Bets,
When something similar happened to me a few months back I've been wondering ever since what it was, or what was different about that encounter, that could have helped me to recall it like I did. It happened so quickly and often with me it can take awhile for me to realize the nuts and bolts of non-physical experiences, the left brain stuff.
In any case, what has come to me so far is that I think I woke up in the dream (lucid dreaming), primarily because of my cousin's overwhelming, energetic presence...and because the skills I've been learning, to engage with others in the non-physical, worked as well (feeling, sensing, knowing). Any of this make sense?
:) I'm just wondering this through, curious. Sometimes I don't put into words very well what I'm thinking.
Also, as I understand you, you encountered someone in the dream state that you had not previously known in the physical...and that person gave you information you could not have previously known, personal information you were able to later verify as fact in the physical?! Bets, isn't this the kind of proof Bruce talks about?
Ginny