Hidden Treasure

Picking up where I left off: Lucky for me, my grandma wouldn't give up on setting me up with Colton that easily. It was now Sunday, September 27th 2009, 4 months after I had seen "cute neighbor boy" at church. My grandma called me and told me she had given my cell phone number to her "cute neighbor boy" but she said "he is shy so he might not call you so I'll give you his number so that you can call him." First off, no. I would not be calling this kid first. Can you picture that conversation? "Hey kid who has my number but won't call me , my grandma wants you to ask me out so.... (long, awkward pause).... you planning on doing that sometime soon?" Yeah, not happening. I couldn't hurt my grandma's feelings though because she is one of the sweetest ladies I know so I agreed to it and wrote down his number. After our phone call ended I had no expectations for this boy calling me. Ever. 

                                                                                        

The next night I was making dinner for my family and my phone rang. It was a number I didn't know and was not the number my grandma had given me. I never even thought it would be "cute neighbor boy" so when I answered and this attractive voice said "Hi, is this Erica?" I was a little shocked. He introduced himself and asked if he could take me out on a date that weekend. I obviously agreed and he asked me if he could call me on Wednesday with a date plan. He had to make a plan to call me to make a plan for our date. Cute right? I told him I was off work at 6pm and he could call me anytime after that. He told me he would call at 6. Wednesday , at literally 6:01pm, Colton was calling. I couldn't help but smile and think "man, when he says something, he means it." We made plans to go out Friday night and he would pick me up at 7.

October 2 at 7pm this attractive boy was ringing the doorbell to take me out. He was so polite and introduced himself to all of my family. We went to Paradise Bakery to eat dinner and then went on to goofy golf. Typical "first date" activities. Our conversations were mostly me talking and him laughing. When I get nervous I talk a lot and fast.  When Colton gets nervous he is even more shy. I had told Colton I thought boys who could play piano were "extremely attractive" and he told me he had a surprise for me at his house anyways so he would play the piano for me. I met his mom and dad when we went over to his place and I felt so welcomed from the very beginning. Colton played the piano and we all listened. I asked him how long he had been playing (it was better than anyone I had personally ever heard before). He told me he couldn't read music and that he made all those songs up on his own. I think my jaw literally dropped with how impressed I was. Colton has a real talent for playing the piano that I still envy and am jealous of to this day. After, he handed me this....

A little folded up map saying "Erica's Treasure Map" (he even burned it to make it look like a real map). He sent me on a treasure hunt and eventually I ended up finding a little wooden treasure chest in his backyard full of gold dollar coins. He told me we would go to the store and pick out something to go to the park and play with. We got a glow-in-the-dark football and threw it back and forth while talking at the park. I was surprised he had done something so creative and thoughtful for our first date. My initial thought about him after that was "this guy is a real ladies man and knows how to get the girls". I was dropped back at home after that, given a hug, and told I would be called to go on another date. It was a really fun and exciting first date! My grandma does know how to pick the good ones! As I thought about our date over the next few days and the treasure hunt Colton had sent me on...I never would have guessed that my greatest treasure would be the boy who sent me on the hunt. 

The girl who found her hidden treasure, Erica