Sweetheart Tag

I noticed that Amy tagged me about a week ago and I'm just now getting around to answering. Thanks Amy! By the way, this will probably be another lengthy post. There's just no way I can answer these questions without expounding on those oh-so-memorable and unforgettable good times! :0) Oh, and in case some of you don't make it to the end, I tag Sandra, Lindz, and my cousins up North (Marne', Amber, Steph and Emily). I realize that I don't know your stories! :0) And for kicks and giggles, Lacy and Kira. I already know your stories, but they're great! Especially since Lacy drove Joe crazy for like months!

Sweetheart Tag

(This was our engagement shot, taken almost 7 years ago now by our awesome friend Melissa)

1. Where did you first meet your hubby? Ok, I feel a little sheepish admitting this but I don't remember our first meeting. (Don't judge me too quickly, I had just turned 14!) I do, though, remember the very first time I ever saw him. I was coming down the hall at church one Sunday and I remember seeing Wally walk out of his classroom. It was very brief; he was simply moving from one classroom to one right next door. But I remember the moment like it was yesterday. He was smiling and talking with his brother (I think) and so freakin' cute! I really wish I had digital pics of him when he was 15 so that I could post them, but alas, we hadn't entered into the digital world yet. If you can, try and picture him younger, a lot skinnier, with straighter hair and a ton more freckles. I remember thinking that you couldn't get much cuter than him! (I'm sorry for using the word "cute" so much, but when you're 14, that's just the word you use. I currently believe that Wally is a hottie and happens to get more so every year) :0) Anyway, I had been expecting him since his father had come to check out the ward a few weeks earlier. It's funny to think about it now. Who knew that 14 years later, we'd be together, happy and expecting our first lil' one.

2. What do you remember most about him? Oops, I think I already answered part of this in #1, but other things that struck me about him were how adorably sweet he was. He was thoughtful, he opened doors, and he was so shy. (I know a lot of you guys are thinking, Wally? Shy?) but he was and it was one of the things I liked most about him. He was also extremely romantic and I used to love the way he looked at me. It was so obvious how he felt about me and I loved being able to see it when he'd look at me.

3. Who asked out who first? Hmmm, how to answer this one. Wally technically "asked me out" first when we were like 14 and 15, but that was the silly "going out" thing that was the big deal back in the day. We couldn't date yet, but we were definitely boyfriend and girlfriend; holding hands and talking on the phone until way late. Now if you ask who made the first move, that would definitely be me. We were at a stake dance and hadn't really spoken at all yet. We just kind of did the little eye glances, sit next to you in a casual "I didn't really mean to" kind of way, etc., etc. Those were good times. Anyway, I asked him to dance. I was super nervous and then I remember feeling terrible because he didn't talk to me at all! An entire dance full of silence. I even specifically remember wondering if I smelled or something! Now, he'll say it's because he didn't speak English, but that's a flat out lie. I remember that right before he danced with Becky Costa and they talked the entire time. And yes, I was watching. While dancing with someone else, I might add. Anyway, later he said it was because he was so nervous. I stand by the call, though. I made the first move that started the talking that lead to Wally asking me out. :0) He was so shy; If I hadn't made that move, it may have taken years for Wally to do something! :0)

4. What did you do on your first date? This is one of my favorite memories. It was July4th, 1997; the day after I turned 16. I had no idea where we were going and when Wally picked me up in his parent's Camry, he made me put on a silly blindfold. I tried for a long time to "feel" which way we were going, but eventually just started feeling car-sick, so I gave up. Anyway, as we're slowing down and getting to "the place" Wally runs a stop sign and totally slams into another car! He won't let me take the stupid blindfold off and so the entire time he's talking with the other car owners and swapping insurance and what not, I'm sitting in the front seat looking like a total idiot! Wally was completely stressing, but it didn't put too much of a damper on the evening. After that, he leads me out of the car and tells me that he has to carry me because I'll be able to tell where we are if I walk. So, Wally scoops me up and carries me while I'm blindfolded for quite a ways. Meanwhile, I hear random people cheering him on and whistling and all this other stuff. I was completely mortified! Finally he sets me down and asks if I know where we are. And it just so happens to be my favorite place in the world. I can feel sand beneath my sandals and the waves of the ocean on the shore. He finally takes off the blindfold and I'm sitting at a candle-lit table with dinner ready and set about two feet from the water. The sun was setting and it was beautiful. We ate and talked and then walked over to the pier to watch the fireworks. A perfect first date.

