09-02-99

Ten years ago yesterday was a very special day, though I had no clue at the time. That was the day that I met Grant for the first time face to face. We had been writing for about a year and a half (a whole other story which sometime I will tell) and that was the day we met in person. Seven months previous to that I had gotten home from my mission. One day before Grant had stepped off of the airplane into the U.S. for the first time in almost two years. He had gotten my # before he came home, and the evening of the 2nd he paged me. I was out to dinner with good friends (Nanne and Joep Wijkstra) visiting from Holland. They took several of us to dinner at their favorite place Sizzler. I got the page and called him back on the pay phone there. We decided to meet that night since the next day he was on his way to Idaho to see his sister and then off the California. He had his uncle give me directions to his Nana's where he was staying. I ate dinner with my friends, ran home really quick and then headed up to Sandy.

I do not know what I was thinking, well I was not thinking, but I was in for a treat. I rang the door bell, and not until the door opened did it dawn on me that he was just back from his mission and his WHOLE family was there. So now the interesting/embarrassing part begins. Let me give a little history. Grant and I decided that when we met we would not shake hands because we were no longer missionaries, that we would hug. So his sister who answered the door called down the stairs to Grant. Up comes someone running...and mind you I have only seen pictures of this guy. The person says hello and sticks out his hand to shake it, so I say, "Remember we said we were not going to shake hands," and I give him a big ole hug....in front of everyone. He looks at me funny, turns around, and goes down the stairs, not saying another word. I follow while thinking, man I do not remember his teeth looking so jacked up in the pics. We get down there and leads me to a room where Grant is sitting on the bed talking on the phone. Yep, I hugged his 16 year old brother. I was very embarrassed, but very excited about how good looking Grant was.

He got off the phone, hugged me, and kept fidgeting. I could tell he was nervous, and that made me a bit nervous. I still remember what he was wearing. A red flannel shirt, baggy jeans with Doc shoes and a shark tooth necklace. (Grant remembers what I was wearing too because I tried to get rid of it this year and he would not let me because that was what I was wearing the first night.) He took me upstairs and introduced me to his family, all of them. I remember feeling like a deer caught in headlights with all the names and questions. I could not remember which one was his mom and which one was his aunt. We finally decided to go to a movie and several of the family went with us.

I told them all this great new movie was out, we should go see it. It was Sixth sense. How was I supposed to know that his family did not do scary movies, my family loves them. He about died and had nightmares for a month, but he was a trooper. At some point in the movie I was thinking I really wanted him to hold my hand (and hand holding was a pretty big deal for me). I strategically placed my hand so it was easy for him to grab, but I think he was too scared to even notice. After the movie we went back to his Grandma's house and sat in the car talking FOREVER! He eventually held my hand (which I loved) and later kissed me (once again no complaints.) Though, he will argue who kissed who...it was so him!

The thing that was so amazing to me was how comfortable it felt from the first night. I felt like I had known him forever. It only took dates with two other guys after that to know that I did not want to spend my time with anyone else! Ten years ago, who would have thought this is were we would be? Not me, and not Grant. But, I am SO glad this is where we are!

I think it is interesting to note that when Grant and I left Nana's house that night, she turned to everyone else and said, "That is the girl Grant is going to marry."