First Kiss Fourth of July

This time of year most people think about what a wonderful country we live in and those that died to preserve our way of life. You know... freedom, America, pride, liberty, county, love, sacrifice. Well I have all those feelings too, but every year when the Fourth of July rolls around I find myself thinking about the very first kiss that Joe and I shared.

Ours was something of a whirlwind romance. I never intended to fall in love and get married so quickly, but that was the way it happened.

I had met Joe at the beginning of the year in our institute ward, but it wasn't until the Sunday of the Nauvoo Temple dedication (June 30th) that we started "dating". That Sunday we had a combined Relief Society/Priesthood meeting. If you've ever been in a singles ward, you know what that means... the dating/chastity discussion. *sigh* So I was somewhat surprised when they started talking about being honest with your fellow men. I was really enjoying the lesson, when they started talking about being honest in your nonverbal communications with your fellow men... uh oh! So the lesson turned into a talk about what it means when you hold hands and kiss someone. Basically it was the dating/chastity lesson in disguise!

After the lesson Joe and I started talking on our way to Sacrament meeting about the fact that the people who needed that lesson most probably weren't there that day. He ended up sitting by me in the back of the chapel. I don't think either one of us remembers what the speakers talked about during that meeting! We were too busy whispering in the back. We decided to meet at the temple dedication later that evening.

Joe was helping to usher at the dedication that night, and I almost didn't make it into the building before they locked the doors! I had never been to the stake building before, and in Tucson the buildings are few and far between. But I made it and someone showed me to a seat at the end of an aisle. But before long Joe came and asked me if I wanted to sit in the back with him. Did I ever!

I don't know if either of us remember much about the dedication either. By the time it had ended I think we had already held hands and I know that Joe had put his arm around me. The funny thing is that normally this kind of thing would freak me out (you know.. TOO FAST BUDDY!) but for some reason it totally didn't bother me at all (we even talked about what our holding hands meant, given the Sunday school lesson we had just had!).

We ended up talking in the parking lot after all of the other cars had gone. After that day we were pretty much inseparable. On Monday morning (July 1st) Joe met me at the institute to walk me to class. I think I was probably sold right then! That night I met Joe at Family Home Evening. He didn't show up at first and I was so disappointed. Turns out he had fallen asleep, but he came and sat by me as soon as he got there. I remember how excited I was that Joe liked me enough to keep coming back for more.

The next day Joe met me again in the morning and walked me to my classes. What a great way to start your day! Then he invited me to his institute class that evening. We ended the evening by standing outside the institute building talking with the stars above us. I was supposed to be moving back to Salt Lake to finish up my degree, but I think by this time my plans were starting to change.

On Wednesday evening we went on our first official date. We went to a movie at the mall. We got there a little early, and I remember that Joe suggested we pass the time by looking around in a ring shop! I was a bit surprised, but secretly I was a little pleased as well. Normally this kind of thing would freak me out, but I wasn't bothered in the least. I told him, "Not quite yet". We had a great date. I especially enjoyed the fact that the theater chairs let you put up the arm rest between any two seats!

At this point we still hadn't kissed. Thursday was the Fourth of July and we were supposed to meet and go on a double date with my roommate to see a laser show on the military base. (Fireworks aren't allowed in Arizona very often... too much of a fire hazard). Unfortunately I didn't know that you had to have picture ID to get on a military base. I felt like such an idiot, but everyone was so nice about it. We decided to rent a movie and go back to our house instead.

I had a feeling that Joe wanted to kiss me, but I was nervous because I still had my braces on. I think I actually even told him that! I can't remember if we watched Hercules, or the Emperor's New Groove... I was probably too busy thinking about what kissing Joe would be like.

At the end of the movie my roommate left to take her date home. Joe decided to hang out for a little while. Of course that is when we first kissed. For me it was something like this:

So on the Fourth of July when I see fireworks I can't help but smile... and give my Honey a kiss.