Our Love Story: Part One, Blind Date

Our Love Story: Part one, Blind Date

For years I have been wanting to record our love story. For our children, their children and for US.  A wise person told us on the day we got married that we will have hard times in our marriage… times when we may not really like each other.  That person told us that during those times it would be important for us to look back at the time we were completely in love.  To remember feelings that were there and the reasons why we chose each other.  I am so grateful that I kept a journal during that time in my life.  Any hard times that have come, I have been able to go back and read our story and feel all the feels!!! Our story is long and at times cheesy- but some of those cheesy details are my very favorite.  So I am taking my journal and all the memories in my head to combine our love story- my favorite story! Here we go…

***

My mom opened my door and excitedly gave me a “I’m the best mom in the world look”.

Oh no…. what did she do

Mom: I just set you up on a date with the cuuuuuutest boy!

Me: I rolled my eyes… Oh my gosh!!!! I DO NOT WANT TO DATE!”

Mom:  Hailey, he has dimples and he’s Pre-Med.  I gave him your number so be expecting a call.  His name is Jordan Mabey. 

She shut the door clearly annoyed that I was so upset about it.  

I bit the head off of a chocolate covered cinnamon bear and sunk into my bed.

 In normal “Hailey fashion” I was drowning away my sorrows with candy and binge watching Felicity in hopes to make my heart feel just a little bit better.  

After seeing heartbreak through a divorce in the family and recently breaking up with a serious boyfriend I was disillusioned about love and determined to spend the next few years focusing on ME and my future career.  

I paused my show.

blind dates are the worst… 

Jordan Mabey. I typed it into Facebook ready to check out the terribleness that my mother picked out for me…

His picture popped up and my heart skipped a beat.  

He’s cute…Oh my gosh…

I was surprised and, despite my certainty that I would never in my life get married, I for a split second had the thought come to my head, 

this guy could be my future husband.  

***

Two weeks later…

Through an awkward phone call we had determined to meet up for a date on campus after we had finished classes for the day.  I was dreading it all day long and just minutes before we were to meet up I escaped to one of the voice practice rooms in the Richards Building on campus.  I sat myself down in front of one of the mirrors and attempted to fix the mess that was my face.  It was blotchy and red from just having an emotional breakdown on the phone with my mom.  Emotionally I was not in a good place and was not at all in a mood to go be chipper on a date with a boy I didn't know.  

I took one last look in the mirror.

Good enough.  Let’s just get this over with.

***

I walked into the library where we were to meet up and suddenly got nervous.  I looked around for that face with dimples I had seen on Facebook and spotted him talking to one of the security guards.  

My heart skipped a beat again…

He is SO cute!

I started to walk towards him and we locked eyes.

Jordan: Are you Hailey? 

Me: Yep, are you Jordan?

We awkwardly shook hands - clearly he had just returned from a mission - and we headed out the door.

Jordan: Let’s just not make this awkward, ok?  We’re going to have fun.

He opened the door for me and we stepped out into the cold February air.  I stuck my frozen hands into the pockets of my long red coat and looked up at him.

Hmmmmm maybe this date won’t be so bad after all. 

We walked off campus to his apartment to grab his car and then headed to Zupas. 

He kept it simple for that first date.  Just a short dinner in case one of us (or both) became miserable on the date.  But we sat there in Zupas eating and poking at our panini's for far longer than it takes most people to eat.  We ate carefully and just couldn't seem to stop talking to each other.  

We learned a lot about each other on that blind date.  We talked about our shared interests in painting, guitar, and football.  I told him all about myself and he told me all about himself. I learned that he had lived for two years in Mexico City.  That he is the fifth of six kids and is an adored uncle.  He swam, played rugby, rock climbed, played piano…the list went on and on.  He seemed a little bit too good to be true.  He was kind and a little bit quirky…just enough to entertain me but not too much to bug me.  He made me feel comfortable, taken care of, and safe. I knew that if we didn't end up dating we would at least end up being very close friends.  

It was dark when he drove me back to campus and dropped me at my illegally parked junker car at the Richards Building.  

When it was time to get out of the car things suddenly got a little nerve racking again.  I wasn't sure how this was going to end.  

Was he brave enough to kiss me yet? 

Did he like me or not so much?

Would he contact me again?

Or would he just end up being one of those boys I fall in love with but never quite sees me as more than “just a friend?”   

I went to open the door…

Jordan: So…I have these tickets for a Jazz game next week.  Would you want to go with me?

Ummmm… shocked.

My heart started beating faster.

Holy moly.  I didn't expect to be asked on a second date already. 

Me: YES! that would be a lot of fun, just text me the details. 

I hopped in my car, turned up the heater and country song that was on, then drove home.  

I couldn't stop thinking about him….was I on his mind?  What was this going to turn into?

I reminded myself that I really didn't want a boyfriend.

A few hours later I sent a text to that cute dimpled boy.  

I actually won’t be able to make it to that Jazz game…

To be continued