Not an April Fools' Joke! :-)

This past week, I went downtown with a friend and I found a great pair of navy blue heels for $15 (classic style, not the points or backless or whatever is supposed to be trendy now)! So today, I had an excuse to wear the navy blue dress suit I've owned for years but haven't worn because I didn't want to pair it with my black shoes. I also wore a Venetian glass clip in my hair and pretty earrings I wore to the Christmas Ball last year. And ... I've just spent the last paragraph describing my outfit to convey how I was dressing for success today ... hoping that CGFC would be back!

He did indeed return today. I had not seen him since BEFORE I left for Spring Break ~ FIVE whole weeks ago. I saw him from afar before the service but didn't even get to make eye contact or say anything, even though he was actually standing on the other side of a large doorway at one point. During the service, I tried especially hard not to think about him so I didn't even glance in his direction at all. I was there to worship and minister, and I didn't want to be distracting myself.

After the service, I went into the fellowship hall and chatted with my "private detective," showing her and her husband pictures from my trip ... and noticing that CGFC was busy talking with others around him. I never had the chance to go over and say hello because we were rushed into an after-service rehearsal on the Holy Week music. It was supposed to only take half an hour, but it felt like FOREVER. I was so anxious to get out of there because I desperately hoped to see CGFC and talk with him ... and ... hopefully talk some more ...

I was rushing to go and I felt frazzled! When we finally finished our last anthem, I was up and getting my things together while the choir director was still talking. I was aware that I was acting distractedly and rushed ... but I couldn't seem to calm down! AltoBuddy offered to give me a ride back to MySchool, and she was ready to go right then. I asked for a moment - mumbling something about either going to the bathroom before pardoning myself to go into the fellowship hall.

Praise the Lord! He was still there! But again, he was occupied (teaching others how to weave the palm leaves into perfect crosses ... another hidden talent of his)! In order to collect my thoughts from the rushed exit from the choir rehearsal before I approached him, I saw the pastor on the way, and I thanked her for the sermon. Just as I finished this short little chat with her, he was free. (Or at least, he'd finished helping the one person with her palm, and he wasn't talking to anyone.)

I greeted him as I approached, and we both smiled. He asked me if I needed a ride back to campus (like the last time I'd seen him). While perhaps I should have said, "Yes, that'd be great, thank you," I thanked him and said that AltoBuddy had offered already, but that I had wanted to talk with him.

"Doyouwanttogooutfordinnersometime?" I briskly blurted out, feeling quite nervous. I think he was a bit confused since my enunciation was not so clear and it was completely sudden and unexpected.

While he paused, I stammered on shyly, "Um ... I've never done this before ..." (I can't make eye contact, and please don't ask me to repeat my initial question. Lord, help me!)

And in that time that I stammered that additional sentence, he had paused and realized what I said. He continued to smile and said, "Yes." (Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! Oh wait, it's still Lent and I'm not supposed to say that word!)

"Forgive me if I can't say this week, because it's Holy Week and I'm rather busy, but I'll be here this weekend. Maybe we could talk on Thursday and figure out a good time?" (Another Praise the Lord! He'll be here this weekend! It won't be another month until I see him again!)

"Sure, that'd be great," I shyly agreed.

"How was your trip?" He continued easily.

"Oh, it was wonderful," I gushed, "and I was hoping to tell you about it!" I knew I needed to get back to AltoBuddy since she was probably starting to get concerned about me.

"Well, I'll see you Thursday," I said, and we both smiled as I left.

*HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!* So ... God can take it from here. I do hope that CGFC and I will be able to figure out a time when both of us are free ... and ... I hope I didn't startle him too much with my sudden outburst. :-) But right now, I'm so giddy! It doesn't matter that it's gray and dreary outside or that my pretty daffodils from downtown are wilting and need to be thrown out ... I'm completely giddy!

(The only sad thing is ... Thursday ... when I next see him ... when we can talk about when/where to go ... marks ONE MONTH until I graduate. One month that this can develop until I return to HomeState, not knowing if I'll be able to get a job up here ... But I'm not going to think about that today. I'll think about it tomorrow, like Scarlett O'Hara. Today, I have to sing another service ... and do lots of work ... and fill out job applications ... and get ready for the rest of this week!)