Our Story
A bit idealized, but generally true
He walked up to the picnic area in the park. He looked around
for any sign of people he knew at the party, but started to wonder
if he was in the right place. A moment later, he spied a friendly
face; the guest of honor: Desiree. She waved him into the group, and
soon he recognized a number of other faces. He walked around the party
greeting his friends and aquaintences. There were a number people
at the party that he did not know. Spouses, significant others, and
other friends of Desiree, he assumed.
On the far side of the pavillion, he noticed a couple of rather attractive women. Recent experiences with the opposite sex had left him ambivalent about this discovery. Unsuprisingly, though, he started to make his way that direction. One of the first people he greeted was the guest of honor. Desiree was a bit busy being the center of attention, but she took the time out of being fawned over to walk him over to the area of interest and introduce him to those there.
"This is Kerry. Kerry, this is Andrew," she said.
Andrew greeted them; and, well, choked a bit. Just a bit, though. He just stood there dumbfounded for a moment. Slowly the rememberance that he had vocal chords forced it's way into his conciousness.
"Breath. Now, on the exhale, tighten the chords. OK, move your mouth in a meaningful manner. You're doing it! You're talking to them!!!!" encouraged his higher brain functions.
Later, when he looked back on these events, he could only remember short "flashes" of events: talking to the burnette for a few moments and then switching to the blonde and talking to her for much longer; trying to force himself to talk to both, and ending back with the blonde; getting very excited as he found that the blonde was starting at the CTRC that week; getting even more interested as he learned that she was a nurse (beautiful AND intelligent!!!); trying to contain his joy at finding out that she attended Bible Study Fellowship (only really committed Christians go to BSF!). She also told him that she had recently gotten out of the Air Force. Being an Air Force brat himself, he had quite an affinity for that branch of the military, and she only grew in stature in his mind. All told, he became very interested , and determined that he would ask this woman out.
Her name was Erica.
Having made this decision, he attempted to find out about her interests so that he might increase his chances when he did follow through with his gut. He asked what she liked to do with her spare time. Rollerblading, biking, hiking, etc. came the answer. He did a quick internal inventory. Nope, none of those things on his radar. But, they could be! He remembered riding a bike at some unspecified point in his personal history. Similar memories of rollerskating (it can't be that different than rollerblading, can it?) came to rememberance. Suddenly, he saw himself in a whole new light. Outdoor man! Able to sweep beautiful, intelligent, Christian blonde women off their feet with a single hike! Yes, the plan was set. He knew what she liked. He knew he could do it. All he needed to do was ask her. She worked at the CTRC with him. He'd see her again. He'd wait for a time when there weren't so many people around.
And wait he did.
He saw her at the weekly meeting at work the next Monday, and said "hi."
His office was moved over right next to the clinic where Erica worked every day. He made sure that he walked by the clinic door often, but never actually went in to talk to her. (There was an incident at the breakfast taco table a few months later, where he was finally given an opportunity to strike up a conversation. Sadly, his confidence was quickly removed by the fact that she could not remember his name. She went back to work before he could regain his composure.)
Enter Murali and Amita
Finally, two good friends of his, both doctors at the CTRC, decided that it
was about time that he get off his rear and find a wife. They suggested
a number of different prospects, and offered to set him up with them. One
day, he realized that one of these prospects was indeed the beautiful,
intelligent, Christian blonde woman that he had been "trying" to ask out.
His indicated interest embolded Murali to try talk to Erica. Unfortunately,
the addage "He who hesitates is lost" had come to fuition, and she was
in a relationship at the time.
When Murali relayed this information to Andrew, Andrew gave up on the idea. Luckily for him, Murali was not so easily disuaded. For the next several months, Murali would, at regular intervals, ask Erica if she was still in a relationship. She always responded poliltely that she was. (He asked often enough that Amita was worried that he might be accused of sexual harassment.)
One day, he asked, and she responded differently. She had recently broken up with her boyfriend. Murali leaped into action. He immediately set up a double date between Erica and Andrew with himself and Amita. Everyone agreed, and the date was set for June 30th.
The First Date
On June 30, 2003, Erica, Andrew, Amita, and Murali all arrived at a local
Indian restaurant. After some breif introductions, they all made some
small talk for a while. Andrew had to admit that he was working three
jobs at the same time, as well as personal projects. Erica was not
impressed.
As the date ended. Erica started to walk toward her car. Andrew saw that this was his only opportunity. He followed her out into the parking lot, and asked for her number. He was extatic to find that she was willing to give it to him. In return, he gave her one of his business cards with all of his contact information.
The Chase
Two days later, he called her. Two days after that he called her again, and continued the pattern for a while. She was quite busy (or so she said), so it was 3 weeks before he could see her again for their next date. The conversations got longer and more personal each time. Soon she was telling him at the outset of some calls that she was only going to talk to him for about half an hour, and that was it.
Still, through all of this, she was not convinced that he was worth the
effort of a relationship. She was trying to figure out with who of her
friends she should try to set him up. Senseing this, after 3 dates,
he decided to press the issue. She had told him that she wanted to see
an exhibit at the Witte Museum. He took her there, and then took her
for a walk in the park afterward. Unbeknownst to her, two of his friends,
Ben and Melissa, had set up a formal dinner picnic in the park. During
the dinner, she decided that he wasn't that bad, and maybe she wouldn't
set him up with one of her friends. This was fine with him.
Soon, they were dating regularly, and at a Labor Day Picnic on September 1, 2003, they decided to make their relationship offical; or "go steady" in high school terms. It quickly became clear to them, and those around them, that they were meant for each other.
The Engagement
On December 14, 2003, Andrew tried several times, unsucessfully to ask
Erica to marry him. First, he tried in a cave, but it wasn't what he
he expected, and the guides where pressing them down the path. He
had then made plans to go to a really nice restaurant, and thought
it would work as a backup. It didn't work out, though, because they
got out of the cave too late. They made a last minute change of plans
to go down to the San Antonio Riverwalk. When there, he tried to propose,
but she was running too fast to get to a warm restaurant. He didn't
even try during dinner.
Finally, after dinner, they walked a bit slower to the car, and he found a location on the river where there were not too many onlookers. Weeks before, he had rewritten a song that she had jokingly asked him to sing to her. At that moment, he sang it to her, got down on one knee, and asked her to marry him. She said yes!
The Result
Now they are planning their wedding, which will be happening on May 29, 2004!