Our Story

I know Valentine's Day was yesterday, but I'm still really sick and haven't gotten anything crafty done in days. Hopefully I'll get a tutorial  up later this week when I'm feeling a little more like myself, but for now let me regale you with "Our Story." Not gonna lie, it's a pretty good one. :)

 It was 9.7.07 and I was sitting in the terminal at BWI (that's Baltimore-Washington International airport), waiting for my flight to come. I was flying out west, getting ready to start my junior year of college at BYU-Idaho. I'm reading one of my favorite books (The Secret Journal of Brett Colton, which I always read when I travel), when I hear a voice ask me "Are you Mormon?" I look up from my book, pleasantly surprised that a good-looking guy belonged to the voice. I inform him that yes, in fact, I was Mormon, and get back to my book. Before I could even read a sentence, he talks again.

"That's cool. So am I! Do you go to BYU-Idaho?" he asked.

I peer down at the BYU-Idaho T-shirt I donned, almost snapped him a sarcastic answer, but told him that yes, in fact, I did go to BYU-Idaho. (Mini-intermission story! It was my Dad's idea to have me wear that shirt. My freshman year of college, he told me that if you wear a distinguishing shirt, such as a college or a concert t-shirt, you would attract people with similar interests and be able to strike up conversations.  As a result, I ALWAYS wore the exact same BYU-Idaho t-shirt when I traveled to and from school. So, thanks Dad, for helping my find my husband. :)

"That's cool. So do I." he wittingly replied.

"Wonderful" I responded, and, once again, tried to read my book. But alas, he kept talking to me and wouldn't stop!! I thought I was being very obvious that I didn't want to talk to him, but he didn't get the hint. We were flying Southwest which has open seating, and my section was called to board before his was. I thought I could escape him by sitting by the window and staring outside until everyone boarded. But no. The one and ONLY time I look up, he passed by. At that exact moment! We made eye contact and I panicked a little. He asked if the seat next to me was taken, and since it wouldn't have been very moral to lie, I told him that it wasn't and that he could sit there. All the while worrying what in the world I was gonna do with this guy that wouldn't shut up for the next five hour long flight. I shoved my headphones in as soon as I was able to prevent him from talking to me anymore, and soon fell asleep. I awoke just an hour later, and he "woke up" at precisely the same moment I did. Watching me sleep? I think so. Before I could even rub my eyes he pounced on me, asking me every question that popped into his head. I can't exactly say we "hit it off," but, between you and me, I knew that I was going to marry him during that plane ride. Believe me, I dismissed the thought (I had a boyfriend at the time) and I began to think I was a little crazy, but I knew that he would eventually be my husband.

Finally the plane landed, and though we had a long but pleasant conversation (which included Potter Puppet Pals), I was ready to escape the weirdo. I said goodbye and hurried off to baggage claim, hoping mine would come quickly so I could leave. However, my plans were foiled once again. I found my Grandpa who had come to pick me up and before I could leave, David came running up to me and oh-so-boldly asked me for my number (in front of my Grandpa!). My brain told me no, after all, he was still a stranger and who knew what kind of person he really was, but for some reason my mouth formed the word "yes." Doomed. I gave him my number and never expected to hear from him. Guessing wrongly seemed to be the trend early in our relationship.

A few days later some friends and I decided to get a group together and go to the cheap theater in town and see Ratatouille. Since school hadn't started yet and I hadn't had the chance to meet cute new boys (did I mention that my relationship with my boyfriend was in the toilet?), I decided "What the heck, I don't know anybody else" and invited him to come. He texted me during the entire movie. Good thing I had already seen it. :) And thus began our constant text fest. Whoever said you can't build a good relationship through texting obviously never met us. We became good friends fast, he made me want to be a better person.

David playing in the snow after a freak blizzard in October, just a few weeks after we met.

He gave me the final push to dump my boyfriend and start over and was right there waiting to sweep me up again. (Literally, MINUTES later.) I wasn't ready, I had JUST dumped my boyfriend of two years and I just wasn't ready to date again. I told him I needed time.  I got back home and told the story to my roommate (and very best friend at the time). She confessed to me that she was developing a crush on David, and asked if she could go after him. I didn't like him (yet...) and I had basically just dumped him, so, I gave her the go. Biggest mistake of my life.

 The three of us together. Sadly, the BFF and I are no longer friends.

David and I became closer and closer, he was such a great friend when I needed one. It didn't take me long to get over my breakup, and I began to fall for him. It was clear that he still wanted me, but I didn’t want to betray my best friend by “taking” him away, so I didn’t do anything. I couldn’t! By Halloween, I was completely smitten. But I couldn't tell HIM (or my roommate…) that, I had already told him (and her!) I didn't want him. Oops. I kept it to myself but by Thanksgiving I was going completely insane not having him. His 10 day absence during Thanksgiving break made it quite clear that I was absolutely in love with him; I had basically lost my will to live without him there. At this point he noticed that I had it bad, and he decided to re-attempt dating me. He finally succeeded, and we began officially dating in December 07.

A few days after we started dating, on a date in DC.

You know how it is. Long walks on the beach, romantic poetry by candlelight, and all that jazz. Except it was Rexburg, Idaho. In winter. So it was more like long walks trying not to slip and fall all the while laughing at the others attempts to stay up, and cute guitar songs played in my living room. A rather cute courtship, if I do say so myself. :) As the seasons progressed, it became clearer and clearer that any day without him wasn’t worth living. Apparently he thought the same.

We went to lots of dances while we were dating. :)

On 7.18.08 I was returning to Idaho from a week long trip to Utah. When I arrived late that night, I only had untill noon the next day to pack up all my stuff and clean my entire apartment before my contract ended and I was kicked out. I had to hurry, but David decided it would be fun to completely ruin my plans. I was able to pack for a few hours until he announced that we "needed a break." We went up to a small field by a church where we often go to look at the stars. He brought three things with him: his laptop, a blanket to lay on, and shapless bundle. He laid out the blanket and told me how he had discovered he could make movies on his computer, and proceeded to show me a cute montage of pictures of us set to "our song." Of course it was adorable, and after a second time he turned his attention towards the odd looking object. He explained to me that this "present" had a poem inside of it he wanted me to read. I pulled a toy plane from the old t-shirt he had wrapped it in, and inside the cockpit was a folded up piece of paper, as well as a wadded up piece of the t-shirt. :D I read the adorable poem, and then unraveled the beautiful ring!! He took it from my hands and proceeded to propose. :)

 A reenactment of David proposing.

 I said yes, by the way. We were engaged for five months, four of them living across the street from each other at school. It DRAGGED on....

But eventually the five months passed, and we were married 12.19.08

I love this picture from our wedding for three reasons. 1) I think we look so blissfully happy. 2) The special editing looks pretty. 3) You can see my brothers in the background chatting and having a great time, but David and I are too into each other to notice. :)