How we came to be.....

On July 30th, 2010 my life forever was changed. My friend and fellow ward member Emilee had told me weeks before that she had a man that she wanted to set me up with who just happened to be her brother in law. I had resisted because I just hadn’t been having any luck with dating. So finally I told her to give him my number, and he called me that Friday as I was leaving the gym. Well, I never answer numbers I don’t know but he left me a message. I of course being me, text him because I talk on the phone all day at work and hate doing it once I get home. We spent the next week texting, getting to know each other. Emilee was a great wall to bounce thoughts off of, when I was wondering why he hadn’t asked to take me out after a whole week. Then he did ask me out and we meet that very night for a movie, halfway between our homes. I remember walking in and seeing him waiting for me something inside me felt like oh yeah there he is. We hugged and we just fit together. We went to a later movie, and even though he had to be up at 4am for work the next day, we enjoyed our first date. About 25 minutes into the movie he slowly reached for my hand, and it was the cutest thing ever. Our second date was a few nights later, we went on a double date with Emilee and her husband Rick, who is Randy’s older brother. We bowled, and ate, talked and laughed. I think she could tell she did something special. I remember she told me, “I never set anyone up, but you have to meet my brother in law.” She then witnessed our first kiss in that parking lot. He was going to a family reunion that weekend, and I was leaving for girl’s camp that Monday for 4 days. We managed to squeeze in a few more dates, and then he was gone. I missed him like crazy, but he got some cell service so we could text. Then the night before camp when he got home, he asked if he could take me to a movie, even though it was a Sunday, I had to see him again. After the movie, we text and he asked me to be his girlfriend. I of course said YES!!!! I also let him know that I was falling in love with him, but the super smart text, ITILU, ULM2? Which stands for I think I love you, you love me to? He replied with a yes. The next day I left for camp, and while every other camp leader’s cell phone had service, I had a crap provider, and didn’t. So I kept sneaking Emilee’s cell to text Randy and tell him I missed him. It was while I was at camp that I realized that this was different than any other relationship I have ever had. When we got home from camp, instead of resting and unpacking I showered and meet Randy for a movie. Yes, movies are pretty much our go to date. We are both huge movie lovers, and it is just fun to cuddle in the dark and laugh together. He asked if he could take me out for my birthday the next week. I told him sure; I had the day off, and loved surprises. He planned the most romantic, special and spiritual day of my life to date. We spent the day in Park City, then got dressed up and ate at the Roof with a sunset view of the SLC Temple. I knew when the waiter taking our picture if the temple was important for the picture and we both responded with YES, that I was going to marry him. I was excited but nervous because he has 4 amazing kids, and I was afraid of becoming attached to them and then something happening. So I had decided to take things slowly with meeting the kids. Well that all went out the window when I meet them. I fell in love with them all and realized that they were my family. We had talked about getting engaged, but Randy told me that it would be by the end of the year hopefully. This was on September 1st, I remember going to Young Womens that night, and showing Emilee the text. Then two days later we had a date night set up for me to come up for dinner and a movie. I was craving Costa Vida, but he wasn’t letting me choose. Which is very unusual for Randy, he pretty much will go with whatever I am craving. We ended up at Olive Garden, and after we sat down he almost immediately went to the bathroom. He faked me out with a pink flower ring, saying well since you are an uncommon girl. I then decided to take a picture and text my boss saying “Look I am engaged!!!” He then stopped me saying well if you’re going to do that, and he got down on his knee and asked me to marry him. Sadly I was so emotional I don’t remember the exact wording. And that was just 25 days after our first date!! It really is true that when you meet the person you are meant to be with, you just know. I like to compare it to the movie Saturday’s Warrior, when Julie is at the airport and just knows that her soul mate is standing in front of her. Now this is just my side of our courtship, but I like to think that Randy feels the same way.