It was July 1998. Robert and I were both in recovery mode from the demise of two very long relationships when a mutual friend decided we should meet...yes, a blind date. Robert likes to say that I "avoided" his phone calls for nearly a month, but to be honest...I was just really busy...wink, wink. Truthfully, I was. We did talk a couple of times on the phone and Robert even "stalked" me at the gym one night unbeknownst to me...checkin' out the "rearview" while I was on the Stairmaster. Nice.
Our first date, well more like first meeting, was at Noah's Bagels for lunch...talk about safe, huh? Short and sweet with an easy escape for both of us. It wasn't love at first sight, but there was something there. Our conversations on the phone became rather lengthy and I felt like I was in high school again. Our first official date? We went down to Redondo Beach to have dinner at The Cheesecake Factory and then saw the movie, Saving Private Ryan...how romantic. Great movie...just not exactly "date" material. Still, we both loved the movie. I'm pretty sure I cut off the circulation in his hands at least a few times during the movie.
Our next date would be an evening/night trip up to Santa Barbara for dinner on the pier and then a long walk on the beach. Just a month into dating, our feelings for each other were deepening and the "L" word while not spoken often, was being thrown around as a possibility. We both could not believe that we were falling for each other so fast. Over the next 8 months our relationship would continue to blossom...and then suddenly come to a screeching HALT. Robert was having a little trouble with the next step, the next level of committment...so he suggested we take some "time apart."
A month or so into his "break" from us, Robert decided he was ready to move on...however, now I wasn't ready. Funny how that works, eh? A few months later, we both were finished figuring things out and decided that being together was where we wanted to be...and had always wanted to be. The next year or so would go by rather uneventfully. There was talk of marriage, family...but still no engagement. It was at this point Robert likes to say I gave him the ultimatum...you know "poop or get off da' potty" (in toddler terms, of course). I like to say that it was time--time to make a decision to take our relationship to the next level or go our separate ways. This was, oh, about November of 2000. A couple months go by...and still nothing...Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's? You've got to be kidding me, right? Plenty of opportunities to pop the questions, but nothing.
On January 6, 2001 we went out on a date. Actually, we went to his sister's house for dinner. She and her family live in Manhattan Beach. Ah, very convienient and close to The Cheesecake Factory where we went for dinner on our first real date. So, very casually, Robert suggested we go there to meet some friends for drinks and dessert. Sounded good to me.
Now, if you know me at all, you know that dessert is my thing. The only true way to judge any restaurant is by it's dessert menu...and if chocolate anything is NOT among the choices...there really is no point in moving past the hostess check-in. Just turn around, walk out, and find a real restaurant (with chocolate, of course). So what do I order? Strawberries and whipped cream. You got it. For the first time in my life, I decide to order something without chocolate...come to think of it, I don't think I was feeling very well (not ordering chocolate?). Little did I know it afforded Robert a perfect opportunity.
Our friends came...drinks came...dessert came. I took a few bites and felt full. Again, SHOCK. Me? Not finish a dessert? Surely I must have been very ill that night. That's when Robert steps in as the super sweet boyfriend...offering me just one more bite as he feeds it to me. I smile and take that last bite...and bite into something hard. My first thought was that it was some kind of strawberry stem...but it was awfully hard. I take it out of my mouth, look down and see a ring, covered in whipped cream. OMG! It was an engagement ring! I then looked to my right and saw Robert, down on one knee, taking my hand and asking me to be his wife, his love for life. The tears started streaming down my face and of course, I said yes. All of this, in the middle of the bar at TCF with our friends and a slew of strangers watching. Everyone broke into cheers and applause. It was a truly unique proposal. Good job, honey...;)
The next 10 months would be spent wedding planning...something I had always dreamed of doing. Then, on November 3, 2001, we would be married before God, our family, and friends. The wedding was on a beautiful Saturday morning...the weather was perfect. The ceremony was held at St. Lawrence Martyr Chruch in Redondo beach, with Robert's brother performing the ceremony (he's a priest if you didn't know)...a church with a lot of family history--weddings, baptisms. Following the ceremony we would venture a few minutes away into the residential neighborhood of Palos Verdes Estates for a reception overlooking the ocean. If you've never seen the La Venta Inn...its nothing short of amazing. I'm not a banquet hall girl...I like things to be more, well, organic. This place was exactly that. Not only are the ground gorgeous, but the view is breathtaking, and the venue itself, a sprawling one-story 1920's Spanish villa...a place we hope to revisit in 3 years for our 10 year anniversary and a renewal of our vows.
And that is the story of how Robert and I became "us." Up next...let's buy a new house and start a family! The first went really well...and the latter? Well, that didn't exactly go as planned.
Stay tuned for more...
Making Bets
1 week ago
