LOOKING BACK

Most of you probably have spent the last few days awaiting the July 4th. I however have been excited by something else. Brett and my anniversary, which we celebrated yesterday. So here is our story.



One year and 22 days ago

June 8th is my sister Sarah's birthday. For her birthday last year (2007) she celebrated by inviting ever friend, acquaintance, co-worker and friend of friends. Oh yeah and family... that's me! So Friday June 8, 2007, at the conclusion of my first week of work, my mother and I went to my sister's new house. Where Sarah is almost a decade older (sorry to point that out Sarah) than me normally her friends are also. Sorry to say but I was expecting to endure the evening not knowing anyone. Early on I was sitting on the couch next to the front door talking with my brother's wife, Kim. When suddenly much to my surprise a male walked in the door that was worth a second look... and a third and fourth ect. ect. I turned to my sister-in-law and said did you see him. But by this time he had walked into the kitchen. As I looked back to the kitchen I saw my dear sister pop her head around the wall say "The one on the couch without the red hair" (Kim has red hair). Then this cute boy popped his head around the corner. At that instant i knew I was the victim in a set up and wanted to stay far far away. (Over spring break I was set up with another one of her friends from her singles branch. While it wasn't a bad date there were no fireworks.) I was still curious as to who he was so I tracked down my sister (hard to do at her birthday party). When I asked her she was totally distracted and never answered so I gave up. Later I was sitting talking to Kyle, yet another friend of hers, when she came bounding over gushing about how I have to go talk to Brett, suddenly stopped talking, apologized for interrupting and then again began insisting I go talk to this Brett character once she was sure Kyle and I were done talking. Once I had her clarify that Brett was in fact the boy who she pointed me out to I refused. I knew there must have been a previous conversation between her and Brett about me. As the evening wore on she kept saying I need to talk to him. Kyle at one point kindly suggested " Just go ask him out. What's the worst that he can say no, well I guess he can say uuugh *shudder in disgust* but I don't think he'd do that to you." Before I was going to talk to him I wanted to know what the previous conversation about me had been. Finally, I cornered Sarah in the kitchen and she confessed that the previous Sunday when she had invited Brett to her party he had said he was going to try to find a date but he probably wouldn't so he'd most likely end up coming to the party. Sarah said "You can bring your date or better yet my little sister will be there she's the cute one" (Sarah always says I'm the cute and smart one... she's the beautiful, genius one!) Just as she finished telling me this I hear Kyle's voice rise above the din of the crowd saying "So have you met Margaret yet!". I turn around to find Kyle talking to this Brett person. So I make my way over and surrounding by people coming and going, standing in the middle of my sister's kitchen, I talk to my future husband for the first time. The conversation wasn't promising though. I found out he attending BYU-Idaho, strike one my goal was to go back to Utah at the end of the summer which would be easiest if I did NOT fall for a BYU-I boy. He was majoring in geology, while I love geology i didn't think the job prospects were abounding. And finally he was working in the construction. I was neutral on this one. It means he knows how to work with his hands but it's a dangerous job with not a lot of financial stability. With perfect timing, as I was running out of small talk, my mother entered the kitchen announcing she wanted to leave. Brett then got the "well shoot nice talking to you but I'd better go." I went over to say bye to the birthday girl. She asked if she could give Brett my phone number. I told her fine if he asks. Then, much to my dismay once I found my mother ready to go she had found someone to talk to and no longer wanted to leave. I would have felt stupid walking back over to talk to Brett so I walked into the living room and sat on the couch. People began coming into the living room. I noticed when Brett did and that although there was no one sitting next to me he sat on the other couch. This didn't bother me much until I saw the person who did but that is a different story. Admittedly, over the next few weeks I thought about Brett and wondered if he'd call because although there were no fireworks during our brief conversation he was so cute (of course in the most masculine form of the word cute). I went to Sarah's singles branch for activities and church. We talked a little bit and I became more interested. But he never called.

One year ago Saturday
I'd finally given up on the cute boy from my sister's party calling me. It was Thursday night and i was happy because I didn't have to go into work till noonish the next day. My parents and I were in the basement when we heard a phone ring. My mom ran up saying it was her cell phone. She then called down the stairs saying "Margaret my phone is for you." I run up and sure enough Brett finally called... my mom. My sister had given him the wrong phone number. After a few minutes of small talk he asked if I wanted to go to a BBQ with him the next day. I of course said yes and gave him my phone number.

One year ago yesterday
Friday June 29th was great because 1) I slept in, 2) I went shopping 3) It was Friday and 4) I had a date (little did I know my last first date). Well he picked me up late for the first date. (I'd like to add here that only once have I ever made a date wait and that was only because he had dropped me off from the day date with very little time to get ready for the dance.) The ride to his house was long. He lives so far out in the country at one point I thought can I trust this guy. Maybe he's driving me out into the country to leave me for dead. When we made it to his house I met his mom and dad. I really tried my best to not be quiet and shy. Admittedly his dad really scared me after I said "so you work for the police department" he corrected me saying he worked for the sheriff's department (still not sure of the difference). The date was fun. Brett's twin brother and his wife and then another couple were there also. We made tinfoil dinners, played horse shoe (something I'm awful at) and tossed a football around while they cooked, and then had dinner. After dinner we lit of fireworks in the canal by there house (this is something i did with my brother's growing up). I got a chance to talk to Brett and got to know him and liked what I found out. He was fun and flirty. He caught me off guard a few times. Before going out to light of fireworks his mom suggested i might like a jacket. He then asked if I wanted a jacket or to just use him to stay warm. He said this with his arms outstretched. I was taken off guard and opted for the jacket. Brett got me home nice and early around midnight. I remember rather enjoying the conversation on the drive back to my house and thinking after "I like what I learned about him."

One year ago today
Brett went on a date with another girl. I like to tease him about going out with a different girl three times between our first and second date, which were only 8 days apart.

Six months ago yesterday

I GOT MARRIED!!!! To the man of my dreams in the Idaho Falls temple. The weather was cold and blowy but I was so happy I really never noticed. Before getting married I thought girls were crazy when they gushed about how much they loved their wedding. But looking back.. I loved my wedding. I loved the wintry weather, I loved having my friends and family there, I even enjoyed (but didn't love) the reception line, but most of all I loved/love the man I was marrying. I completely enjoyed my wedding. Everyone else would probably disagree but I don't even think i got too stressed. Brett says I micromanaged everything at the reception but oh well too late to change it now. The only thing i regret from the wedding was never getting any hot chocolate. We served Carsten's bakery donuts and hot chocolate from the Morning Grind made from the BEST chocolate milk in the world. My mom also wanted sheet cake (I didn't care if there was cake but she says she always expects cake at a wedding) so we had cake (along with our wedding cake) from Babe's bakery. I got to try the donuts and cake after everything but I never got to try the hot chocolate.

All in all my wedding was the wedding I'd always hoped for. A winter wedding, in my mom's wedding dress (which she made herself), at the Idaho Falls temple (where my parents were married, we were even in the same room my parents were sealed in), to the ONE.

So this post has been rather long. Good job if you made it this far. But it is so crazy to me to look back and know that a year and a month ago I'd never met my husband and had no plans to get married. Some might say it was too fast but when ya know it's the one it's the one and there is no point in waiting.