I have a confession...

I just found this in my drafts. I wrote this right after I got back from Thanksgiving and Dave and I were unofficially engaged. Apparently I had to get it off my chest. :)

A really BIG confession.
First, let's talk for just a moment about how much I love this man.




Who, you ask?
Good question.

Confessional readers: I would like you to meet David Grygla

Dave and I were set up on a blind date by none other than my oldest brother, Bruce.

I have been patently against blind dates since the Disastrous Blind Date of '02 wherein my little brother Brian was thrown into the ceiling by his friend Mike in a failed attempt at a ballet lift and my date subsequently ran out the front door with hardly more than a "thanks-for-a-good-night-I'll-call-you-later-but-not-really-thanks-bye." In fact, I don't think I've been on a blind date since then.

Consequently, I waited almost a full 24 hours to call Dave back because I wasn't sure I wanted to subject myself to that kind of torture again. I consulted my "thestreetsareon" googlegroup. The response was unanimous: I would at least get a good story and a free meal out of it. I should go.

So, I called him back.

I was feeling sassy. The conversation had no filter. Some might call it unconscious sabotage. Turns out Dave loved it.

We agreed to meet up the following day at the Spanish Fork municipal airport where he introduced me to his mistress, Rhonda, The Short Stripper (which is, in fact, the name of his airplane - she can land on a short strip...get it?). After buckling me in, he showed me our flight plan, explained how the process was going to go, then flew me to Heber for lunch.

Yes, you read that right. Flew me to Heber. For lunch.

Yes, my palms were sweaty.
Yes, he thought it was funny.
No, I was not embarrassed.

Here's the funny thing: even though it was a blind date, I felt like I was with an old friend. We talked about everything: books, politics, death, grief, being single, travel...there was no topic shied away from. We had no fear. And he could keep up. I liked him right away.

After lunch, we took a fall foliage tour from the air. It was breathtaking, including the brief moment when he unexpected turned over the plane's controls to me. Longest 30 seconds of my life, let me tell you.

We landed safely back in Spanish Fork and proceeded to talk on the hood of my car for the next two and a half hours. The date only ended because I was afraid of him flying home in the dark. I had no idea he loves night flying and wasn't concerned about leaving at all, but he left anyway. When he got home, he texted me to tell me how glad he was Bruce set us up. I agreed wholeheartedly.

And the rest, as we say, is history.
Each day I fall more and more in love with him.
I just spent the week of Thanksgiving with him and his entire family.
I love them.
They love me.
Dave loves me, too.
And I love Dave.
Like, a lot.

So we decided to get married.
In Dave's immortal words, "It's a freaking miracle."
I could not have said it better myself.

I love you, Dr. Grygla.