Chris and I had been leading the Wednesday night music together at our church for three years. During those three years, mine and Chris' friendship grew and we got to know each other well.One night after Psalm95 practice, Chris told me how he felt about me. I was in such complete shock at what he had just said that all that I could keep saying was,"Chris Birke ... You really just surprised me!" I'm sure that made Chris feel good about the whole thing! ha! Eventually I got myself together and told him how I felt about him. We started dating February 26, 2007.
Looking back now, I don't know why I was shocked that Chris liked me. There were plenty of things leading up to us dating that should have gave it away, but it never occurred to me. A couple weeks before Chris told me how he felt about me, he had the whole Psalm95 group over to his house for dinner and "bonding time". I can remember him acting funny towards me the entire night. When it came time for us to sit down at the table for dinner, Chris pointed to the seat next to where he was going to be sitting and insisted I sit there. :) I went home that night and told my Mom about how funny he was acting and when she asked me if I thought Chris liked me I replied, "No. Definitely not." Mom is always right!There was also the time Chris invited me to go to the movies with him. One night at Psalm95 practice, Chris and I started talking about how we both wanted to see the movie Amazing Grace. A couple days later I get a phone call from Chris inviting me to go see Amazing Grace with people from his work. When I told Chris that I couldn't go because I had already made plans, he told me that if I decided to go see it some other time to let him know so we could go together--because he wouldn't mind seeing it twice. I did find that strange! I thought...now why would he want to see that movie twice and why would we go together to see it? Once again I told my mom about it and she asked me the same question...and I said,"No! I think he's just trying to be nice since we sing together." hehe
The thing that should have gave it away though was when Chris was on drugs after his foot surgeries. I would always make sure to call Chris after his surgery to make sure everything went okay. It is amazing how much he loosened up when he was on those drugs ... enough said ;)
On our official first date, Chris and I went to The Cheesecake Factory. Let me just add that on the way there, Chris couldn't remember which mall it was in so he called Julian. ha! After dinner, Chris showed me where he worked and then we went to Starbucks. Chris was such a gentleman the entire night. He opened every door, paid for everything, and he had flowers sent to my house before he came to pick me up. We were having such great conversation that we lost track of the time. My Dad had already extended my curfew to midnight, which was a VERY big deal! I got home late and was welcomed with a lecture. I will say that Chris did the gentlemen thing and called my Dad the next day to apologize for getting me home late ;)
It didn't take us long to realize that we were in love! The night Chris told me that he loved me was a perfect night too. He had me over to his house for dinner. Chris knew that Olive Garden was my favorite, so he had my favorite dish from Olive Garden at his house when I got there. After dinner, Chris told me that he loved me and of course I said it back ;) Every year, my family and I go to Florida for Spring Break. I had never been so sad to go to Florida in my life! We had a great time, but that week was rough! I missed Chris like crazy! Chris and I started texting that week. We would use analogies to describe how much we missed each other, and it went something like this..."I need you like Britney Spears needs rehab."
"I need you like a needle needs a vein."
My family and I had decided we were going to go to a Cincinnati Red's game the day before my birthday. Well a couple days before my birthday, Chris broke the news that he was going to be out of town for work the weekend of my birthday. I was heart broken! I couldn't believe he wasn't going to be here for my birthday. Christina, my sister-in-law called and asked if she could take me out to dinner on my birthday since Chris wasn't going to be here to take me out. She said we could just use the reservations he had intended on using for us. Chris was going to take me to Jeeves & Company in Scottsburg because we both LOVE that place.
Although I was very happy that Christina was going to take me out to dinner, I moped around all day on my birthday. Not only was Chris not here for my birthday, but he hadn't called me either! I was starting to get angry! So, I met Christina at her house and we rode together over to Scottsburg. When we got to the restaurant, Christina went to the restroom and the hostess asked if I wanted to go ahead and be seated. I followed the hostess to the back of the restaurant into a private room. The room had a candlelit table for two, romantic music playing in the background, there were flowers everywhere, and the table had a canopy over it. My initial reaction was, "Oh my goodness! This is what Chris was going to do for me if he had been in town!?!?" The next thought that popped into my head was,"Oh no....Christina and I are going to be eating at a candlelit table for two with romantic music playing...awkward."
