First Date Jitters

Maybe I’m the only one who feels this way, but the “jitters” that accompany a first date don’t go away once you are married. The desire to make a good impression, to keep an interesting conversation going and to be asked out again are all feelings that I have whenever Andrew and I go out on a double date with another couple for the first time.

Tonight was the first night I left Eliza with a babysitter that wasn’t a Grandmother. Our neighbors arranged for a ward girl and her friend to come watch both of our kids. I won’t go into all the details, but the fact that I felt good leaving Eliza for the evening was a personal milestone.

We ate dinner at an Italian restaurant on top of a hill that overlooks the city of Landshut. It was great having Andrew there to help me read the menu. Things were going really well up until I turned around and noticed the large, nude male statue directly behind my head. Michael and Andrew noticed the statue the same time I did and we burst out laughing. Following dinner, we went to a castle. I enjoyed walking around. We took pictures and were simply enjoying one another's company. We laugh a lot when we are with Michael and Johanna and up until this point I would suggest that our first “date” as couples was going perfect… That is until we reached the doorstep… the dreaded doorstep scene.

Something I ate for dinner made my stomach somewhat “unsettled” and as the conversation began to lull I let out a loud (I can’t believe I’m about to type this word…) TOOT. I passed gas and Andrew failed to obey Flegal Family rule #22 which states: If Ali publicly passes gas, Andrew is to either blame the noise on a duck or fully take the blame for himself.” All he could do was laugh and say, “I can’t believe you just did that”

Since crawling into a hole was not an option, I took our leftovers inside the house. When I returned I still was giggling out of awkward embarrassment. And then, a few minutes later, I thought they were preparing to go home so I blurted out one of the 8 phrases I know which was, “Bis Morgen!” – meaning, “we’ll see you tomorrow.” They looked at me in confusion so I automatically assumed I had used the phrase out of context. Basically they weren’t on their way home but my comment quickly shooed them away. Oops, my mistake!