Laura Bush Remembers the First Time She Met George and When He Proposed

Mike Stone/Getty Images George W. Bush (left), Laura Bush

In a wide-ranging profile for The Wall Street Journal, former First Lady Laura Bush reflects on what first drew her to her husband, George W. Bush, saying that "he liked to talk and I liked to listen."

As the former president recounts, the two first got to know one another in Midland, Texas, in July 1977, when mutual friends — Joe and Jan O'Neill — invited both over for burgers.

"They also wanted me to meet Laura Welch, Jan's close friend," President Bush, 74, told the Journal in the interview, published on Wednesday. "I went. I was hungry. I was also getting up there in age and felt the urge to settle in."

Mrs. Bush, 74, told the paper she and her future husband had crossed paths in their younger school days.

"Jan had talked up George quite a bit," she said. "I vaguely remembered him from seventh grade as someone who talked a lot. I put on a blue sundress and went over."

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For his part, President Bush was immediately attracted to the woman he would soon wed: "The moment I saw Laura's blue eyes I felt heart palpitations. She was a beautiful, stately woman. A little shy but very engaging."

The feeling was mutual.

"I thought George was cute. Mainly he liked to talk and I liked to listen," Mrs. Bush added.

As the president told the Journal, the two "dated for a few months" before he went to visit her in Austin where she was working as a teacher.

"I proposed at her rental house," he said.

She "wasn't surprised," telling the paper, "I knew George was going to ask. I didn't have to think twice about it. I said yes right away."

It was at that moment, said President Bush said, that an "exciting new chapter" in their personal lives began.

NBC News’ TODAY/Nathan Congleton From left: Laura Bush and Jenna Bush Hager

The newlyweds started off humbly enough: Their first piece of furniture was a brown leather sofa that he purchased by trading oil leases.

"I hope the guy made money off them," President Bush told the Journal. "We still have the couch. It's in my Crawford art studio. Much to Laura's chagrin, it now has paint splattered on it. But it still works."

In an interview on the Today show earlier this week, the Bushes elaborated on their love story with their daughter, Today co-host Jenna Bush Hager.

Asked if he knew his wife was the one "right away," President Bush said: "Yeah. You should've seen your mom. Those blue eyes, oh my god."

He continued: "I've done a lot of things in my life. And your mom has enabled me to do so in many ways."

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Since leaving the White House and moving back to Texas, away from the controversies and scrutiny of his two terms in office, President Bush has stayed largely out of politics. He has, however, used his painting hobby to send some messages about where he thinks the country's priorities should be.

This week he released his second book of paintings, Out of Many, One, which highlights "the inspiring journeys of America's immigrants and the contributions they make to the life and prosperity of our nation," according to a news release.

The portraits are also on view at an exhibition at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas.

His 2017 book, Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief's Tribute to America's Warriors, featured a collection of paintings honoring the military men and women who have served the country since the 9/11 terror attacks that prompted Bush to begin two wars.