Mama Grizzly In-Laws Part III

If you want to read the whole story of how I met my future daughter-in-law you can go to part one and then part two.

To summarize, I had finally been convinced, against my better judgment, to agree to Kylee's coming to visit us during the week of Vacation Bible School. I figured it was only for a week, but I also told Matt that she would need to help with VBS, and he said she would be glad to.

Uh huh.

I was convinced we were going to be visited by a bubble-headed girl who was more interested in enjoying a week of vacation than in working Vacation Bible School. I also figured if she was infatuated enough with my son to buy an airline ticket in order to see him, especially after only meeting him twice, she would probably be a big distraction for him too. As I pondered work assignments, I debated whether to put her in the full class of crying kids with the slightly more difficult teacher, or the smaller class with the teacher Kylee was sure to enjoy working along side.

Don't look at me that way. I put her in the easier class. I'm not a complete monster.

I didn't get to meet Kylee until the first morning of VBS. Our theme was western last year, and Kylee had even dressed for the part, right down to the boots if I remember correctly. She was already working in her assigned class when I spotted her after the teachers' meeting. She worked hard all week. The only thing that reminded me she hadn't come all this way for VBS was the look of adoration on her face when she watched Matt leading the kids in singing or playing Let's Make A Deal.

I didn't get to know her very well that week as I had to head to work each after VBS. Most evenings when I got home, Kylee and Matt were out somewhere, and he usually dropped her off before coming back home. The boys told me she joined in with their Nerf gun fights, and the one night she and Matt ate supper with us, she didn't complain when I served spaghetti, even though that's what they'd eaten the night before at someone else's house.

Matt and Kylee threw themselves into VBS so well, that most of our own church people didn't realize she was there to visit Matt. That changed on Wednesday night at Bible study, though. When he walked in and sat down with her, heads turned, eyebrows raised and people made a beeline for them during the shake-hands song. Those that weren't close enough to reach them, hurried over to me for information.

"Is she his girlfriend?"

"How long have they been dating?"

"She's cute! What's she like?"

I smiled and nodded and tried not to let on what little information I had. Truth was, though, that during the week Matt had approached his dad and told him he really liked Kylee and wanted to officially start dating her, but he wanted to be sure he had our blessing first. When my husband asked my opinion, I said I was fine with them dating, but I wasn't ready yet to say this was going to be a permanent relationship.

Still, there was something different about this time ...

By the end of the week I'd actually gotten one five minute conversation with Kylee. We discussed purses and shoes--obviously important subjects for a meeting of the minds. I still didn't feel like I knew her very well. But  hugged her good-bye and--sincerely--asked her to come back again. She confidently assured me she would be.

That night as we turned in, Terry and I discussed the week, and our conversation turned to Matt and Kylee. Then I voiced something I'd almost been afraid to say out loud.

"This is it, isn't it? I mean, she's the one."

"I think she probably is."

I could see the question in his eyes. "I'm okay with this," I assured him.

He smiled. "So am I."