One Year Ago Today...

I went on my last first date. Because on October 18, 2006, I had dinner with the woman that, some six and a half months from now, will be my wife.

Now, there's been plenty of dispute about whether our dinner strictly qualifies as a "date." It came about partially as a "thank you" dinner -- Jen wanted to express her gratitude for the help I'd offered her in preparing for an interview with the Institute for Justice. At first, I didn't know what to make of her "I owe you a drink or dinner or something," but when she later (and without encouragement from me, I might add) pressed on with "So about that drink I owe you... you'll just have to let me know when there is an opening in your schedule," I figured that her interest in the endeavor was more than purely social.

We tossed the date together almost as an afterthought. We were both tremendously busy (some things never change, right?) and it just so happened that the best time for us to get together was just a few hours after we started trying to figure out a good opportunity. I recommended that she meet me at El Paso Cafe in Ballston, my favorite Mexican food place in the area.

The dinner was fantastic. I got my first real taste of her very-long-but-oh-so-endearing style of storytelling, but also got a glimpse into her wonderful heart, mind, and spirit. So the next day I let her know that I wanted to get together again. And that started the long and eventful chain of events that led to the miracles of our love and engagement.

I haven't always been the best about sharing my feelings with her, and, to be honest, for a long, long time I wouldn't allow myself to have any real, deep feelings for her. But God is good and faithful and it is thanks to the prayers of many of you that God finally broke through the walls that I had built up around my heart so that I could realize the love that Jenifer so richly deserves. But now, thanks to God's work and Jen's patience, I can now happily say that I'm as excited as I can be that I will get to marry the wonderful, beautiful, precious woman who has come to be my closest friend. I love you, Ginger, and I can't wait until you're my wife!