Nineteen years ago J. and I went on our first date. We had “hung” around together after school and at each other’s houses for awhile before this, but this was an “honest-to-goodness date-date.”

I remember being nervous, although I can’t imagine why. We had been friends for a few years before we ever started going out. I knew that he was a good “safe” date and we would have fun. I think I was just a little cautious about “the” date because it was that step of moving us to the not-just-friends level.

At any rate, he picked me up. We had Taco Bell for dinner, (it was/has been a staple of our entire life together!) and he suggested we go see the Indiana Jones movie. I had not seen the two previous Indy movies and was not really sure that it was my type of movie, but not wanting to seem stubborn (he would see that lovely side of me for himself soon enough!) and being a little nervous (see above) I agreed, “Yeah! That sounds great!.”

Loved. Loved. Still love the movie. Maybe a tiny bit of it is nostalgic, since it was our first date – but I really do enjoy the movie. It started my fascination with Sean Connery and my admiration for Harrison Ford. And it was also the start of J. getting me to watch and read many things I thought I wouldn’t like.

J. has followed the on-again, off-again rumors of the making of the new Indiana Jones movie for years. We would get our hopes up that they were really going to make another, and then they would be dashed.

But tonight? We are going to see the new Indiana Jones movie. Thanks to Jeff we have tickets for opening night for one of the most anticipated movies of the summer (and our marriage!).

I do hope our date tonight ends up a little bit better than our first one, though.

Let’s just say there was some orange soda, a tumble down a huge hill, and trying to explain grass stains on my t-shirt and shorts to my parents.

So in summary, Carrie is very excited for the movie tonight. She is also stubborn and very, very clumsy.

Sometimes I really do marvel that J. has stuck around for as long as he has.