But then I looked over and there was Chris! At first I thought it was someone who worked at the restaurant ... like a waiter or something (it was pretty dark in the room!) But once I realized that it was Chris I freaked out. I jumped and screamed because I was just so happy that he wasn't in Chicago! After I calmed down, Chris explained that the whole work trip was a lie to surprise me on my birthday and obviously Christina was in on it! I was in such shock that my mind just couldn't grasp what was going on. I kept asking Chris very confused,"So, did you come home from your business trip early?" "Do you have to go back to Chicago?" "Where is Christina?" After I got over that--I started thinking about all of the lies Chris had told me to make this all happen. It was hilarious! All the while, I still suspected nothing.
"I need you like a needle needs a vein."
My family and I had decided we were going to go to a Cincinnati Red's game the day before my birthday. Well a couple days before my birthday, Chris broke the news that he was going to be out of town for work the weekend of my birthday. I was heart broken! I couldn't believe he wasn't going to be here for my birthday. Christina, my sister-in-law called and asked if she could take me out to dinner on my birthday since Chris wasn't going to be here to take me out. She said we could just use the reservations he had intended on using for us. Chris was going to take me to Jeeves & Company in Scottsburg because we both LOVE that place.
Although I was very happy that Christina was going to take me out to dinner, I moped around all day on my birthday. Not only was Chris not here for my birthday, but he hadn't called me either! I was starting to get angry! So, I met Christina at her house and we rode together over to Scottsburg. When we got to the restaurant, Christina went to the restroom and the hostess asked if I wanted to go ahead and be seated. I followed the hostess to the back of the restaurant into a private room. The room had a candlelit table for two, romantic music playing in the background, there were flowers everywhere, and the table had a canopy over it. My initial reaction was, "Oh my goodness! This is what Chris was going to do for me if he had been in town!?!?" The next thought that popped into my head was,"Oh no....Christina and I are going to be eating at a candlelit table for two with romantic music playing...awkward."
But then I looked over and there was Chris! At first I thought it was someone who worked at the restaurant ... like a waiter or something (it was pretty dark in the room!) But once I realized that it was Chris I freaked out. I jumped and screamed because I was just so happy that he wasn't in Chicago! After I calmed down, Chris explained that the whole work trip was a lie to surprise me on my birthday and obviously Christina was in on it! I was in such shock that my mind just couldn't grasp what was going on. I kept asking Chris very confused,"So, did you come home from your business trip early?" "Do you have to go back to Chicago?" "Where is Christina?" After I got over that--I started thinking about all of the lies Chris had told me to make this all happen. It was hilarious! All the while, I still suspected nothing.
We ate a delicious dinner and afterwards Chris gave me my birthday present--a scrapbook. Chris had scrapbooked a few pages to get me started. One of the pages was titled I Dreamed About You. He asked if he could read it and he knelt down beside me at the table and began to read it. It was a letter Chris had wrote to himself years ago about how he envisioned his future bride and their wedding day. He had wrote that letter to remind himself that he shouldn't settle for anyone other than who God wanted for him. Then Chris asked me to marry him and I said YES!!! I freaked out again. I screamed and then I jumped and then I screamed some more. The first thing I asked when I calmed down was, "Have you asked my Dad?!?" haha In all of Chris' scheming, he had managed to ask my Dad's permission. That day, was a complete shock and absolutely perfect.
When I got home that night, I found my bedroom and bathroom covered in flowers and a there was a card from Chris. Christina and Chris Morgan had taken all of the flowers from the restaurant and had brought them to my house to put in my room. It was beautiful. They had also helped Chris decorate the room at the restaurant. That was by far, the best birthday ever. 
I am so thankful to God for my wonderful fiance. He is my best friend and I truly couldn't ask for a greater love. I absolutely adore him. He is tenderhearted and sweet and at the same time the strongest person that I know. I thank God for Chris' life. I cannot imagine what my life would be like without his. I could go on and on but I've got to stop! I'm absolutely smitten. I can't wait to make many more memories with you Chris!
