The Beginning

This coming week as we approach our anniversary I will focus on our six years of marriage.

The Courtship & Engagement

Year 2001

I graduate from Red Mountain High School May 2001 and enroll in Institute that summer. 18 years old, fresh & naive I have hopes and dreams of meeting some super cute guys and enjoying my new single adulthood.

You, my love are a wise 23 years and are hunting for the woman of your dreams and haven't had any success thus far. (You are quite picky and particular I might add.) Doesn't he look hot?

We happen to be in the same institute class. We are sitting near one another. I think you are cute and hope you will take notice and make the first move. You don't.

Fast forward one month. July 2001. There is a stake young single adult activity, water skiing at Apache Lake. We both go. You happen to be in charge and bring your video camera and begin your duty of making small talk with the attendees. You make the rounds and end up near my blanket. You have me on camera, with my braces, in my swimsuit...

Later the group decides to go out on the lake. You "happen" to be in my boat. I ski, you record. I fall several times, you record. Great. Now you ski and I get behind the lens. You look amazing, your biceps bulging as you grasp firmly to the rope and flit around on the water like a dragonfly, expertly skimming and navigating the wake. The activity ends, we go home.

A week or so goes by...ring, ring!

Me: Hello.

You: Hey, this is Phil.

Me: Silence...pretend like you know who you're talking to...oh, hey!

You: Phil Gunnell, from the lake activity.

Me: Okay.

You: We were in the same boat...I got your number from so & so. I have some pictures I want to email you.

Me: Oh, I remember! Great.

I give you my email address. We talk for a bit and then you work up to asking me out. I say yes, we set a date.

The 1st DATE:

You are late. I am nervous. I had a major hair fiasco and to cover it up went pretty much platinum blonde, as opposed to my more "natural" looking blonde. You arrive and we drive away in your parent's white 1995-ish Toyota Avalon. It is nice, nicer than anything we have every owned or driven. You are wearing jeans and a darker denim shirt with a very light white check pattern. (It sounds gay, but it's not.) Turns out the reason you are late is because while driving to pick me up you spilt melted Carmex all over you and had to return home to change. You are sorry.

We drive to Fry's to pick up ingredients for our dinner that you didn't tell me we were eating. I have already eaten but don't say a word. We then go to your house where we meet up with your little sister and her date. She is totally mad at you because her date is 23 years old. She is 18. You think he is too old for her. She finds out I am also 18 and thinks you are a hypocrite and a jerk. I am unaware of all this and just think she is pretty grouchy.

I meet your parents. They are nice and then tell me they have heard a lot about me and have seen me water skiing. I am mortified because I remember how many times I wiped out and all the goofy small talk.

You make hamburgers, salad and then we have watermelon shakes for dessert. So good, but I am not hungry and force food down so you don't suspect anything. We then head out to the IMAX theater, watch some crazy 3D movie that makes my eyes and head hurt and then you take me home. It was a nice date, we made the appropriate get-to-know-you small talk.

You call me again and we continue getting to know each other, talk on the phone and hang out at each other's homes until all hours of the night. My mom is freaking out. She thinks we are going to get married. I tell her that it's okay. We are just friends. She is not convinced and tells me you are a returned missionary, are 23 and are wanting to get married. I nervously laugh it off.

At one date I get to meet your family. All of them. We meet at Wendy & Steve's, watch "What Lies Beneath", lay on the floor side by side. During the drive home you hold my hand and tell me "This is getting serious." You ask how I feel about it and I say "good". You smile and squeeze my hand.

All of this conspires in about one month. We meet the end of July and then around my sister's birthday we are engaged. We are in your bedroom looking at engagement rings online, trying to figure out what I like. You ask if I want the ring when you propose. I do but am a pleaser and say it doesn't matter. For some reason you get down on your knee and ask me to marry you right then and there. I say yes. We kiss. A lot. And resume looking for rings. I am a bit disappointed, no flair, no planning, no ring. But I am happy. Now we get to tell my single mom that her oldest 18 year old daughter is getting married.