the first date.

Today is Jonathan and my "three-years-since-we-started-dating" anniversary. In so many ways, it is hard to believe that: 1. It has been 3 years already {time has flown!} 2. It has only been 3 years {I feel like I have known that wonderful man for my whole life...and can't imagine a time when I didn't have him in my world.} Isn't time weird like that? It can seem both short and long at the same time.

In this post I promised to share the story of our first date at some point, so what better time to do that than the third year anniversary of that first date {which took place on January 14th, 2006}?

To best tell this story, here is an excerpt from my diary at that time {never thought I would put pieces of my diary up on the internet for all the world to see...but here goes!} :)

January 15th, 2006

**The words in brackets "{ }" are my real-time commentary on that special night.

"Wow...Last night I went on the best date that I have ever been on.

Jonathan Zajas picked me up at 5:30 at Nora Chambers {the dorm at Lee that most of my girl friends lived in} and we drove to Chattanooga. We went to Olive Garden {my absolute favorite restaurant at the time} and there was an hour and a half wait, so we put our name down and went across the street to the guitar store. This place was covered with guitars...from floor to ceiling. we wandered through the aisles and Jonathan told me all about the different kinds of guitars. We then went into this room filled with acoustic guitars...and Jonathan sat down to play a few songs for me to hear (he was really good!) After we left the guitar store, we went back to Olive Garden and after a half hour wait, we were seated.

The dinner was fantastic...salad and bread sticks with the good dipping sauce {mmmm....Alfredo}...I got the stuffed shells with sausage {which they don't serve at Olive Garden anymore, and it makes my heart sad} and Jonathan got the eggplant parmesan {which I thought was quite an interesting choice.} We got the raspberry cheesecake for dessert and, oh, was it good! Mmmmm! {he went all out for this.}

After dinner, we were sitting there waiting for--well, nothing really, because the waitress had already taken care of our bill. We sat there in silence for a few moments (I knew there was something that he was waiting to say)...I fidgeted with my straw and stirred the ice around in my empty glass {I had a major case of the butterflies.}

Jonathan then asked me 'How would you feel about pursuing a relationship beyond just friendship?' I smiled and said, 'I'd like that.' {on the inside I was saying 'YES! Absolutely, YES!'} He went on to tell me how he hasn't dated since he was 16, because he believed in dating with a purpose...and that purpose being marriage. He said 'Now, I don't want you to freak out or anything...I'm not asking you to marry me, but I'm asking you to join with me to discover if that is God's purpose for us or not.' He said that he wants to pursue this relationship wisely...he doesn't want to hurt me and vice versa. He said that he wants to pursue this relationship in a way that if we are not meant to be together, we can walk away from it with a positive outlook and say 'That was good.'

Wow...so now...Jonathan and I are dating. {and now we're married...woo hoo!} I have never dated a guy with as much maturity and integrity as he has. I am blessed.

After we left the restaurant, we went ot Barnes & Noble {which is still one of our favorite date spots. It holds special memories for us} and got some coffee at the Starbucks there {he had me order for him, because he wasn't much of a coffee drinker...boy, that has changed since he's known me.}

We walked around the bookstore with coffees in hand...and we looked at the different types of books that we like. He took me to the computer section and tried to show me some of what he does at work. Then, we looked through the Christian section--talked about what books we've read and what books we want to read. {we also went through the theatre section and I pulled out some of my favorite plays.}

It was a perfect first date. {Absolutely} Perfect."

And it was the perfect last first date of our lives.

Happy "three-years-since-we-started-dating" anniversary, husband. I love you more and more each day. Always and forever.

{the pictures shown are from our first few months of dating.}