5. What was your favorite thing to do together while you were dating? This is kind of tough to answer. We've been together so long and have done so much together that it's really hard to pick out just one favorite thing. I honestly just loved being with him regardless of what we were doing. For some fantastic reason, Wally and I just click; we're both goofballs and really can have a blast together doing just about anything...or nothing. It's what I love most about our relationship.

6. When was your first kiss with your sweetheart? I don't remember how old we were. I think I was 15? Actually, maybe 14...Don't tell my young women...or our parents. :0) Anyway, we used to be sneaky when I was young. I would call Wally when I was going to walk Pumpkin, our golden retriever, and then he would casually tell his parents he was going for a bike ride. Then, we'd meet up. Our first kiss was on the sidewalk right in front of my development. It was a bit awkward, nerve-wracking and absolutely perfect. We liked it so much, it became a daily occurrence! They were still building houses in the neighborhood and so we'd sneak in those and kiss for as long as I thought my parents would buy me taking Pumpkin for a walk. Every once in a while, when I go back home now, I wonder how many of those houses Wally and I snuck into. :0) Oh, good times....

7. Who said "I love you" first? I have no idea. We've been saying it to each other since we were like 14 and 15. Maybe Wally said it first. I'll have to ask him if he remembers.

8. When did you first realize you loved him? Oh man, again, it's so hard to say. I think I always loved him in some way. When I was 14, it was in the cute little romance kind of way and I just remember it growing all the time. I couldn't pin point the exact moment I knew that the love I felt was the "real" kind. In my heart I just feel like I always have.

9. How did he propose? I remember I was working late at Express one night and I got a phone call from Wally. He said he wanted me to come to his place for dinner, which was great. I was exhausted and completely famished. After work, I headed over to his place and ... he's not there. I was a little confused and kind of annoyed. Actually, none of his roommates were home either and I just lucked out that a random guy was hanging out on their couch. Anyway, after a few awkward minutes sitting with this guy, I call Wally and he tells me I must have misunderstood. He was fixing dinner at my apartment. (He actually just needed more time to get ready). So, I drive back to my place, go inside and...nothing. No one is home and I'm even more confused. I finally make it upstairs to my bedroom and when I open the door, I find my room completely covered in candles and flowers. It was really beautiful and in the middle of the room was a huge present. I started to unwrap the gift and I find another wrapped gift inside. As the gifts get smaller and smaller, I finally start to realize that the small box I'm finally heading towards most likely holds a ring. I'm getting excited and my heart is pounding and finally I get to the last gift which is holding three ring boxes inside. I get to the last one and ... nothing. No ring. Again, confused. But right at that second, I hear from outside the recording of a particular song that means a lot to us. (Side track: When we were in high school, we watched "A Walk in the Clouds" and in the movie, Keanu Reeves sings a serenata to the woman he's in love with. After seeing the movie, Wally called me up one day and sang it to me. He had learned the chords on the guitar and got another friend to play a part on the piano and they called me up and serenaded me. It was very, very sweet.) So, this is the song I hear now. I wait for the song to be over and then flip on the porch light (that's customary) and then go outside. I look down and there he is, holding a huge bouquet of my favorite flower, the white rose, and of course the ring. I run downstairs and he has his moment. It was really adorable how nervous he was getting on one knee. I don't even know if I actually said yes, but I've been counting my blessings every day since I did.

10. What do you remember about your wedding day? There's just so much to this question. One moment I will always remember is walking hand in hand into the sealing room where our family and friends were waiting. It's hard to describe all the emotion- in that moment and the moment when I kneeled across from him and we were sealed for time and all eternity. I don't think moments in life can get much better than that. The rest of the day was just simple joy. We laughed, kissed, danced, and cried all surrounded by the ones we love most. Truly, days cannot get much better.