How I Met Sam - Our first 'dates' 8

Sam had not yet had dinner. I can't remember how we remedied that, but I think we were both being fed on adrenaline. Someone mentioned how well I remember these things. Keep in mind that adrenaline imprints the brain to make memories stick. I had an adrenaline high coming off of the burglary - it took weeks to dissipate. Then the emotional roller-coaster of this new relationship, and my memories seem crystal clear!

We spent that evening talking into the wee hours. Still no 'relationship defining talk' yet. He didn't even fill me in on the talk with Mom and Dad. That's okay, though I was dying to hear about it...I just held my peace. I knew this was delicate territory and to tread lightly.

The next day we just hung out doing whatever - I remember we went somewhere on a double-decker bus. I'm not sure if it was an errand we were asked to run or if I was just taking him somewhere to show him the sights. We sat on the top deck, first row to get a good view of everything and at each turn to hope we didn't tip over (which is what you think will happen each time the bus takes a turn). At one point in the ride, he reached out and grabbed my hand and din't let go. I felt like I was along for the ride.

That evening we went on our first proper 'date'. He didn't ask and I didn't initiate - we just figured it was supper time and he asked where we might go. We went to the Riverside hotel near our house and ate in their little cafe there. I remember what I ate - a chef salad, which whenever I eat one, brings back fond memories of this time. It makes me nostaligic to eat a proper chef salad (it has to have thousand island dressing, and ideally a sprinkling of white pepper, but I digress).

We had a camera and a waiter took our picture. This is the first picture of us together - I'll find and post it here, eventually.

We walked home and I was SO happy. And yet it was still so nebulous. And I knew I couldn't push to define things. It just takes patience, prayer and a work of the Lord to bring about what we experienced!

On the walk home I remember him saying something that stuck in my head. He had told me of his affections in that email, but he hadn't spoken a word about it to me yet. I didn't query him, but he must have felt the need to address it. He said, 'I want to tell you I love you. But I've told myself I will only tell a girl I love her if the next thing I say is, 'will you marry me?' and I don't know that I can say that yet. ' I knew there was a lot going on in his head - some pretty heavy decisions.

Remember, we had known each other just 3 weeks.