The story of Us Part II

Okay, now where was I?? Oh yes, he left... Well, the next day started teacher in-service but I had to go to the social security office and work out stuff for my social security number. It didn't take too long but it was a bit of a hassle. Anyway, as a result I came to the teacher meeting late. I came in just a few minutes before they were going to coffee break. Dan says this didn't happen but as we were going out to the coffee and donuts, he was skipping and I thought that was sooo weird. He swears he didn't but I know what I saw.

Anyway, we really didn't talk at all then. I was really shy and didn't know a soul there so it took me a while. I concentrated on getting my class ready and that was it. Dan was coaching soccer so he missed a lot of inservice for that and I didn't really know him but every time I talked to my parents my dad asked if we had met each other....

As the school year started other teachers started telling me about Dan. They thought since we were the single ones on staff we should get together. Apparently they were doing the same thing to him. He was dead set against dating, still nursing a broken heart from a broken engagement. He eventually asked me out but he asked me to a youth activity. I was nervous about trying to get to know him with all the teens watching and the activity was BOWLING.. Those of you who know me know bowling is about my least favorite activity so I said "no" . Did I ever catch it with the other teacher when they found out I said no. We had this thing at school where we had to choose names and celebrate that teacher's birthday. I offered to help Dan decorate the staff member's office for the one he had chosen . He offered me dinner in exchange for my help. He had a meeting after school so I went to my classroom and worked until he was done and then we met up to work on her office. We were both so nervous at dinner afterward. I really was starting to like him . Later, I went to one of his soccer games. We were in Illinois. It was cold and rainy and we sat outside the school on the steps for HOURS and talked. I was really enjoying getting to know him.... A few weeks later he asked me out again. We were going in to Chicago. It was a comedy of errors date. We went and ended up parking on the wrong side of the city for what we wanted to see. We had to walk FOREVER to get to the John Hancock building where we were going. It has a fantastic view of the city. I found out later it had been several years since Dan had been there and when we went to pay to go up he discovered it cost a lot more than he had thought so it basically cleaned him out of money.. He was nervous about what we would do for dinner. It was a beautiful view from up there so high. We enjoyed it. On the way down in the elevator a man stepped in to the already crowded elevator and he must have weighed about 500 pounds. Wouldn't you know he decided to stand right in front of me and when he did he landed right on my foot. OUCH!!

We left there and looked around the city a little before making the trek back to the car. It was really hot and humid that day. I was thirsty by the time we got back to the car and wouldn't you know, we got a little bit lost?? I was dying for a drink ( DAN LOVES to tell this part of the story). I had seen a Pepsi in the back of his car. I was really thirsty by this point and thinking
I have got to have a drink so I crawled into his back seat and grabbed the pepsi. I was so thirsty I don't even know if I said a word to him about it but I drank it all myself and never even offered him a sip.. Can you believe we wound up together after that??? We finally got back to Joliet and Dan was still nervous about money. We ended up going to a Chinese restaurant near where he lived and getting take out. We spent the rest of the evening just talking. By now I was pretty sure I wanted to pursue a relationship with this guy.. Finally , on October 2, 1997 he asked me to be his girl. Of course, I said yes. Everyone at school wanted to take credit for it. We continued to date and he was so sweet. He would leave flowers on my car and send me notes. It was adorable. Things were getting serious and on December 9, 1997 he asked me to go to dinner at the Rockwell Inn. It was a really nice restaurant decorated all with Norman Rockwell paintings. He was acting really strangely the whole night and I wasn't sure what to think. He asked for a quiet table and wouldn't you know they put us next to two guys who were being really loud and obnoxious! As we were sitting there it started to snow outside. The kind of snow with the big puffy flakes. I had always loved that kind of snow and told Dan once that I would love to get engaged outside when it was snowing like that. Outside our window you could see into the back yard of the restaurant where there was a path to walk on. We finished our dinner and Dan asked me to go for a walk on the path. As were were walking I said "Do you love me". He said "Yes and do and .. (he stopped and got down on one knee in the snow) that's why I want to ask you to be my wife" This is his favorite part of the story. He gave me the ring box and I opened it and started crying. I didn't even answer him. I just cried. Isn't that just like me?? He put the ring on my finger and we went back inside to call family. Now you know the story of us. We had our ups and downs during the engagement. I think we broke up a couple of times even but 7 months later we were married in Saint John, New Brunswick on July 25, 1998. I am so thankful for my wonderful husband. There were many times I was convinced I would always be single. If I hadn't followed God's plan and moved to Illinois, maybe I still would be. I am constantly amazed at how God works things out even when we can't see it.