Dan and Nora 2008

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

He Said

I’m sure that Nora will cover Round 1 sufficiently.

I will say that even after that moment in the years that followed Nora was always someone who I really wished things would have played out differently. I think everyone has people they have met or been interested in which didn’t work out and we look back and wish we would have had an opportunity to explore things a bit more. Nora really was that person for me.

So the day I went into her office, I thought I was just going to visit some friends, get some lunch and have a good time. I was shocked when I turned to the left and Nora was standing there, huge smile on her face. I gave her a big hug and she said that she couldn’t go out to lunch with everyone. I was SO HAPPY she couldn’t go. I hate to admit it, but, I was not interested in going out to lunch with her. She suggested that we get together to catch up and I agreed, but, deep down I was actually hesitant to do so.

After lunch had completed I was driving back to my office and I was thinking about her. I was surprised at the level of emotion I had thinking about seeing her. I didn’t really know what to make of the whole thing since I was thinking so much about it. It is a very strange feeling to have so much bundled up after so much time. I decided that I was going to ask my friend for her email address and catch up. To my surprise, when I got back she had already emailed me. At this point I was terrified and intrigued at the same time.

Alright, we’ll go out.

So we set up a time and I met her at the Brewery. I was a bit late. When I walked in the door, she was:

- Dressed to impress.
- Touching her face a lot during dinner.
- Lots of eye contact.
- Taking every chance to touch my hand or arm.

Uh oh…I felt like a fish in a barrel! I thought to myself “alright, let’s talk and see if there is some good chemistry.”

There was some awesome chemistry. After round 1, a wise person said to me. “Dan, I have no idea why she isn’t jumping at the chance to go out with you. If she decides she wants to, you need to make sure of two things: 1) She is serious and 2) She needs to go WAY out her way to prove she is interested.” Now, I drew some conclusions from this. Firstly, I’m remembering a quote from someone 8 years ago about this woman. Secondly, I need to step back and let her really make up her mind. Not because I’m playing games, I’m thinking my logic was more once bitten twice shy. So immediately after our date, I told her what a great time I had and I look forward to doing it again. I wanted to give her the right impression. I then went quiet. I think a week and a half passed before she called me again. I thought to myself “Ok, she really is interested”. In talking with Nora, this was a torturous week and a half and I am a terrible person for doing it. I don’t really see it that way! Date #2 she made it very clear she was interested and the ball was definitely in my court.

Many have asked me when I “knew”. This is an interesting question and I’m not sure how to answer it. I can say that after I had my appendix removed and she was in the hospital making sure I was cared for --that might just be the moment I knew that I was going to marry this woman. It is possible it had more to do with the morphine though! The reality is I knew long before I had body parts removed that she was the one.

So I bought the ring. I proposed and she said yes. How she was not scooped up sooner is beyond me. Every morning I wake up and feel like I won the lottery.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Engagement (She Said)

I totally admit that I was a basket case during this time!!

I knew Dan was the man I was going to marry very early on in the process. I remember one night Dan and I went to see Pirates of the Carribean and he asked me if I ever thought about us and I said about us being married? And he said yes and I said absolutely! I told him that after he kissed me for the first time I knew I never wanted to be kissed by anyone else ever again. He said "SHAZAAM!" That was way back in June!

Dan proposed on December 29th, 2007 and although I knew we were going to get engaged at some point I was not expecting it when it happened! Dan had me all over the map with this! We talked about getting engaged in December and married in spring of the following year. As december started fading so did my hope of getting engaged that month. I just didn't think it was going to happen. Dan had some last minute business trips that he needed to take and I knew that would probably affect his ability to get an engagement ring. I tried so hard during this time period to not wear disappointment on my face but, I'm not sure how well I did. You'll have to ask Dan that one!

The whole month of december I think every day that I woke up I kept thinking maybe it'll be today! How will he do it? Will I be surprised? Then I would go to sleep at night thinking I don't think it's going to happen. It was AWFUL! Then he got called away on business the week before xmas. He was supposed to be gone 2 days but, was gone over 7. (Thanks Cisco! Appreciate that!) At this point I figured a xmas engagement was totally out of the question but, I was so disappointed there were times I was on the verge of tears and Dan didn't know why. I couldn't tell him!

Then, on Dec. 23 we go to walnut creek to buy gifts for our family and we drive by a tiffany's and dan says wow I didn't know that was there. do you wanna go in? I was like we don't have to. He was like wow I thought you would want to. Well in my head I was thinking. If you are taking me to tiffany's right now that means you haven't even bought the ring yet! UGGGHH!!! We went inside and little known to me he already knew the sales rep and had already picked out my ring. That trip to tiffany's completely threw me off!

