How it all began...

12 years ago today, Josh and I went on our first date.  We went to a Thursday night city-wide college Bible study that was called Grace.  I know it's weird to call a Bible study a date, but what better way to start a relationship?  Some of you have never heard the story from our first few dates, so I'm going to share it with you today.

It was the spring semester of 2000.  Josh and I had 2 classes together: Animal Nutrition and Mammalogy.  Even though they were both pretty small classes, we didn't know each other or talk at all.  A part of my weekly routine was to go to Grace on Thursday nights with 1 or 2 friends.  On one particular night, none of my friends were available to go, so I went alone.  Apparently as I was walking to my car after Grace, Josh was walking behind me with a group of his friends who had also been at Grace.  He took notice of this and thought it was interesting that I would go alone and not be concerned about the social aspects of the night.  Honestly, I think this is the only time I ever went alone, and Josh just happened to see me.  Of course I didn't know any of this at the time.

So for our Mammalogy class, we had a field trip coming up soon to Big Bend National Park.  A week before our trip, our class got together to buy groceries and get a bunch of gear prepared.  It was a Thursday afternoon, and we loaded up the trailers at our professor's house.  As we were about to leave, Josh approached me -
Josh:  You go to Grace, don't you?
Me: (completely shocked- why does this guy know I go to Grace?) Yes...
Josh:  Can I go with you tonight?
Me:   Ok (I actually don't remember my exact answer, but it must have been along the lines of yes/sure/ok)
So he got my phone number and we arranged for him to pick me up at my dorm later that night.  After Grace, we sat in the atrium of my dorm building and talked for a long time just getting to know each other a little bit.

The next evening, Josh called me and asked, "Do you have anything better to do than hang out with me tomorrow night?"  Those of you who know Josh are probably laughing right now because you can totally picture him saying this.  Smooth, isn't he?  So our 2nd date ended up being a BBQ at a friend's parents' house.  It was a little awkward not knowing anyone and barely knowing Josh, but it was still fun.  Our 3rd date was hanging out with this same friend and his wife at their house.  I think we watched a movie and Josh held my hand for the first time.

Here's where things get a little crazy.  Remember that trip we were preparing for when Josh asked me out the first time?  Well, now we had to go on this trip and spend 6 days together after having our first date just 1 week earlier!  And this wasn't some nice trip where you stay in a hotel and go sightseeing.   We were heading to the Big Bend area to camp/hike/explore for 6 days with only 1 shower- yikes!  So basically we spent the 2nd week of our relationship living together in the wilderness with a bunch of other people watching our awkward first moments.  Nice.  I guess it worked out ok.  We saw each other at our dirtiest and smelliest right away.  We had lots of time to talk and get to know each other.  We survived and still liked each other at the end of the week.  The rest is history!

So I pulled out our scrapbook this morning that I made while we were dating.  I'm so glad I made it all those years ago- there's no way I would remember Josh's exact words and other details if I didn't have this book.  Here are some pictures from our trip- the first pictures of us as a couple :) (sorry- low quality, pre-digital pictures)

We're on the far right

Here's the dorm where I lived and the atrium where we spent many hours together while we were students.  It's so funny that we now work just across campus from where it all began...

Happy 1st date anniversary, Josh!  Here's to the next 12 years of adventures together!