The Dates -- Part 1

....Ok so now where was I?

Right! So once we had put together that we were in the same ward as well as the same accounting class, it made it a lot easier (for me at least) to say hello whenever I saw him. I think it seemed easier because the he wouldn't think I was a creeper or something -- I mean helloooo, we have 2 fundamental places of common ground here!

So here we had gone a few weeks just saying hi to each other in class, talking once at a linger longer after church, but right after finals there was one time where he really instigated the conversation. It was kinda a landmark moment, so to speak.

It was on a cold December Sunday, right before church started. I was in the zone because I was having to give a talk that day. Basically, as soon as I walked in the door of the church building, I planned to bee-line it to the stage and wait for the next hour and a half to go by as quick as possible. As I was walking in and became fixated on my place of where I would be sitting, I hear this, "Hey Andrea, how did you do in accounting?" I turn my head and look down to see Jeff sitting on one of the back benches. I remember being a little shocked that he had started a conversation and was talking to me first. (Because he had been so shy up until now.) I soaked it all up for a minute then my nerves got the best of me and I left to take my seat on the stand.

That Sunday was my roommate Lauren's last night before she moved out. She had gone over to a mutual friends house, and guess who was there... Jeff. I remember her coming home to say that one of the guys there thought I was cute, and she told me it was Jeff and I just laughed cuz I was all embarrassed. (I get embarrassed easily.) The next day he added me on good ol' FB. He had sent me a message saying that I did really good on my talk, & a conversation spiraled from there. I invited him over to my house with some other friends that Thursday before Christmas. I talked to him at FHE the next day for a bit and reminded him about coming to my house for dinner and then heading to campus for the game. I was hoping he would ask me for my number then... didn't happen. Well anyway, he came to dinner! :) And hooooly friggin crap. Can I just tell you how nervous I was?? I was pretty much a mess on the inside and dying of sweat because, again, my nerves were getting the best of me.

We had a fun time at the basketball game, and I remember thinking the whole time, "I really just want to hug this boy!" Weird right...? I mean really. Who would just do that?

After the game I walked him to his car giving him the perfect opportunity to ask for my number. And what did he do....well I guess more what he did not do...

The next week was kinda a downer for me. I didn't hear from him at all on through cyberspace and obviously not my phone. I would catch myself with negative thought about the whole situation. Thinking the dumbest things like, "He probably didn't like you because your makeup was too dark," or "he probably thought you were weird because you rip the ends of your hot dog buns off," and "maybe he didn't like how you act and cheer at basketball games." ah, it was the worst! I had told my mom all of this, and I had just finished expressing all of these ridiculous thoughts on the phone with my friend Tara when I was like "Duh Andrea! Get a hold of yourself! If he doesn't like you for those reasons, then he isn't worth it."


I knew that all along. I really did. And I have never, ever, ever been one of those girls who let their thoughts run away from them. Never. And this little epiphany, literally 30 seconds after hanging up with Tara, I get a little "ding" on my iPod telling me I have a new email message.


I check it and started squealing for joy!


" Jeff Smith: 'Andrea! How was your Christmas?! Hope it was great! We should do something again when you're back in town, I had a lot of fun hanging out with you. Talk to you soon!'"

New Years Day was the start of an almost every day conversation which led to...