Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Love Bird Tag

Okay, my sis-in-law tagged me (waaay back in June) and I thought it would be fun.

1. Where did you and your husband meet? We met at his sister Jenny's wedding. I'd been a friend of the family's for over 2 years but had not met Ryan. When Jenny got married I was the photographer at her reception. I remember being annoyed because he left before we were able to get the whole big family picture. I later learned he disappeared to rescue a damsel in distress who had the hots for him. (She followed him home that weekend from school and had car problems.) The next day he was flying back out to his mission (courtesy of another girlie who also had the hots for him.) I drove him to the airport. We talked and laughed the whole way and listened to Erasure and the like. It was fun but I didn't think much about it until that summer when he moved to my town. Then we spent every minute together that we weren't working, along with my older brother Jared, which was probably a good thing! :) The rest is history.

2. The first thing you said to each other? Uhh, hi?! (Right then I knew! Ha ha!)

3. When was our first date? This is very difficult to answer... given the circumstances. Sometime in June of '99.

4. First kiss? Somewhere around the 4th of July in 1999. That's a pathetic answer but I really cannot remember. I'd feel guilty but Ryan is drawing a blank too

5. When were the first "I love you's" said? Honestly, I think we said it over the phone. I'd gone home to welcome back "my" missionary. I missed Ryan like crazy and was worrying sick what might be going on in his head. He ended up coming to my parents that weekend too.

6. Long or short engagement? 5 months. But we dated for 2 years, long distance, before that.

7. Where did you get engaged? In Idaho Falls, around 2 am-ish on Thanksgiving's Eve. I'm lucky he ever asked... we were meeting at my parents for Thanksgiving. My roommate and her friend were with me too. We got there late and Ryan wanted to go running. What? No, it's freezing. Are you kidding me? Instead we went to get a bite to eat. With my roommate, her friend, and my brother. Everything was closed except Jack in the Box. And only the drive thru was open. After dinner we, the whole entourage, watched a movie. Everyone else fell asleep. Ryan still wanted to go running. What?! (If you know either one of us you would have seen right through it. But I didn't.) I tried everything I could to get out of it but in the end he won. I bundled up and shivered my way to the car. Once there I offered to drive along beside him while he ran. He drove me over to the Falls across from the temple. Did I mention it was freezing? So we started walking. He asked if I wanted to make the loop. What?! It's not a loop, it's like 4 miles. And it's freezing by the way. At one point I was wearing my own gloves on my ice-blue fingers while his gloves were adorning my frostbit ears.
And then, it happened. He leaned over and kissed my frigid lips, pulled a ring out of his pocket, and asked if I would be his wife. I responded with, "Will you marry me? Is that what you just asked me?" (He likes to think I asked him to marry me from that first part.) And after that I kind of melted and I barely noticed the cold! He also made a cd with "our songs". He designed the cd cover and inside he wrote different things about what each song made him feel and how he felt, and where we were in the relationship. So romantic!

8. Where were you married? We were married in the Idaho Falls Temple on April 6th, 2001.

9. Where did you go on your honeymoon? Vancouver Island, British Columbia (Tofino). We drove (and for the life of me I could NOT stay awake), then Ferried to Vancouver Island. I was super sea sick. After another 4 winding hours in the car we finally made it to Middle Beach Lodge. I've never been so happy to put my feet on the ground! It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been! On the way home we stayed in Seattle and did Pike Street Market and ate dinner at the Space Needle. Very cool!

10. Where was our first home? Good ole Jackson, Wyoming. You walked into the living room, to the left was the kitchen/hallway, then bedroom w/ bathroom. 590 square feet to call home sweet home! It was very cozy!

The end. The beginning.

I just fell in love all over again!

I tag Leslie, Melissa, Mommyj, Inkmom, and Andrea- only if you want to. And anyone else who wants to play!

11 comments:

Gallup Family said...

That was very cool to read. All Jared ever said was that you were engaged on Thanksgiving. I never knew the whole story. How romantical!

Jenny P. said...

I loved reading this!! I had a similar engagement story... Josh kept trying to create a moment to ask me, and I kept well, being tired, and cold, and not wanting to cooperate. Good thing he, and Ryan were persistant!

Your blog looks awesome by the way... LOVE the header and your new title. Your children are so stinkin adorable.

I'm totally playing along... great tag!

Heather said...

I loved reading all of that. There was a lot of things I never knew about you and Ryan. My dad served his mission in British Columbia and Vancouver Canada. It is way pretty there. I think I might have to play along on this one but I am going to have to think about some of the answers because I really don't remember. Don't tell Jason!!

Unknown said...

Heather, I know. It was suprisingly difficult to answer a couple of those. That's why I expounded so much on the ones I could remember. I can't wait to read both of yours!

C. Leah said...

How sweet Dest! I think you've told me some of that...but not all of it. :)
I LOVE your new header! Who made it, did you? It's SO adorable!

Unknown said...

mommyj and Carmen- Thanks so much. I did make the header. Now if I could figure out how to make the border another color. Everything is so greek to me.
And Carmen, I totally want to hear your story too! I should have just said, "I tag everyone in my sidebar!"

Melissa said...

I also LOVE your header. How did you do it? It is definitely Greek to me as well. I loved reading your love story! As you were describing how cold it was I was totally having flashbacks of living in Rexburg for 4 years! OH SO COLD!!!!

C. Leah said...

Okay, I totally want you to make me a header! How much does it cost? :)
I'll def have to do that tag.

Unknown said...

Hey Carmen,
I'd love to make you a header! I still have the boy's pics on file from this summer. I'll shoot you an email!

C. Leah said...

Seriously? Thank you!!
(Let me know cost, too).

alison said...

Wow-what a love story! The memories of "will he ever propose?" So glad he did! What a wonderful life--and family!