Valentines Day

 Valentines day is a very special day for us. Nine years ago we went on our first date. Nine years ago I was doing some not so good things with my life. I drank a lot, did drugs, and smoked cigarettes. Not the ideal thing for a Mormon girl to be doing. I did not have much support and just hung out with people who did the same things as me. I knew I wanted to changed and be better but I didn't know how. I prayed one night the Lord would send me someone who would help me with my drinking and smoking because I couldn't do it alone. One day in January I went to church,  at the singles ward, pretty hung over from the night before. But hey, at least I was at church! I remember seeing this boy from a distance and something struck me. You know love at first sight? Thats kind of what happened, except it wasn't exactly love; there was just something about him that I needed in my life. He saw me sitting alone in Sunday school and he asked to sit next to me. I looked around the empty room and kind of gave him attitude about it. later on in the month I told a friend of mine at church that I thought he was cute. She told him, and then I get a phone call from Chris asking me on a date for Valentines Day. Our plan for Valentines Day was to go bowling but unfortunately it was league night and didn't end up going. We went out for ice cream to Coldstone Creamery. After that we went to his cousins indoor soccer game. We talked for a bit, got to know each other more. He mentioned that He just graduated BYU-I, I told him that I just graduated too....high school. He had no idea I was only 18! He then wanted to pawn me off on his cousin instead since his cousin was 17 at the time, and Chris was almost 24. At the end of the night he walked me to the door and gave me a hug. I had never had a guy treat me as well as he did. I always got with the wrong guys that didn't respect girls. But all night he was so kind, polite and opened my car door for me. Oh, and did I mention he brought me a ring pop for our date? Cute, right?

We continued to date. I learned so much from him. He was the smartest and most caring person I knew. Sometime in April is when I knew I was in love with him and I needed to change my life around. Chris was so supportive of me and helped me quit my drinking, drugs, cigarettes and coffee. Man that was really hard, especially the coffee and cigarettes. At this point I started to gain weight. Before, I never really ate, the cigarettes curbed my appetite and I lived on coffee. I started to eat three meals a day, and Chris took me out a lot and I got fat, haha. So I guess I gained a healthy weight. We talked about marriage but I had to work some things out with the Bishop first. The Bishop said I could go to the temple by November. Repentance is a wonderful thing. All the bad I did in the past, the Lord forgot it all. I cleaned up my life and I started to feel happy. I had no idea what true happiness was before I met Chris.

In June Chris proposed. I worked hard to be able to get to the temple. All through out my childhood I knew I wanted to get married in the temple. I thank my young women's leaders for teaching me and setting an example of a temple marriage for me. November 17th 2007 was our wedding day. The morning of our wedding I lost my temple recommend. After all the work I did to better myself to make it to the temple, and I lost my recommend. We called the stake president and he called the temple to tell them I could go in. Our sealing was nothing like I have ever felt before. It was so magical and special. I knew I was doing the right thing. I was so in love and happy and I couldn't wait to spend eternity with my new husband. In the Mormon church we believe that when we are married in the Temple we are sealed for time and eternity. We believe that after we die we will still be together forever.

When Chris graduated from BYU-I the December before, he didn't want to go to the singles ward back him. But something told him he had to. The Lord answered my prayer and sent Him to me. I am so grateful that I have Chris in my life. He treats me so well, he believes in me, and had pushed me to do things that I don't think I could have done before. We have had many trials in our life but it had made us closer, and stronger and has made me love him more than anything.

anniversary picture

the first picture we took together

wedding day