7 years

7 years ago today I went on my first date with the Officer. It was the Fall semester, which meant I was playing soccer nonstop, and the smartypants Officer was always busy working and taking classes, so I remember that we had a hard time trying to schedule our first date. We had been getting to know each other at CCM events, and we had hung out at Monday night rosary for a few weeks, so I knew I wanted to go on a date with him. We planned our first date for a Friday morning before I left for a soccer road trip. We met at his apartment on campus where he made me a yummy eggs and waffles breakfast (still 7 years later he always makes our family breakfast). Then we went down to the river and hiked the paths and I'm sure I talked and talked and talked....

Not our first date, but the same river where we went on our first date

I have no clue what we talked about, and the date was a bit rushed because I had to meet the team for our game, but I was absolutely sure it would not be our last date. We talked on the phone while I was away that weekend, and he said he had told his family all about me. I was glad he was excited about me, even though I was super weird and afraid of commitment at the time. After that we just went on date after date after date for the rest of our lives :)

CCM winter ball a few months after we started dating. This was the first time the Officer told me he loved me, and surprisingly I didn't run for the hills when he said it :)

A few nights ago the Officer and I stayed up late talking, and he asked what made me decide to seriously date him. He was a great guy when I met him, but he was nothing compared to the incredible man he is today. So what did I see? How did I know he was going to become a perfect husband and super Dad? I have no idea. Mostly, it was probably just the grace of God that led me to him. Of course there were lots of surface things that attracted me to him- like he is a hunk ;), and he's athletic and fun. More importantly, it was his honesty and the fact that he is always striving to become better and holier that made me know that I wanted to marry him.  I'm so glad he took me on that first date 7 years ago, and I'm grateful for every date since then.

2 1/2 years after we started dating he took me on another hike to a waterfall and asked me to marry him. We look like babies here- who on earth thought we were old enough to get married?!