Chef Kelley.. :)

May 25, 2008 (The day changed my life…awwww.. ;)

I have to start this by saying that the decision to pick up everything I owned to move to a city I had only been to once in my entire life… to start a job where I didn’t know a soul… to live in a city where I had no friends, was actually an EASY decision to make. Moving to Dallas was the best thing I’ve ever done. I actually realized that BEFORE this particular day…but on this day, it all of a sudden became clear as to WHY I had actually found myself in Dallas. His name was Chad Kelley, and on May 25th, we met for the very first time.

If anyone reading this blog knows of anyone working at Match who also might be in need of a success story, I’m volunteering Chad and I for any commercial you want to star us in. :) How 21st century of us to find each other online!! ;) As lame as it may seem to some, Match.com was a perfect fit for us. Two years ago I landed in a strange city in a new job at an Architecture firm where the average age of our office staff, was close to 50!! Balding, big bellied, divorced men was NOT my ideal future husband!! So it didn’t take me long to realize that I needed to take matters into my own hands. I soon joined the other 3 million people on Match in search of my one and only. I know now that it was the BEST IDEA EVER! :) :)

I’m going to go ahead and take FULL credit for the incredible bliss that Chad and I are in right now. I was the one that found him… staring back at me so handsomely in his hottie chef coat. :) Two winks exchanged, and a few emails later… and we were all set for our first date!!

Right from the get-go, I knew this date was going to be unlike any other I had ever been on. I still remember the giddiness I felt while deciding what to wear… I remember driving around the parking lot of the mall across the street, wasting some time before meeting him so I didn’t “seem too eager”. When I finally did get the nerve to park and walk into the waiting area of the Galleria (where I was to meet him outside of his restaurant), I still remember the first moment I laid eyes on him. It literally did feel like slow motion. How cliché right? BUT IT’S TRUE!!! :) Our first date was my LAST first date and it was INCREDIBLE!!

Hanging out at Lone Star Park on our first date!!
If my parents had realized I had driven from Dallas to Grand Prairie with a "stranger", this date wouldn't have gotten very far at all.  Needless to say, I'm glad Chad wasn't a psycho... eekkkk!! Watching our winnings dwindle...Hanging out in a fancy suite, munching on yummy food and watching our money go down the drain. We had no idea what we were doing but we had the best time doing it! :)  It was cute to see Chad so nervous around me.. I think it made me feel more at ease seeing his nerves (almost) get the best of him.  ;)

After the track we headed to downtown Dallas.  One of the sights before heading to dinner : The famous Cattle Drive

When I told people later that he had taken me to Fearing's for dinner that night, I think I saw more jaws drop than ever before.  Funny thing was...sitting in that restaurant....it was OBVIOUS it was uber fancy, but I never felt uneasy with Chad.  He took charge, sweetly pointing out the menu items I might not recognize and made suggestions as to what to order.  It was heavenly!  My only question:  With such a fancy restaurant right off the bat, WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE?!!?!  Settin' the bar high Mr. Kelley, settin' the bar HIGH!  ;)

What a CUTIE!!