LOVE

The first time we actually met was at a baptism, but it was not love at first sight. We were both dating other people. In fact, he had dated a few of my friends so I had heard plenty of stories about him and now I finally could put a face with the name.

We met again a few months later at BYU. He was my neighbor and lived with some friends of mine. Neither of us was in a serious relationship anymore but there were no sparks flying just yet. We spent a few months hanging out together with all of our roommates. The boys would come over when it was dinner time knowing they would be fed and knocked on our door when they ran out of clean clothes and needed to do laundry.

Slowly, we started spending more time alone. The flirting began and it was fun. He'd ask me to go with him to wash his truck. I thought for sure our first kiss would be in that car wash, why else would he ask me to go with him? It wasn't. There were plenty of those moments when his hand would brush across mine or he would flash me his adorable smile and I thought that night would be the night. I had many false alarms.

One night I got a text from him. It said, "Want to make out?"

What? He couldn't be serious, he was just teasing.

Teasing back, I replied, "Sure, why not".

We played Halo with our friends instead. But after we had all gone home for the night, I got a chat message from him. There was a lot of small talk and then I finally asked if he wanted to come over and watch a movie. He was on my doorstep a few minutes later, smelling and looking good. In the middle of In Love and War we finally had our first kiss. It was awkward and we both knew it. Scott actually said, "It will get better". How embarrassing! But it did get better...we had lots of practice.

He finished his classes for the day just as one of mine was starting. He started surprising me and showing up to sit with me through class...it was Marriage Preparation. How appropriate.

I would get up REALLY EARLY to take him to school so he wouldn't have to walk or find a parking spot. I showed up in pajamas, still half sleeping with no makeup on and he still told me I looked pretty.

He held me and listened while I cried over a fight with an ex.

He drove eight hours, by himself, to surprise me and come home early from his vacation.

Dating him was good.

Four months after our first kiss we got engaged. Being with him was easy, no drama and it felt natural. He had this way of making me feel safe, better about myself and hopeful about the future. And there was always butterflies in my stomach when I thought about him.

There still are.

I love him.

I love our life together.

I love that I get to be with him forever.

He's mine and that makes me happy.