How I Met Your Mother...

My parents were here over Memorial Day weekend (from Iowa). They brought both my Grandmas along. It was the first time Grandma K met her newest Granddaughter, just off the plane from China. We really packed in the big events while they were here too. Jaylynn (newest granddaughter just off the plane from China) was baptized and celebrated her first birthday, my mom and I celebrated Mother's Day with pedicures and my parents took me to the Mona Lisa to celebrate my 30th birthday.

I asked my parents if having a 30 year old child made them feel old, my mom said "yes." The Mona Lisa is a romantic little venue. The waitress told us if we drop food in the fondue or on the table we have to kiss someone. Nice for my folks, a little more awkward for Grandma and I...

Anyway, the candlelit, romantic mood is set and I take the opportunity to glean a little historical info from my parents. "How exactly did you two meet again?" I knew it was in high school when my mom was a freshman and my dad was a junior and that for the first year they weren't even allowed to go on dates...but I had never heard the meat of it.

My dad passed the baton to my mom stating that "we have different versions". Hmm, already a little meaty. After a little look towards my dad to sort of say "watch it, Mr.", my mom starts the story. "It started with a dance; homecoming. I was planning to meet Bruce there to have a dance with him." Hold up-I interrupt her "Bruce, as in my uncle?" (as in my dad's younger brother). She smiles "Yes". "He decided he'd rather go out for pizza with his friends that night so Terry met me at the dance instead." My mom had not met my dad before this point. My dad stepped in to be a nice guy for his irresponsible younger brother (typical freshman) and danced with my mom. My dad decides to interject here and tells us that he went home that night and told Bruce "I might have just stole your girlfriend." After that there was a ride in my dad's car at Thanksgiving (which apparently my Grandma still doesn't know about) and some basketball games but when it came to going out on a date, Grandpa John said "Come back in a year." My dad stuck around though, in fact he started giving my mom and her younger brothers rides to school and church activities and such and I think my grandparents started to lighten up a bit (they had their own little chauffeur). I guess the rest is history because the story sort of stopped there.

Sometimes I don't appreciate my parents enough. They are so loving, generous and funny. We have lots of fun together and I definitely learned my work ethic and philosophy on giving from them. We don't see eye to eye on everything but as I get older I respect their opinions more and more.

Aren't they cute?

Next time I'm asking "How did dad propose?"