How He and Me became We

(I wrote this yesterday and then last night we had another rainstorm and our internet was down...so here it is today. Today's post will come later and that, my friends, will be the end of my week)



I thought this was a good story to tell for posterity sake... : )



It was the fall of 2000 and I was just starting my sophomore year at the Y. Tim had just (a month and a half ago) gotten back from Kiev, Ukraine and was trying to become a regular person again after being in missionary mode for two years. He was also starting his sophomore year at the Y. We moved in to apartments that faced each other over a courtyard and that is where it started.



I was an incredibly (im)mature 19 year old. (seriously, what 19 year old is mature?) and he was 21. The first time I remember meeting him was at an FHE activity. We were playing a get-to-know you game (I usually hate those, I end up blushing for no reason, and then I blush more because I realize what a dork I look like) that involved each person sitting in a chair for a certain amount of time and everyone else got to ask you questions and you HAD to answer. Or be stoned. (that is just what it seemed like, I don't know what really would have happened if someone refused). Most were just polite questions like, "Where are you from?", "What is your major?", etc. Pretty tame stuff, so I wasn't too nervous. Then it was my turn and someone asked the "Where are you from?", then Tim asks "Do you have a boyfriend?". Cue the blushing. I don't remember what I said, but I am pretty sure I said yes. I was still dating someone from my freshman year and didn't really know where things stood, but said yes anyway. Thankfully Tim didn't give up. : )



The second time I remember talking to Tim he was asking my roommates and I advice for how to ask another girl out. He was funny, and easy to talk to and we were the type of friends after that that would stop and talk if we saw each other on campus.



Over the next several months I went on the worst series of dates in my life. In hindsight I think it must have prepared me to appreciate how good my first date with Tim was. Boyfriend and I did not work out. He was a little too serious for me and things were just awkward, never easy. So that was over. Then there was chemistry boy. He was fun and smart and always willing to help me in class but he was kind of quiet and skinny (yes I am shallow, I just don't like skinny guys. Don't be offended if your husband/boyfriend is skinny, I think it is wonderful you love them. I hope chemistry boy found someone who loves him too. : )Then there was humanities boy who would give me a ride home on his motorcycle after class. He ended up being not a very good boy though, so that was over. Then there was a boy I had met in St. George who came to see me. It was good in St. George, not so much here.

Then the kicker. My last first date before Tim. I went to a dance with another boy that was in my ward. He had just gotten a cell phone (this was back in the day before everybody had cell phone) and spent the whole night casually trying to convince me how super cool he was now that he had a cell phone. I vowed before we even got to the dance never to get a cell phone just to spite this guy who had talked of nothing but his cell phone for the entire 45 minute ride. Then when we were at the dance he thought it would be totally cool if he grabbed my bum while we were dancing. It was totally NOT cool. I wanted to punch him. That date couldn't end fast enough.

After that I thought to my 19 year old self, "Will I ever go out with someone where it isn't totally awkward or just bad? Will I ever be excited to go on a first date with someone?"

A couple weeks later Tim and I started meeting for lunch on campus everyday. We always had fun and one day after lunch he asked me on a date. I was actually excited and even called my mom to tell her all hope for my dating life was not lost. (I told you I was super mature.)
The night came and he picked me up. We went to Extreme Sports and tried everything. We put on the sumo costumes and wrestled, the velcro suits and flung ourselves against the wall, the obstacle course, the jousting sticks, and I don't remember what else. It was so fun, but the best part was that it was just easy. He was just easy to be around, easy to talk to, he wasn't trying to pretend to be some super cool guy who took everything seriously, or was just weirdly fake. He was just himself. And I liked it. Then we went to dinner and he was telling me how he had tried out for the BYU football team a few weeks ago and what all he had to do there. I was impressed. He had just gotten back from his mission and knew he wasn't in his best football shape, but he tried out anyway. Rather than thinking about it , he just did it. We never ran out of things to talk about and I wasn't sick of him by the end of the night. I actually liked him more. : ) So, that was my last first date. A year and a half later we were married in the Orlando temple. Now we are living (mostly) happily ever after.

That is my side of the story. I am not sure Tim even reads this blog and I know he will never write anything. So here is his version as told by me. He says he remembers the first time he saw me. It was the first Sunday of the semester at church and I was wearing a blue skirt. He thought I was beautiful and decided he wanted to marry me right then. : ) He said he was really nervous to ask me on our first date but was relieved when he finally did. I am the best thing that ever happened to him. (I added that part. : )

I know Tim isn't perfect, but he is perfect for me. : )