My Life: Falling In Love

I have decided to do a random series of memorable moments from my life so far. They are mostly for me, and more of a diary than anything else. You might find them boring. I will label these posts "My Life." Feel free to skip them! 

I met him in October, 1992. I was an eighteen year old freshman at the University of Wisconsin. I had no intention of meeting a husband, yet that is just what I did. It was not love at first sight, but our dates were so much fun and the conversation came so easily that we just kept seeing each other. The fall turned to cold winter. There were parties, movies, study dates and snowy walks around the campus. He liked me even when my nose was red from the cold and my hair was full of static electricity. I liked him even when he showed up at my dorm, wasted in the middle of the night just so that he could pass out next to me.  I hung out with his friends. He met my parents. He convinced me to eat a gyro, and I introduced him to jogging. We parted ways for the summer, not knowing what the next semester would bring. I braced myself for the breakup. It never came.

It was a visit in the summer of 1993 that sealed the deal. I remember the weekend I truly fell in love. David had gone back to the twin cities for the summer, but drove to Madison for the weekend just to be with me. I planned out every second of the trip. I didn't want him to be bored. I shouldn't have worried so much.  I took him to Imperial Gardens, my favorite Chinese restaurant. We saw Jurassic Park in the theater. We took a day trip to Devils Lake and hiked around the water. I remember sitting next to him on a boulder watching the sky get dark as a storm brewed over the lake. The air was thick with humidity, but held the excitement of an inevitable storm. I felt completely happy. We drove home in thunder and lightning with the tornado sirens wailing. At home we found my (worried)  mother waiting for us, dinner on the table, which was set exactly how I instructed her. After the weather calmed  we went to a party and had a few drinks, but quickly decided that we would rather spend our time alone. We walked home under starlight. He held my hand all the way.  That night before bed I turned to him and without a trace of fear whispered "I love you" for the very first time. He responded with a kiss.

 I was only eighteen, but the rest is history.