Memory Lane

Well I am sure that this post will get as many comments as my last post...2 "I love Matt" rants in a row, oh well. But I have to write something today, it was 10 years ago TODAY that I met this man who has changed my life in so many ways. How could I ever have known that night that things would work out so...perfectly! 10 years ago I found the guy I had been looking for, the guy who could worthily take me to the temple, loves sports as much as me, and who has to turn slightly to fit through a door...check check check!

So I thought we'd take a slightly long -WARNING- trip down memory lane and I'd share our first date!

I wanted to serve a mission. I was down at SUU and tired of dating guys that came up to my eyebrows. A mission was just part of my "plan" So I was very surprised when my bishop who I had been working with to get my papers ready told me that he felt very strongly that I should complete my papers with my bishop back home. I was discouraged because this meant that I wouldn't leave right on my 21st birthday if I had to wait till the end of the semester when I returned to Orem. But I followed his inspiration. When I got home for Christmas break I told my Dad how I was frustrated with this delay. He had a funny look on his face and when I asked, said that he just wasn't sure that I should go on a mission. I was irritated...part of my "plan" remember! He asked if I had prayed about it? Uh....No...hello just a good thing to want to go and serve the Lord, how could that be wrong?!

He strongly encouraged me, like a good Dad, to go and pray about it. I did and received and overwhelming NO! What the heck! Remember my "plan" people!

Well, I'll speed through this part, I was mad. A couple days later I went with my Mom to visit my cousin and deliver Christmas goodies. John was this enormous 6'8" football player and his wife is my height. I was venting about the mission and also not having any big guys around to date! I said, "Where can I find me one of these Teri?!" I was joking, teasing...but she got this great look on her face and said "I know this guy!!"

Oh crap, no thank you to blind dates. Been there done that. I ended up with a huge wimpy vegetarian who didn't know who was playing in the super bowl...um no, no more blind dates. But she wouldn't let it go. A couple of days later this guy called me. He sounded, well tough, I was intrigued!

We set up a date for that week. I picked him up since his car wasn't working. I was SO nervous! I knock on his door and this intimidating football player man, who was not very happy, opened the door and my already frazzled nerves took a nose dive. I timidly asked if Matt was there. I came in and waited, then I hear this "hello" behind me. I turn around to find this ginormous man with a Mr. Clean bic-ed shiny head, fantastic reddish goatee, and bulging muscles staring at me. I did not take this as a good sign...he actually looked...well mad (he later told me that when he saw me he got nervous too, mutual attraction right off the bat, but I just thought he looked mad.)

He had on this t-shirt that was stretching against his like 22" bicep muscle, ahhh salt to the wound. This guy was HOT and not going to be interested in me at all. He put on a sweater and I got to watch his magical arms lift up flexing ever so slightly as he pulled it over that massive head! I was already smitten, but completely wiped out in the confidence department, no WAY this guy was going to like me.

We head out to the car and it was awkward silence, very awkward. After a few moments I told him that he could change the radio channel if he wanted to. He asked me what I had in the CD player. I was nervous to answer in case he would think I was an old school nerd. I quietly said...Led Zeppelin. To which he eagerly replied how much he LOVED Led Zeppelin!!!

Magic people! Our awkwardness was instantly removed and a conversation revolving around the greatest band EVER emerged! I have never been joking when I said that Led Zeppelin saved our relationship! From there on out the conversation was easy and flowing. We began discovering just how many things we had in common and how well our personalities fit together. I was just enthralled with him. I didn't want this to end.

After dinner we visited my cousin, that was funny. Then we just headed back to his house and I was really bummed. It was early and I didn't want our date to end. Even though we had so much to talk about, I just still didn't think that he was interested interested in me. I remember thinking to myself, I hope he asks me to come in. He DID. Very smooth "Do you want to come in and listen to some Zeppelin?" Did I ever?! He knew I couldn't resist that.

We were hanging out and I remember thinking to myself, if he kisses me, I am going to let him! Totally unlike me on a first date...shameful! But I just thought, I am never going to see this most manly man again and it will at least make a great story that I got a smooch off of this hot BYU football player.

Well we had a great time listening to some tunes and chatting it up, period end of story! Okay I am sure you can see right through that, I can not comment for fear of incriminating myself in the court of my childrens' opinion in years to come. "I have no recollection"...I mean, there is no WAY that we totally made out after only meeting 3 hours earlier! I am SURE that it was only a small peck on the cheek that I received...how time clouds the memory wink WINK! I can only say that after that "small peck on the cheek" smitten doesn't even describe my condition!

What can I say, it was heaven from the first date on. He left the next day to 2 all-star games and he called me every single day. We talked for 3 & 4 hours at a time...racking up an enormous phone bill that thank heavens his agent paid for! When he got home 2 1/2 weeks later it was pretty evident that we were already Maaadly in LOVE! Madly in love! A couple weeks later, marriage-talk entered the picture and just a mere 8 weeks after meeting this man, we were engaged!!! Craziness!

I can't believe that 10 years have passed! Where on earth has the time gone? In all the right ways it seems like just yesterday that this fantastic giant strolled into my life. On the other hand it seems like I have known him my whole life...even longer! A match made in heaven. I just can't put into words how much I love him and how thankful I am every minute for him! Thanks Hoss...what memories!