Our Story: Not the Final Chapter

I asked Mark out on our real first date. Mark thinks our first date was before that, I'll let you guys be the judge.

What Mark thought was our first date:

My roommate and her beau were headed to the rodeo and me and Mark came along. I didn't have cash, and that's all they were taking so Mark paid for me and I paid him back. Afterward we went to Subway and I paid for myself.

Leading up to our REAL first date we were both unsure of what the others intentions were. I was getting sick of it so I gave my roommate permission to let him know that I liked him. She was IM'ing him and found out that he too liked me but didn't want to make a move because he wasn't sure how I felt. He was assured that I liked him too but I beat him to the punch and asked him to go on a date with me and with my roommate and her boyfriend. We went to the temple but there was a 3 hour wait so instead we came back, watched a movie and made ice cream. Mark put his arm around me and held my hand, OMG!!! ;) and that was our first date!

After that we were with each other every spare moment we had. Mark even came to my Paul Mitchell graduation. We dated for 2 months when we both decided it was work towards marriage or break up. Because of my fear of potentially bad consequences and the knowledge that the decision I make have a bearing on the rest of my life I began to panic. Marriage is a huge decision. Those other LDS members out there know that this is a decision for the rest of your life. This is a decision that will not affect just this life but eternity. Those things weighed heavy on my mind and I didn't know what to do. I prayed a lot, read a lot and fasted and still did not know what to do. I broke up with Mark and we remained apart for about 2 months. I tried to move on with life and found that I couldn't. Mark already knew that it was right to marry me and he patiently waited. He had many job opportunities that would have taken him elsewhere but he took the one that kept him right where he was at.

After many of the worst days of my life I finally got my answer. It was right in front of me the whole time and it took the momentary wisdom of my brother for me to realize it. I loved Mark, he was a good man and he could give me what I needed. It was my choice to make and I just needed the courage to make it. So I did. The moment I made that decision I never looked back. I hear that many people get their cold feet the day of but not me! I like to think that 2 months we were broken up was my "cold feet."

We decided we were going to get married in April. Got semi-engaged in May. Kept it a secret from our families all that time and let them know in June that we were getting married in August. Not a popular decision amongst my in-laws but my family loved Mark and was very supportive(as it should be). We were sealed together for time and all eternity on August 16th, 2007 in the Boise, Idaho temple.

As you can see this is not the final chapter of our lives. We have been married now for 3 1/2 years. This blog is the continuation of our never-ending story. And because it's Valentines Day I am going to be really sappy. I am so very grateful I made the decision to marry Mark. I love him so much and we have to of the most beautiful girls in the world. I thank God everyday for blessing me with my family. Mark supports our family and works hard to make sure we are cared for and for that I will be forever grateful. He is my other half and without him our family is not whole. He is the best dad and loves his girls so much. He is so thoughtful, maybe not romantic in any way, but he is always thinking about me and how to make me happy. We both have our faults and some days we may not like each other very much but through all those obstacles our love grows stronger as we build our eternal family. I love you Mark. Thank you for the past 5 years. They truly have been the best of my life.