Oh Boy!!!

I met someone. It's new, it's exciting, it has great potential, and I wanna blog so everyone knows the story without me having to tell it over and over again!


On June 16th, my mom Karen, my aunt Janis, my cousin Melanie, and I left for a week-long trip to Ireland. The plane trip from KC to Chicago was an hour long and we sat 2 and 2, right in front/behind each other. Well, the plane from Chicago to Ireland, Janis and Melanie were supposed to sit 6 rows AHEAD of my mom and me! So, when I got on the plane, I asked the people sitting in the 3 middle seats directly next to our seats if they were together, and if not would they trade seats. They were, so we got the people behind us to move up and trade. Meanwhile, I called the 3 who were together and wouldn't trade "yahoos" and that was that.


Well, a little into the flight, and after taking 1/2 an ambien (thanks, Dad), I started talking to this "yahoo." He was way too cute for me to even consider flirting, I didn't stand a chance. I just figured I'd make small talk since my family was on the precipice of passing out. I opened with three questions:


1. Are you married? He said no.
2. Do you have a girlfriend? He said no.
3. Are you gay? He said no.


Later he, Justen is his name, told me he thought it was so odd that his choices were either married, girlfriend, or gay. I have no filter...


During the 7 hour flight, we discovered we were both touring Ireland with the same tour company, so when we landed in Dublin I just assumed I'd see him in the airport. The tour shuttle was scheduled to do airport pick-ups at 9am and 11am. Our flight got in at 8:30 and by the time my mom, aunt, cousin, and I got through customs, we missed the shuttle by 15 minutes. We had almost 2 hours of waiting in the Dublin airport, and in that time we found several other travelers on our tour, but no Justen. I was disappointed, thinking he must be on another tour.


We got to our hotel at 11:15 only to find out the rooms weren't ready. So, the 4 of us walked the streets of Dublin until 2:00, exploring and talking to people. We hadn't showered, brushed our teeth, changed clothes, NOTHING! So, of course, when we walked into the hotel at 2, who walks out? JUSTEN. And he was freshly showered, looked amazing, and so handsome! I freely admit I smelled and looked tired. So, it was at that point I realized he would be on the tour but there was no way I was gonna get this guy.


For the next week, my family and Justen's family (he was traveling with his aunt Debbie and cousin Jessica) hung out together. We got along very well, the 7 of us. Justen and I usually gravitated towards each other in some way or another, and despite my growing crush, I was sure he was just happy to have a friend on the tour. He got along really well with Melanie, too. In fact, once she sneezed and he was kind of far away and heard her and said "bless you." So Melanie tells me to fake sneeze to see if he'll do that for me, which he didn't. I just didn't think someone like him would like someone like me.

And let me HONESTLY say that I was out of control on that tour. It was 45 people, and everyone knew who I was based on my loud laugh. There was another lady on the tour, Lisa from Australia, that was just as loud, and everyone knew us. They loved her though, she is so funny and sweet, and were mostly annoyed with me! Haha! I tried to talk to anyone I was by (with a few exceptions) and I just didn't hide my personality. I was open and honest and just ME from the get-go with Justen, he saw it all.


One night in Killarney, we had a moment. I don't wanna go into detail because it's such a SMALL thing, but it was the first time I thought he might like me...


The last night in Dublin, we all went to a pub for karaoke--I was the only American to sing, by the way, everyone else wussed out. He sat by me, which was not unusual. Pretty much every night of the trip we were all in a pub playing cards and drinking diet coke (well, I was always drinking diet coke) and he usually sat next to me. This time, however, a part of him was always touching a part of me. Had it been Melanie sitting that close, I would've moved to get space, but with Justen I just wanted to see if it was on purpose or... Well, after a few hours of sitting close, he put his arm around me.


And that's it. We smiled a lot, cuddled a little, and hugged at the end of the night as a goodbye.

The next morning I left Ireland EARLY, and he stayed for a few more days with his family. I wrote cards to several people on the tour saying how much I enjoyed them and to keep in touch. In HIS card I put my # and hoped he'd find me on facebook or email me or something. Upon arriving in Chicago, I grabbed my mom's cell phone and saw he had added me on facebook. I added him, then later found an internet station and got online. We chatted, admitted we liked each other, and it's going really great.

He came to Kansas City last weekend, and I'm going to Ohio in 2 weeks. My mom loves him, my family had fun with him, he met friends and went to church with me (he's NOT Mormon). He's just an amazing man.


So, this is the "reader's digest" version of the story because there are so many sweet details I left out, but those are for me to cherish and for you to imagine. :)


Oh boy!!!