It was 40 years ago today, September 12, 1969, that Mark and I went on our first date. We were both 17 years old and had just begun our senior year at Mt. Rainier High School in the Seattle area. His dad was the principal of our large high school, but Mark and I did not know each other. We met that fall in our German class, where Mark sat behind me. The teacher would have us turn to the person behind us to practice our dialogue, so I turned around to practice my German with Mark. So, literally, the first words we ever spoke to each other were in German! It apparently didn't take long, however, for the conversation to switch to English, and Mark soon asked me to accompany him to a welcoming party for the foreign exchange students who would be attending our school that year. It was held at the home of one of the host families, and was a fun time. After a while, Mark asked me if I would like to take a walk around the block with him, and so we did. It was just a short walk, but he held my hand, my heart did flip flops, and the rest is history. (The picture above was taken just a few months later, in December of 1969, at a school dance.) Who could have predicted on that evening 40 years ago today, that we would fall deeply in love, marry, raise five amazing children together, and remain very best friends? God knew, for He is the One who orchestrated it all. Thanks, honey, for being mine. I love you so much. And by the way, my heart still does flip flops when you hold my hand.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
First date
It was 40 years ago today, September 12, 1969, that Mark and I went on our first date. We were both 17 years old and had just begun our senior year at Mt. Rainier High School in the Seattle area. His dad was the principal of our large high school, but Mark and I did not know each other. We met that fall in our German class, where Mark sat behind me. The teacher would have us turn to the person behind us to practice our dialogue, so I turned around to practice my German with Mark. So, literally, the first words we ever spoke to each other were in German! It apparently didn't take long, however, for the conversation to switch to English, and Mark soon asked me to accompany him to a welcoming party for the foreign exchange students who would be attending our school that year. It was held at the home of one of the host families, and was a fun time. After a while, Mark asked me if I would like to take a walk around the block with him, and so we did. It was just a short walk, but he held my hand, my heart did flip flops, and the rest is history. (The picture above was taken just a few months later, in December of 1969, at a school dance.) Who could have predicted on that evening 40 years ago today, that we would fall deeply in love, marry, raise five amazing children together, and remain very best friends? God knew, for He is the One who orchestrated it all. Thanks, honey, for being mine. I love you so much. And by the way, my heart still does flip flops when you hold my hand.
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5 comments:
Great story! Thanks for sharing. I'm glad I learned of your blog through Facebook. Your recent road trip, vacation looked like a lot of fun. Bob Cole
Dad, you are posing just like Ben would sit... but you have Jake's grin. Mom, you are wearing a carpenter's work shirt to a dance? And, I really like the part about your amazing kids...and walking around the block...and....love you guys!
Yeah - that dance was called the "Tumbleweed Tolo" for some reason. And the girls asked the boys to that one. And we were all to wear denim (which was totally weird, because we weren't allowed to wear pants at all to school in those days, so to allow us to wear jeans to a dance was practically scandalous). Crazy!
How cute....I love how you member all the details :)
:) I agree with Sarah - Jake looks just like Mark!
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