Need to catch up? How We Met

In May of 2009 (reminder – we met in September 2008) I had just gone through a break up with a guy I had seriously had thought I might marry. I was trying to figure out what to do with my life, my job, my missionary. But of course, through it all, I had my BFF Kyle. We went on a fun camping trip down to Bryce Canyon the beginning of May, and around then I realized I was seriously falling for him. But I was scared.

Sometime the end of May or beginning of June, I asked him to come with me to a play the campus theater program was putting on, The Giver. I thought I was being kind of sneaky by asking him on a date that wasn’t actually a “real” date. Kyle’s a gentleman, however, and it turned into a real date quickly. Kyle took me to Arby’s for dinner before the play, and to Baskin Robbins for ice cream afterwards, which we ate while walking around campus. We had a fun time, and I knew I liked him, and I was pretty sure he was into me too, but what did I want?!

A while later, on a Sunday after church, Kyle texted me asking if he could come over. We had already been to church together, and we had plans to get together with his brother Alan, and Alan’s girlfriend, for dinner, so I thought it was a little odd that he wanted to come over then, but of course I said that was fine. So he came, and we sat down on my roommate’s lovesac together. Kyle proceeded to tell me that the night before, a mutual friend of ours had told him that she liked him and wanted to date him. I had had my suspicions that they liked each other, and so as soon as he told me that, I was devastated and knew he came over to tell me they were dating, and I knew I had lost my chance with him. It had taken me too long to get my -ish together, and I had lost him for good.

But what he said next surprised me. I don’t remember the exact wording, but Kyle told me he had told our friend that he liked her, but also liked me, and that he wanted to talk to me first, to give me a chance to date him. I was shocked. And in my surprised state I promptly replied, “I don’t know….” about 50 times. Kyle, being the amazing guy he is, let it go, and said I could think about it and let him know. He also said that no matter what I choose, things wouldn’t change between us, and if I did say yes, he wouldn’t expect me to stop writing my missionary. I mean really, bless his patient heart. So he left, saying he’d pick me up for dinner later.

As soon as he left, I called two of my best friends (the other was in Africa), freaking out. What I had wanted was at the tip of my fingers, I had almost lost it already, and still I was unsure what to do. But after talking to my friends, I decided to go for it. Something that my bestie Emily told me during that phone call especially helped me make up my mind. Again, I don’t remember the exact wording, but I know she told me something like, Britt, Kyle’s the greatest. You’ll regret it if you don’t go for it. And you know he’s the nicest guy ever, so even if you do break up, you know he won’t be bitter and hold it against you. Do it, don’t regret it.

And so, I decided YES, I want to date him!

But, being my little 19 year old self, I didn’t get up the nerve to bring it back up to him again until 3 days later, on Wednesday, June 17 (2009). Kyle was walking me home from hanging out at his apartment, and was about to leave for work. Here’s how the conversation went:

B: Hey… Remember how you said you wanted to date?

K: Yeah.

B: Well, ok. Let’s date.

K: Ok.

B: Ok. So we’re dating?

K: Yep, I’ll talk to you after work.

And that my friends, is how it’s done. Oh my poor awkward self. It was such a funny conversation. But it’s fine, because it’s what set us on the dating path, and for that, I couldn’t be more grateful.

Next up? Our fun summer of dating.