So, when Chris and I met we were at school up at Ricks College (then, now it's called BYU Idaho) up in Rexburg, Idaho. He had been home from his mission for just a few months, not sure exactly how many - it might have been closer to a year actually. But, we were in the same student ward - which meant we were in the same church congregation.
We were in this same ward since August when the school year and semester had started in 1997. But we didn't really get to know each other until a few months later, like January 1998. We were placed in the same Family Home Evening group and got to see each other every Monday, and quickly we started talking more and more. We would see each other on campus and stop and chat, I may have even missed a class or two just so I could talk with him. When we met it was in the middle of winter in Rexburg and it was so cold. So a lot of the time we would sit in his car and talk for hours just getting to know each other.
A lot of the day to day details are now fuzzy, but one night for FHE he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder and then placed me in a snow bank and held me down for a room mate of mine to white wash my face (rubbing snow all over). Crazy times. We went out to Milhollow for frozen yogurt and had a few of my roomies with us, and we talked and visited and held hands under the table like we were trying to hide something like little kids. It makes me laugh now! My roomies that came left before we did, and we took our time and were holding hands on the way back. And we stood out in front of my house that I lived in, under a tree and I thought to myself, that I wasn't kissing another boy unless it was the boy I was going to marry ( I had a kissed a handful or two while at college -- oops) but we were standing there close to curfew time, facing each other, gazing in to each others eyes - and then we kissed. Right after that - the lady that managed the place popped her head out and asked if I needed a late pass. Oh my gosh! I was almost embarrassed. After that we said good night, and then life was never the same.
We were pretty much inseparable after that. That first kiss was March 16, 1998 - and within a few more weeks of that, we knew we were supposed to get married. It was quick. From the time we had our first kiss till we were married, it was 100 days. Crazy fast yes. People thought we were nuts. And we may have been. But when it's right, it's right. In April of that year, I graduated with my associates in generals from Ricks College and my parents came up for that. Plus I turned 20 the same day I graduated, so we the four of us went out for lunch or dinner and spent some time together. This was the first time my parents had met him in person, and they were leery of me and what I was thinking. Apparently Chris had asked my dad if he could marry me and apparently my Dad couldn't say Yes, fast enough. The story goes, that my Dad paid Chris to marry me so that he didn't have to take care of me financially anymore. Haha... That didn't really happen, it's just the joke.
I went through the temple for my endowment in May about a month after my birthday and about a month before our wedding date. In June we were married in the Mt. Timpanogos temple for Time and all Eternity. And that was the best day of my life! We felt the need not to wait to have children, so almost immediately we were expecting our first child. And she was born 10 months after we were married. We have had several of our kids a bit faster than most people, and though we planned for pretty much all of our children the timing in which they came was a little quicker than what we had planned. Knowing now, what has happened, I'm glad we didn't hesitate! As it is, we only got a little over 16 years together here on Earth. Not nearly enough, and having to adjust my life without him in it every day has been hard, and I'm sure it will continue to be hard.
So for those who thought we were crazy getting married so young, and only knowing each other for such a short time, what happened two months ago is exactly why things happened so fast. I'm so grateful for the time we had together, for the love of a man who was righteous and honored his priesthood. For a man who was great with his children, and loved spending every minute he could with them. Who would surprise me with flowers on days when I really needed it. All these things I'm going to miss in the future, but luckily I have all these things as part of my past and my life with him.
I never imagined loosing him so soon, and especially not while we still have young children. I am praying that I can rise to this challenge now that is before me and honor him by doing the things that we had talked about, and the things that were important to us in teaching our kids. I feel overwhelmed most days because I have a huge load to carry now. And some days it feels unbearable. But I know I have something to work harder for now, because I want to see my sweetheart again! So you might have thought we were crazy - but you know what, I think we were just following God's plan for us.
We were in this same ward since August when the school year and semester had started in 1997. But we didn't really get to know each other until a few months later, like January 1998. We were placed in the same Family Home Evening group and got to see each other every Monday, and quickly we started talking more and more. We would see each other on campus and stop and chat, I may have even missed a class or two just so I could talk with him. When we met it was in the middle of winter in Rexburg and it was so cold. So a lot of the time we would sit in his car and talk for hours just getting to know each other.
A lot of the day to day details are now fuzzy, but one night for FHE he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder and then placed me in a snow bank and held me down for a room mate of mine to white wash my face (rubbing snow all over). Crazy times. We went out to Milhollow for frozen yogurt and had a few of my roomies with us, and we talked and visited and held hands under the table like we were trying to hide something like little kids. It makes me laugh now! My roomies that came left before we did, and we took our time and were holding hands on the way back. And we stood out in front of my house that I lived in, under a tree and I thought to myself, that I wasn't kissing another boy unless it was the boy I was going to marry ( I had a kissed a handful or two while at college -- oops) but we were standing there close to curfew time, facing each other, gazing in to each others eyes - and then we kissed. Right after that - the lady that managed the place popped her head out and asked if I needed a late pass. Oh my gosh! I was almost embarrassed. After that we said good night, and then life was never the same.
We were pretty much inseparable after that. That first kiss was March 16, 1998 - and within a few more weeks of that, we knew we were supposed to get married. It was quick. From the time we had our first kiss till we were married, it was 100 days. Crazy fast yes. People thought we were nuts. And we may have been. But when it's right, it's right. In April of that year, I graduated with my associates in generals from Ricks College and my parents came up for that. Plus I turned 20 the same day I graduated, so we the four of us went out for lunch or dinner and spent some time together. This was the first time my parents had met him in person, and they were leery of me and what I was thinking. Apparently Chris had asked my dad if he could marry me and apparently my Dad couldn't say Yes, fast enough. The story goes, that my Dad paid Chris to marry me so that he didn't have to take care of me financially anymore. Haha... That didn't really happen, it's just the joke.
I went through the temple for my endowment in May about a month after my birthday and about a month before our wedding date. In June we were married in the Mt. Timpanogos temple for Time and all Eternity. And that was the best day of my life! We felt the need not to wait to have children, so almost immediately we were expecting our first child. And she was born 10 months after we were married. We have had several of our kids a bit faster than most people, and though we planned for pretty much all of our children the timing in which they came was a little quicker than what we had planned. Knowing now, what has happened, I'm glad we didn't hesitate! As it is, we only got a little over 16 years together here on Earth. Not nearly enough, and having to adjust my life without him in it every day has been hard, and I'm sure it will continue to be hard.
So for those who thought we were crazy getting married so young, and only knowing each other for such a short time, what happened two months ago is exactly why things happened so fast. I'm so grateful for the time we had together, for the love of a man who was righteous and honored his priesthood. For a man who was great with his children, and loved spending every minute he could with them. Who would surprise me with flowers on days when I really needed it. All these things I'm going to miss in the future, but luckily I have all these things as part of my past and my life with him.
I never imagined loosing him so soon, and especially not while we still have young children. I am praying that I can rise to this challenge now that is before me and honor him by doing the things that we had talked about, and the things that were important to us in teaching our kids. I feel overwhelmed most days because I have a huge load to carry now. And some days it feels unbearable. But I know I have something to work harder for now, because I want to see my sweetheart again! So you might have thought we were crazy - but you know what, I think we were just following God's plan for us.
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