our love story {part 1}

Later this month will mark three years since Brandon and I started dating.  I had to stop and think about the number of years as I typed that because in so many ways I can't believe it was just three years ago.  I thought I'd re-tell "our story" as a  way to celebrate...and share it with you ((I may even have Brandon chime in)).

In the summer of 2008, I moved from Baltimore to Boston.  I had learned a lot at my job in Maryland, but it was time to move on and I had several friends in the Boston area I visited at least once a season.  I felt a tug in my heart to move north, and had been seeking jobs since January 2008.  Finally, things came together in July when I first agreed to sign a lease with three women living near Boston and then I was offered a job at a university south of Boston.

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By the end of August, I was welcoming Jason Bay ((remember him?)) to the Red Sox and getting ready to meet the students I'd be working with.  Dating was honestly the farthest thing from my mind, as I settled into a new routine that involved a rather lengthy commute ((2 hours by bus/subway/commuter rail)) and learning not only my job, but the university culture where I worked.  Thankfully, I didn't have to search for a church community for long because of my roommate's involvement in one.  From the first time I visited Citylife, I felt at home.

During the fall, I got involved in a community group ((CG))...funny story about my first time going to CG...  ((Background: my friend, Rachel, who also went to this CG had told me she loved the group because it was made up of married couples and there wasn't an emphasis on being single or dating or anything.  I loved this idea because I had previously had several bad experiences with going to church-related events/groups for unmarried folks.  They often felt like meat markets and I hated that.))  When I arrived for my first time at CG, I was the second person to arrive, having only met the host once or twice before at church.  He was one of the pastors and CG was meeting at his house.  The other man I had never met before, but I assumed he was married since when I heard Rachel say the group was made up of married couples, I assumed every man there was married.  He was really nice and talked to me a lot and the whole time I kept thinking, "I wonder when his wife will get here."

And it turned out that was my first encounter with Brandon.  I asked Rachel about "his wife" on the way home and she laughed, then replied "Oh, I had actually forgotten Brandon came to CG because he wasn't around all summer.  He doesn't have a wife; he's not married."  I was both relieved ((because had been so talkative to me)) and disappointed his wife wouldn't be a new friend!

I continued going to CG on Thursday night and looked forward to getting to know the others in the group: five unmarried gals, three single guys ((one being Brandon)) and three other couples.  About a month into the school year, Rachel started hosting Sunday night dinners at her apartment.  She was living alone at the time and made a large meal on Sundays, inviting friends from CG, church and others she knew living in Boston.  The Sunday night dinners drew a crowd, sometimes more than would fit around the table, but it was always fun to see who would show up.  Brandon started to attend these weekly gatherings regularly.  I don't remember talking to him much one on one, until the time after I'd cut my hair.  He complimented it.  I didn't know him well and he'd been talking about leaving Boston.

For Thanksgiving, I flew home to Colorado.  My good friend, Cory, had recently started seeing someone she met on e-Harmony and recommended I sign up and try it myself.  Conveniently, they were having a trial weekend, so I took the plunge and signed up!  I was pretty curious what the online dating scene had to offer since I hadn't had much luck finding someone to date I actually knew.

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In December, I got my first taste of what living in a big city during a snow storm really meant.  And also reaped the benefits of having snow days from work.  I loved working at a commuter school.  The week before Christmas brought a storm large enough to shut down the college that Friday.  Finding this out during CG made it even better and I made plans with some of the gals to go see a movie the next day.  Brandon was standing nearby and eagerly let us know he wanted to see Slumdog Millionaire too.  We all planned to meet at the theater the next day.

I was excited to hang out with friends and see a promising movie, but I also had a date lined up thanks to e-Harm for Saturday.  I had only talked on the phone to the guy, but the fact that he had picked up on my hint to go to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum seemed to be a good sign.

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The movie proved to be a good one and the company also great.  Afterward, the four of us decided to trudge to the South End in snow at least a foot deep for sandwiches.  The streets were quiet and snow was still falling.  We ate warm food and shared stories about Christmas memories.  The twinkle lights adorning the cafe made an already lovely day even better.  As I remember back on the scene of Brandon, Rachel, Kaitlin and me sitting in Francesca's it still seems like a dream.

((to be continued next week...))