So let's talk about nice things, like getting engaged. First, some background information.
The night that I met Kelsey was December 30, 2011. David Husband was visiting, and we were supposed to meet up with someone who got a stomach bug and canceled last minute. About ten seconds later, I got a text from one of my W&M friends saying that we should come join them at a bar where they serve liquor out of old ketchup bottles. Had David not been there I probably would have declined, but I felt the need to be a good host while he was in the city.
When we arrived at the bar I saw tons of W&M people I knew- people from my business program, from my freshman hall, from my musical, from Shakespeare in the Dark- and one person I didn't know. She was wearing a sparkly headband and somehow seemed to be best friends with all of these W&M people I had known for five or six years. I was curious as to how this was possible.
David started talking to her, and I saw my opportunity to throw him under the bus so as to make myself seem more likable in comparison. That's the way he would tell the story, at least. Kelsey noticed that we were wearing the same style of jacket, so I guess that was fate. There were lots of things to talk about, because she was unfamiliar with the city and was very honest about what she didn't know. I generally try to convince people that I know everything, so it was fascinating to talk with someone who took the opposite approach.
Throughout the night, my friends kept coming up to me and saying things like "Kelsey is a great person." "Did you know that Kelsey had these five things in common with you?" And finally, "we would be okay with it if you wanted to ask Kelsey on a date or something." I don't generally hang out with subtle people. Anyway, at some point Kelsey semi-invited us to a New Year's Eve gathering the following night that was happening at the house of one of my very first roommates ever, Jake Reeder. This was a fine excuse to see her again while being able to tell other people that I would be hanging out with my old roommate. She left and I did not get her number because I knew that everyone she was with had my number, but apparently this was my first misstep in our relationship and I will never be permitted to forget that I didn't ask for her number.
Regardless, she got my number from one of my friends (as I knew she could the entire time) and David and I went to the party the next night (following our own New Year's Eve party with other WM friends). It was awkward at first, because we walked in right as that group began giving each other secret santa gifts replete with inside jokes, but everyone was very friendly except for Kelsey. Kelsey wouldn't even look at me. Later, I found out this was what she does when she likes someone and is nervous, but at the time I thought that I had made a huge mistake. Over the course of the evening, our friends maneuvered us next to each other and then found convenient excuses to exit the conversation. Not subtle. We ended up talking until around 5AM, and everyone who kept checking in on us seemed very pleased. When the sun was about to come back up, I figured that I had kept David there long enough and we walked back to my dorm.
Over the next few days Kelsey and I talked online or on the phone and tried to come up with all of the reasons that we should not date one another. Neither of us actually wanted a relationship, both of us were in the middle of graduate school, and the prospect of a long distance relationship just sounded terrible. So of course we decided that we should give it a shot because we are very rebellious. It turned out to be a very good decision.
Since I knew that we would be going all sorts of places with the Navy (hopefully), I proposed at the beach- a place we will hopefully be able to get to at least once a year or so. For the next few years we're excited to be tentatively staying in DC so that we can experience the city outside of grad school. Our next step is figuring out a good name for our joint blog, which will replace both this blog and Kelsey's blog. Suggestions are welcome.
Throughout the night, my friends kept coming up to me and saying things like "Kelsey is a great person." "Did you know that Kelsey had these five things in common with you?" And finally, "we would be okay with it if you wanted to ask Kelsey on a date or something." I don't generally hang out with subtle people. Anyway, at some point Kelsey semi-invited us to a New Year's Eve gathering the following night that was happening at the house of one of my very first roommates ever, Jake Reeder. This was a fine excuse to see her again while being able to tell other people that I would be hanging out with my old roommate. She left and I did not get her number because I knew that everyone she was with had my number, but apparently this was my first misstep in our relationship and I will never be permitted to forget that I didn't ask for her number.
Regardless, she got my number from one of my friends (as I knew she could the entire time) and David and I went to the party the next night (following our own New Year's Eve party with other WM friends). It was awkward at first, because we walked in right as that group began giving each other secret santa gifts replete with inside jokes, but everyone was very friendly except for Kelsey. Kelsey wouldn't even look at me. Later, I found out this was what she does when she likes someone and is nervous, but at the time I thought that I had made a huge mistake. Over the course of the evening, our friends maneuvered us next to each other and then found convenient excuses to exit the conversation. Not subtle. We ended up talking until around 5AM, and everyone who kept checking in on us seemed very pleased. When the sun was about to come back up, I figured that I had kept David there long enough and we walked back to my dorm.
Over the next few days Kelsey and I talked online or on the phone and tried to come up with all of the reasons that we should not date one another. Neither of us actually wanted a relationship, both of us were in the middle of graduate school, and the prospect of a long distance relationship just sounded terrible. So of course we decided that we should give it a shot because we are very rebellious. It turned out to be a very good decision.
Since I knew that we would be going all sorts of places with the Navy (hopefully), I proposed at the beach- a place we will hopefully be able to get to at least once a year or so. For the next few years we're excited to be tentatively staying in DC so that we can experience the city outside of grad school. Our next step is figuring out a good name for our joint blog, which will replace both this blog and Kelsey's blog. Suggestions are welcome.
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