10 days to 10 years {Day 5}

Things sped along very fast.  We HAD to spend every waking moment with one another to rehearse. Our director asked us to spend some personal time together so that we could be comfortable as husband and wife on stage (and has since claimed her role in our union.)

We willingly (and me kinda-out of my comfort zone) obliged.

Our line-rehearsals were unorthodoxed at best.  One time in particular we planned on meeting in a room away from others so that we could have some quiet to practice. I arrived with chocolate chip cookies in hand from the brand new glorious bakery a few blocks away. (Goodness!  How I miss that bakery!) I took off my coat, revealing a modest yet curve-showing shirt, sat down, and handed him my sweet treats. 

He stammored.  "Uhm...No thanks.  I don't like chocolate.  Or sweets really."

Okay.  This was a stopping point for me.  How does someone not like chocolate?  Or sweets?  Or SUGAR? 

Could have been a deal-breaker right there.  But then he continued.

"Also...could you do me a favor and put your coat back on?"

Really perplexed I asked,"uhmm..why?"

"Well, we really need to concentrate on rehearsing and I don't want to look at you lustfully."

OH MY GOSH.

Did he just say "lustfully?" 

Wow.

But...... past the silliness of the word.  Past the "just-returned-missionary" persona.  Past all that needed past.  I was enamored.  Grateful.  Stunned to silence.  

It was all so very new.  I had never before been treated with such value.  To have a man not only admit that he was attracted to me, but that he respected me enough to treat me in a way that made our interactions right then...more than that. 

I liked the feeling.

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Two weeks into our official "exclusive" dating he sat me down and said, "I am commited to you.  With that said, two things are gonna happen.  We're either going to break up or get married, so it's probably good if we figure that out."

UN-real.

He asked me to pray about it. 

Actually, he said, "will you pray about it?"

Oh boy-- did he just use his mad missionary skills on me?  Yes he did.  Yes he did.

He must have been a very good missionary.  Because I prayed about it. 

EVERY night I asked God if I should keep dating him.  And every night I felt like I should. 

So I did. 

And it was bliss. 

(oh ya-- right around this time I think I wrote that BYU boy I was basically engaged to.  Told him we might wanna take a break.  But no worries.)

to be continued...

Could you blame the guy?  Good gosh. I am so lust-worthy it hurts.

(Rowdy is pretty embarrassed that I told the story of his use of "that word."  But I swear, I die laughing every time I think of it. ha!  Aren't you so glad I shared it with you?)