The Luckiest: Our First Date

On December 26th, 2000, Josh and I had our first official date. We were 17 and juniors in high school. THAT WAS TWENTY YEARS AGO TODAY! WHAT?!?

We had been friends for over three years, and our 'more than friends' chemistry had been building, slowly. A little flirting here and there during health class, butterflies when I'd see him in the hallway, getting on AOL Instant Messenger to talk almost every night. 

I don't exactly know how the date got scheduled, but we were talking on Instant Messenger joking around about how we'd be spending our time over break and how fun it would be if we did some of those activities together. All of a sudden we were talking about seeing each other the day after Christmas. I think I kinda blacked out on how we really got there, but I remember signing off the computer, a few days before Christmas, thinking I had a real date scheduled with Josh for December 26th. AH!  

The First Date

This was taken at Yellowstone this year. I have no pictures of our first date when we were 17-year-old babies.

It was a Tuesday. Josh drove over to my house after some days of pretty significant snowfall. He was late. I remember vividly literally pacing back and forth from the laundry room to our family room. Back and forth. This was before cell phones, before text messages. I certainly wasn't brave enough to call his house phone to see if he was still at home or had left so I was, instead, alone in my thoughts. Even at 17 years old my brain was no good place to be ;) 

When he finally showed, wow was I relieved. I don't remember what he was wearing that night, but I remember he smelled good. He remembers I was wearing a red turtle neck. I know just the one- it was one of my favorites. 

Our date started with sledding in my cul-da-sac. Because of the large amount of snow, the snow plow had given us all the coolest gift. All the snow was piled high in the middle making a huge mountain. It was amazing for sledding, climbing, and fort building. Epic!

Josh and I went out there to sled. Because my family has no boundaries, my little sisters, then 6 and 8 followed. I was freaking mortified, but had to seem calm, flexible, and a kind big sister so off they waddled in their snow pants behind us. Looking back now, Josh didn't even bat an eyelash at being followed around by my little sisters, which was a clear foreshadowing of several things. One, he was sure to make a fun and playful dad. Second, he would take on my large circus of a family without a hitch and go on, with me, to make our own circus family. It ended up being fun, having them out there. My sisters made easy conversation and needed our attention so there was a lot less room for awkwardness between Josh and me. 

After coming inside, we went down to the basement to watch "In the Army Now." Josh's choice ;) We got to do this activity alone. I've now seen the movie several times in all our years together and while I wouldn't call it one of my top movies, the comedy was perfect for our first date. Laughing together had and has been one of our most favorite things to do. The night ended with our first kiss. I remember being certain it was the best kiss I'd ever had.  It was a dang-near perfect date. 

The Most Important Date

At the time, it started the first round of our love story. We dated for a few months to later go our separate ways only to keep doing that same dance again and again and again until the end of our sophomore year of college when we finally stuck for good.

I refer to this, December 26th, 2000 as one of the most important days of my whole life. It was the day Josh and I merged our very important friendship with something more. I have this partner in love who is also my most favorite friend because this first date happened. Everything I see with my eyes here is because this first date happened. Thank you, sisters who butt in and can't take a hint. Thank you, Pauly Shore and Andy Dick and your mediocre comedy (sorry Josh). What a gift this day was. 

Happy 20 year anniversary of our first date, Josh. I love you. 

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