And so it begins...

Well, let's back up to about a month and a half ago...my mom called me and this is how the conversation went,

Mom: "Hi, so I have to tell you something funny!  I met your future husband today at the Credit Union!"
Me: "Um...ok?  What is his name?"
Mom: "I don't remember"
Me: "Well, did you give him my phone number?"
Mom: "No, I didn't want to freak him out! A little at a time, Michelle."
Me: "Mom, how is he ever going to be my husband if you a) don't know his name and b) didn't give him my number?"
Mom: "Oh, I will see him again and I will give it to him."
Me: "Yup" (With I am sure the most dull tone possible)

At this point I was thinking to myself, "welp, sounds like another one of 'those' set ups...you hear about it once and never hear of it again."

But sure enough, a few days later my mom called me to tell me that she had seen this boy's mom and gave her my phone number to give to "the boy."  I asked my mom how that conversation went.  She said it went well and that she told his mom what I like to do.  You know, eat sushi, go skydiving, travel the world...simple enough right?  I am sure he could satisfy my desires to travel, eat exotic foods and do daring fabulous things...at the tender age of TWENTY-THREE!!!! Yup, that is right.  I found out a couple more things about this boy after my mom gave my phone number out.  He is 23...seriously?  When is his birthday?  He knows Jaime Pyne, a boy in my home ward that I remember being 5!  Really?  That means he is younger than my younger brother.  WOW!  Whatever, I am over it.  I have come to terms with going out with younger boys, and really what could possibly happen?  Also, his name is Dallin...Dallin Johnson.

Fast forward to Conference Sunday night...I was sitting in a hotel room with my former Professor and a fabulous mentor, Jillisa Cranmer!  She is amazing and we were bonding over being "older and single."  Talking about boys, life, plans, dating, expectations and we even talked about this "future husband" that my mom was planning to set me up with...you name it we talked about it.  I LOVE HER!  Suddenly my phone rang, unknown number...meh...not answering it.  I leave the hotel around 11 pm and look at the number again...I gasped out loud.  Literally.  I realized that the number was from American Fork and that boy was from there.  I knew it had to be him.  I was quite surprised, I listened to the message.  Whatever, cheers to another blind date, right?  It was a busy week coming up but I had a goal to go out on a date every month in 2012.  I had met my goal so far and this date would help me in the right direction.  It was obviously too late to call this boy back that night and he said that he would call back the next day if he didn't hear from me.

Monday, April 2- Dallin the "future husband" calls again, we chat.  It was a little awkward.  He tells me that he is an Elementary Education major.  Um, not my 1st choice, but not a deal breaker.  Whatever, we can talk about kids, right?  Uhhhh....yeah!  (Love you, sweetheart!)  He asks what day works best, well I give him 3 options, he picks the last.  Saturday night.  In all honesty, I was excited to meet this boy since my mom liked him so much.  But I had NO expectations...not.a.one!

Saturday April 7-I attend a wedding reception of some dear friends from Pleasant Grove in the late afternoon.  Go out to dinner with a group of friends (didn't eat of course, just wanted to mingle with them) and then head to my parents house.  I decided, I would feel bad if I had just been in PG and then drove all the way to Provo just for him to pick me up down there.  So I went to my parents house, he picked me up at 7.  My mom was thrilled when I told her that he would be coming there to get me.  He knocks at the door and mom was more than happy to answer it.  Haley and the kids we over.  The kids run up the stairs and Haley "needed to get something", er, needed to check this dude out.  Apparently she approved and I think Easton did too because the boy was wearing a BYU jacket.  What more could a 6 year old ask for?  He just needs a cheering buddy and he's happy!  Averie on the other hand would have NOTHING to do with the boy...didn't even want to look at him.  We say hello, walk out and he opens the car door.  Good boy!

Ok, let's get to the good part.  We go to Cafe Rio...good choice.  Take it to a park (per my suggestion! yeah, I think I got a point for that one) and carry on a regular conversation. We talk about missions, family vacations, school, traditions, hobbies etc etc.  I felt comfortable and conversation was easy.  I was just myself...that's all I could be.  We went back to his place, aka his parents house.  While walking up to the door I asked, "Is your family home?"  (In a tone that was saying, seriously...am I meeting your family?)  Dallin very calmly, "Yeah, I think so."  Uh, yup...ok...wow...I am going to meet this boy's family.  Talking to myself...ok, don't read into this, he is just trying to make this a good date, I am sure he has only good intentions...just wants to have fun.  Yes, of course!  Ok, breathe...just enjoy.  Alright, relaxed.  His mom comes down, "Hi Michelle, I've heard so much about you!"  In my mind thinking, oh great she knows that I like sushi, skydiving and traveling.  My reply, "Well, I hope that is a good thing!"  We continue to chat for the next few minutes.  She is a 1st year teacher and I can't help but feel so blessed that I don't have to do lesson plans.  Yup, that is what I thought.

Next up: Easter egg dying.  Meanwhile the dad and brother come in and I meet them.  They had gone to red box to get a movie.  Movie of choice: Planet of the Apes.  Yeah, not my 1st choice, nor Dallin's yet we end up watching it with them.  I was having a good time with Dallin so why not stick around?

We sit down to watch the movie and it felt like Dallin sat 10 feet away from me.  In my mind went something like this..."For real?  Are we in jr high?  You can at least sit semi close to me."  So, I then, against all that I would normally do, begin to move closer to him.  Throughout the movie I get closer and closer and closer.  At the end of the movie his arm was on mine, all I thought was, he does not have to hold my hand if he does not want to.  He is not showing any signs of not wanting to...so hear it goes!  My pointer finger links with his pinky...I couldn't handle it and we hold hands.  I claim that I held his hand...it may have been a joint effort but he will tell you that he was SCARED OUT OF HIS MIND!!!  Ha! Ha!  Poor kid, on a date with the bank teller's daughter, who is 27 and an RM (which he never wanted to date...).  He must have been a little nervous.  Meh...I felt completely comfortable with it.  Funny to those who know my dating history.

That night he invited me over to play games with his family the next day, Easter Sunday.  I accepted.

To be continued...