologne which enveloped my senses. I was intoxicated and could hardly keep my feet on pace. He twirled me around and pulled me in to give me a tight squeeze that turned into a few minutes of holding me as he explained "Let's see if that close connection thing works!" An earlier conversation during dinner had led us to the conclusion that due to the pheromones the body releases it could be possible to hug someone tight for a few minutes to establish a bond. Of course there was no objection on my part, I was willing to test out the theory.

I was a goner, I didn't even stand a chance! I was completely falling for him and I didn't even realize it. Like a sneak attack, he was stealthily robbing my heart. The Ice Queen had begun her transformation and there was no stopping it....        

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Ice Queen and the Lover Boy

The way Josh and I are around each other (lots of PDA) you would never guess our beginning....

Once upon a time...OKAY maybe not that far back but sometime back in September 2011 a red-headed Lover Boy moved into the Arlington YSA ward. He was wide-eyed and curious, excitedly looking for someone to love. He saw many pretty girls and gave each one a chance to woo his heart however he could not find the right one. All the while there was this Ice Queen, who was too preocupied with work, spending time with her sister, and ignoring men (including Lover Boy). One day Lover Boy took interest in the pretty Ice Queen yet to his dismay she paid him no mind. He thought "Psssht forget her then!" Time went on and still there was little interaction or interest on her part.

Then on November 3rd (DOB) the Ice Queen was at the mall with her sister Johamy shopping for a new outfit when she ran into none other than Lover Boy and Ileana (who happened to be the Ice Queen's friend and Visiting Teacher). Naturally the Lover Boy's interest was reignited as soon as he saw the Ice Queen but she didn't take notice in his flirty ways (she was also under the impression that he was dating Ileana). However, Johamy did notice and she immediately commented, "Melissa, he liiiiikes you! He's cute!!! You should date him. I like him." My response...."haha um no he's a red head and he's dating Ileana." He tried to make contact after the encounter but his efforts failed miserably.

Time went on and by the end of January 2012 there was a spark of hope again. At an FHE food activity, the Ice Queen happened to sit at a table right in front of Lover Boy. It wasn't long before Lover Boy started to melt the Ice Queen with his charm. All it took was a giggle and a look from her and Lover Boy knew that after all those doors being shut a window had finally cracked open. He took advantage of the opportunity and messaged the Ice Queen on FB a couple of days later....

LB: You going to the dance on Saturday?
IQ: Yes I am, if I can get Elise to go with me
LB: Text me. (his #)
IQ: Man you're demanding lol
LB: Lol it's not demanding! It's just being forward and not beating around the bush

Sufficeth to say we haven't stopped texting since that day....

Don't worry I won't leave ya'll hanging next up is.... Part II: The Dance

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Three, tres, tri and so on

Today is our 3 month anniversary. However, today is more special to me than Josh actually realizes. See 3 is my lucky number. I was born on the 3rd (a day he refuses to remember, he always thinks it's on the 2nd. I guess a day early is better than 2 days late like my father!). But yes, I've always had an obsession with the number 3. So the fact that he gave me 3 roses today makes me wonder....Was that on purpose?
Josh is a smart man but I sometimes wonder if he just gets lucky. To explain my obsession let me begin a list.
1. My favorite basketball player #3 Chris Paul.
2. My basketball jersey in middle school #33 (that gave me double luck)
3. Just because...
4. I'm a little OCD when it comes to symmetry. I like things to be in order. So most of the time everything has to end on an even number or appear even. However, 3 is the only thing in my life which defies my logic or craziness. (If you notice I will only post 6 reasons which is even and is twice the #3) 
5. The 3 Orantes girls...enough said.
6. The reoccuring theme of 3 in my Christian faith: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I knew very early on that I wanted Josh to be my eternal companion. We had so much in common. Instant chemistry. Great attraction. As time goes by...I realize my 3-Theory runs deeper than I thought and intertwines with Josh in perfect harmony. He is part Irish (the red hair should give it away!). Now the Shamrock (a 3-leafed clover) is a symbol of Ireland, and St. Patrick used it as a metaphor for the Christian Trinity. The Shamrock was traditionally used for medicinal purposes. Now we mostly see it as part of an emblem or advertisement for kids cereal (Lucky Charms!). Maybe I am digging too deep into it and I don't believe in soul mates or anything like that. However, I do believe the Lord has a plan for everyone and my path led to Josh because the Lord knows we have the potential to be great together to help further his work here on earth.

For now I am content knowing the #3 gives me luck....for I am the luckiest girl to have found a wonderful loving man like Josh.