I am a music teacher and I was getting ready for my concerts at the beginning of December. One of my friends and co-workers recommended a young man in her ward, Ryan. So, I called and got him for both of my concerts. I didn't meet Tony until the second concert (Dec. 11, 2014). He came to help set all of the sound equipment up. We talked a little bit as we set-up and as I tried getting everything ready for the concert. The first thing I noticed about him as I spoke with him was his genuine and sweet smile. He seemed interested in what I had to say and he seemed incredibly happy to be there.
Right before the concert, as I was setting up my camera, I noticed that my tripod was broken. So, I had to improvise and make a "ghetto-pod" (see picture below). Tony came up and stated that he was going to find me on Facebook because he thought I was cool. I still feel really badly about this, but by this point I had forgotten his name. My mind was going crazy trying to get stuff ready for the concert. So, I asked for a reminder of his name. He remembered mine, so I felt a little silly. But, the good news is I remember it now. :)
After the high school concert as Ryan, Mama Shuck, Aiden, and I took stuff down they continuously talked about Tony. I found out that he was in a production of "A Christmas Carol". That is my favorite Christmas play of all time! I asked about when the performances were and I set a plan on when I would be going.
True to his word, Tony added me on Facebook a few days later. I sent him a message about how I could obtain tickets to go to his performance. He gave me all of the information and then asked me out on a date. Not going to lie, I read that message and started feeling really giggly (he doesn't know this, unless he is reading it now). We set up a day and time to go out and I was so ferociously stoked! We continued to write messages back and forth for the next couple of days talking about our favorite plays/musicals, dream roles, running, and all sorts of things! He and his Mom wrote an arrangement for "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" and I told him that he needed to record it so I could hear it. He ended up inviting me to sing with the Ward choir that upcoming Sunday (Dec. 21) so that I could hear it, and I did!
Well, our first date fell through. Tony got off work later than anticipated and I was dead tired! So, we decided that we would try again some other time. But later that week I was going to see his performance. I ended up watching it with his whole family (it has become a joke that I had a date with his family before I had a date with him). It was such a well-done production and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it! After the performance Tony asked me if I wanted to go get ice cream. I told him I probably shouldn't because I had my 5k race the next morning. We said that we would do something soon, but we kind of left it at that.
I then left for Christmas break and we didn't really talk much during that time. There were a few messages, but not a lot happened.
When I came back is when things really started to pick-up.
On Dec. 28 I invited Tony over to play games with my roommate, her boyfriend, and another friend. He came and we discussed the date that we would be going on on Tuesday. Our first date was Dec. 30th and we went and saw "Into the Woods". We stayed up super late just talking and getting to know each other better. Not going to lie, I felt like I had known him forever so the conversations weren't hard to have.
That entire week we spent almost every day together. On the 31st we celebrated New Year's Eve by going to Costa Vida, setting off Fireworks, and then watching some "Quantum Leap". Friday, Jan. 2 we went to the Library and read some of our favorite children's books to each other! On Jan. 3rd I got to go to the temple with he and his parents to do a session. It was such a blast!
Sunday came and I had two young men in my Ward ask me out on dates. I told them that I would have to get back to them because I wasn't sure what was going on with Tony and I. We had spent almost every day together and were planning on seeing each other still and, quite frankly, I didn't want to date anybody else! So, on Jan. 5 I didn't have any school (it was an "ice day"). So we got together to make dinner, and it was so cool! We made palascintas (Hungarian crepes basically), I got to flip it in the pan and it was awesome!!! That night I told him the situation and what I was feeling. He felt the same way, so we started dating!
I wish I could put into words how freaking excited I was in that moment (I guess you could say right now too, because it hasn't worn off)! This story is to be continued in Part 2--Our Story: Dating to Engagement :D
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| My ghetto-pod!!! |
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| A Christmas Carol!! |
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| One of the coolest dates EVER!! We drew a picture of ourself and then wrote down some of the questions/problems we have and are going through. We threw our problems down and then tore our picture up and placed the pieces on top. Then we wrote about our problem and why that body part landed on that problem. It was so cool!!! |
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| Palascintas!!! |