Fast forward 5 days and 5 of my brothers are in town with their wives and kids for the week. We go down to my parents house and apparently while I'm talking to my nieces and nephews my mom and Dan are talking about the proposal and that he has the ring and how he is going to do it! He told my mom he was thinking about renting a hot air balloon and my mom says that she's afraid of heights! Dan says well I thought you were already taken! I still can't believe that all of this was going on a few feet away from me and I was totally oblivious. My mom told dan it would be wonderful if we got engaged while the family was in town so we could all celebrate together. Go mom! ;-)

The very next day I went over to dan's. We had plans for dinner. He told me to take a seat because he was doing laundry. I sat down and flipped through a magazine. He walked in and started talking to me. Nothing unusual. Then he said something about he's been carrying something around. I thought he meant emotionally like I've been carrying feelings around that he needed to talk about! Well, a few seconds later he pulls out a tiffany's wrapped blue box and to this day I have no idea what he said. I just started crying. He told me that maybe I could pull one side of the bow while he pulls the other and we opened it together. My hand was shaking! I then opened the box with the ring in it and I went to grab it. He said 'Hold on there!' and he got down on his knee and asked will you marry me? and I said yes yes yes yes yes!! We then put the ring on and I kept hugging him and crying. I then said "I'm engaged!!!" and Dan said "you're engaged?" and I said "I mean We're Engaged!!!" It was the most beautiful day of my life. I can't wait to be Mrs. Daniel Kiewlich!!!

She Said

Dan and I worked together over 10 years ago. I still remember when he first started working at the company. He was so cute and I told my sister Anne (who also worked with us) that a babe had started working there and she needed to find out all she could. He was so my type physically. Tall, handsome, built like a football player and had a great smile!! He was also incredibly smart which I find very attractive. Coincidentally, Anne and Dan ended up working in the same group which gave Anne lots of opportunity to do critical espionage work for me. Was Dan single? How old? Would Dan be interested in dating someone from work? Would Dan be interested in dating me? Anne did such a great job. She went all out. She found out he was 20 and single. I am a few years older than Dan and today this age difference feels like nothing but, back then it felt like a really big deal to me.

Anne and I went to Dan's 21st birthday party at the Old Pro in Palo Alto. I will never forget that night because Dan laid the biggest kiss on me i've ever had to this day. It was surprising and incredible. We went out just a few more times and then I did the typical girl freak out thing. I emailed Dan and told him he needed to come to my cube because we needed to "talk" and I proceeded to tell him that we couldn't see each other anymore because my gut was telling me we weren't right for each other!

Fast forward 9 years. St. Patrick's Day. My best friend Kathy is in town and we're driving with Anne through Palo Alto. We pass the Old Pro and I'm immediately reminded of Dan's 21st birthday and that kiss he laid on me. Anne turns to me and says remember that place? Of course I did. I tell my friend Kathy the whole story and mention if I had a chance to date him again I would not mess that up!

The very next wednesday I'm at work. I work with a lot of the same people Dan and I used to work with. I leave my desk to go pick up something at the printer. I look up and who is standing there? Dan! I couldn't believe it. I had just spoken of him that past weekend and I hadn't mentioned him or thought of him in years. Too weird. He looked exactly the same to me. Exactly. I was still so incredibly attracted to him. We talked briefly. He was in talking with a friend of ours. I had a meeting to run to but, we hugged. It was so great to see him. I immediately told anne she wasn't going to believe who was in my office. When I told her Dan was there she said oh my gosh this is fate. I don't know if I thought it was fate at this point but, I knew I wanted to see him again. So I asked our friend for his email and I emailed him that day. I wasn't going to waste any time. My gut was completely on board this time.

We met for dinner. When he walked in the door my heart skipped a beat. At this point I didn't know his relationship status but, I was pretty certain that he had a girlfriend. When I asked my friend for his email he sent me a copy of the emails that he and Dan had exchanged. In one of them a girlfriend was mentioned. When I told Anne this she said he's not married he's fair game! ha ha!

We had a great dinner and went down the street for a cup of tea. When we were inside that coffee shop he mentioned that he was single. I couldn't believe it! My heart soared! I played it cool though and I couldn't wait to tell Anne that he was single!!! He walked me to my car. I was floating on air as I watched him walk away and I dialed Anne's number.

My heart still skips a beat every time Dan walks through the door or opens mine...