How we met…
Our love story begins the Summer of 1998. We were both accepted into a math summer program for minorities at California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) prior to beginning our first semester. Oddly enough, we were both on the fence regarding whether we’d be attending CSUS in the Fall. I sent my application to Oral Roberts University and I was eagerly waiting for my acceptance letter. I later found out they never received my application. Juan on the other hand wasn’t even sure if he was “College worthy” (something I’ll need to blog about at another time). Through what may have seemed like the eagerness of CSUS’s organization to recruit minorities, because neither one of us actually applied into the program, we both received invitations to participate with all provisions supplied. I now acknowledge it for what it was-the hand of God leading us on His path for our lives.
During the summer program, we didn’t chat much but most of our friends did. Once our first semester began, our paths seemed to be divided. I felt like such a small fish in the ocean. I was a country girl and I was not used to such a beautifully diverse population and what felt like a huge campus. I couldn’t seem to find anyone I met during my summer program. Finally, one day Juan and I passed each other. We chatted for hours. Still we left our separate ways without exchanging information. I can remember telling my mom how I thought he was attractive but he seemed to have such a negative perspective. I later found out, he was still recovering from a bad relationship.
When we decided to be in each other’s lives…
After we both had spent our 18th birthdays alone in October, it was surprisingly pleasant to run into Juan the day after my birthday. Shockingly he greeted me with the question of how my birthday went. I interpreted his inquiry as interest. I thought, “What kind of guy who barely knows me remembers my birthday?” Needless to say, he had my attention.
The same day we went to lunch with other friends on campus and immediately hit it off. This time we exchanged information and made a point to try to connect again soon. Within a day or so, we managed to invite each other to different Halloween parties.
It’s a bit unclear to determine when we had our first date. I guess it depends on who you ask. We originally decided to go on our first date to a Halloween party but we went out a couple times beforehand to coordinate our costumes-a French Maid and Butler.
One night we met up to look for costumes and had dinner at Old Spaghetti Factory in Downtown Sacramento. Years later we would have our Engagement party there to commemorate the night. We seemed to really enjoy one another’s company and had hopes for a bright future together.
The Halloween party in itself was a bit of an awkward evening. We were both out of our comfort zones in hopes to appease each other. We would later admit toward one another we didn’t enjoy the party scene.
After a few days in November, hanging out and meeting his family, I had a frank conversation with my future husband. I didn’t want to be fooling around or wasting my time with a guy that was not going to be committed in a relationship. I wanted him to ask me to be his girlfriend, otherwise I was planning to move on. On November 6, 1998 Juan asked me to be his girlfriend. I’d say he was and is a smart man! <wink!>
Stay tuned for How it all Began With Two: The Courtship…
It All Began With Two 
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