Help Me Celebrate 21 Years!

I’m celebrating 21 years today. No, it isn’t my birthday. I say my life began 21 years ago today, because this is the date of my first date with Bobby.

Up until October 22, 1994, I had no idea how wonderful life could be. I didn’t realize that even doing mundane things like laundry could have meaning. I had wanted to be married for so long, but I didn’t know how great married life could be. And really, I wasn’t sure that a happy ending was part of my story.

That all changed when Bobby and I got together. It was a long and winding path to find one another–well actually he found me–but I wouldn’t change a thing.

Our first date almost didn’t happen. The way the story goes, Bobby had made a bet with a few of his friends at Cincinnati Christian University (then it was called Cincinnati Bible College). He had liked me for about one year, but never had asked me out. He says the reason was “there were always guys around her.” He obviously never saw me sitting alone in my room or in the library!

I remember the first time I met Bobby. It was October 1993. Jim Bird, who would later marry us, introduced me to “Mr. Robert Edward Warren, Jr., 32, single and looking.” I, the charmer that I am, said, “Welcome to Cincinnati” and then I left.

Sometime before October 19, 1994 (the day he asked me out), he and some friends were talking about the girls they liked. His friends made a bet that by October 19 they would either ask out the girls or buy the other a steak dinner. Bobby in his confident way, said, “I’ll take that bet.” He was sure he would ask me out by that date.

Well, I guess he only saw me once in that time frame. It was in the stairwell of President’s Hall. He was going up and I was going down. He was eating Famous Amos cookies. He had his mouth full. Since I had no idea he was interested in me, I basically said hello and good bye.

The evening of October 19, Bobby had admitted to the fellas that he had failed to ask me out.  He told them, “That’s alright. I don’t want to have to tell our children I met their mother on a bet.” Then by “chance” (of course I know now it was a God ordained coincidence), we were both in President’s Hall again. It was almost 7 p.m. Neither of us lived on campus, so we typically wouldn’t be there after classes were finished. Yet there we were!

He asked me out, I said yes–well eventually. He asked me for a specific date and time that I already had plans. He then he said, “You didn’t say no. Will you go out with me sometime?” I said yes, of course. What girl turns down a free dinner and movie when she is a poor college student?

We eventually decided on a date for our date. (It is a great story, but a little too long for this blog.) He picked me up at my apartment at 6 p.m. and walked me to my door at the end of our date at 3:30 a.m. the next morning. Not only did I get a dinner, but I got two movies–one that hadn’t even opened yet, a hot fudge sundae from United Dairy Farmers and a stroll along the Ohio River at the Serpentine Wall.

But more than anything, I received on that day, was the change of trajectory of my life. I am a better person because Bobby Warren took me out 21 years ago today . So celebrate with me!

What about your first date? Do you remember? Feel like sharing? Please do so in the comments below. Oh, yeah, if you like my blog, please share it with your friends. I’d love for more people to find out how awesome Bobby is!