Friday, June 1, 2012

the first date.

(I don't think I've documented this yet, so here it be.)

Nate and I met on October 29, 2011. Through a long string of events we had been texting back and forth and decided to finally go out next time I was in town.
Erika came last minute and I didn't want it to be an awkward 3 some, so I quickly rounded up another guy to come with us.
Erika and I were at the mall shopping and killing time until this blind date. When it got close we headed over to the Cheesecake Factory. Now, I don't know what it is about that place but it is ALWAYS so busy!! We got our names on the list and then sat down on a bench outside to wait for the blind date to show up.
A little later I got a text he was there. I suddenly got super anxious and nervous, which isn't really like me. I started scanning the parking lot in every direction looking for this kid! I saw him walking up from my right and hurried and looked back at Erika as if I hadn't seen him. Through clenched teeth I'm pretty sure we had a conversation like:
me: he's here!
her: oh he's tall!
me: what do I do?!
her: say hi?
I turned around just as he walks up and said something dumb like, "is your name Nate?"
I don't remember a whole lot of the exact details, but I know he sat down on the bench with us to wait, and we talked a little bit. He was really quiet and shy. I was pretty sure I blew it from the beginning with how badly he seemed to NOT want to talk to me!
Finally, we got seated at our table and I thought things were settling down. But still he kept sooo tight lipped! One word answers to any question I asked him. I tried to make jokes, to make any kind of conversation but this kid wasn't having it! And just to make matters worse, homeboy who I invited for Erika was stealing the conversation...and only talking to me! I tried my hardest to include Nate but finally I figured it was a lost cause and he just REALLY wasn't into me and was miserable. I quit trying and let him eat in silence.
After dinner, homeboy left and I gave Nate an out. I had to go get the rest of my stuff out of a friends garage so I told him we were going to do that and I wouldn't be offended if he just wanted to go home, but he was also more than welcome to stay because we were going to a haunted house afterward.
He completely shocked me at this point and said he wanted to come! He was still pretty quiet during the whole trip and process of getting my stuff. I was majorly confused to say the least!
Finally, it was haunted house time! We went to Nightmare on 13th, my personal favorite, and it was awesome!
He opened up a lot more while we waited in line, and at one point during the haunted house he even  hid around a corner and scared Erika and I. Not that we needed it, I was a little freaked a couple times and grabbed onto the back of his shirt. At one point he reached around and I thought maybe he was trying to hole my hand, but he didn't. So then I thought he was just annoyed, trying to get me to let go as to not stretch out his shirt!
When we got to the end the workers told us if we kept our wristbands on until the next weekend we could get in for free!
I was kinda diggin Nate by then and thought, I'll come back next weekend and see what happens!

Photos straight from the night we met!


(He said he was game to go the next weekend and the rest is history in the making!)

Monday, May 28, 2012

Memorial Day Weekend.

By complete and utter chance, Nate got half the day Saturday, Sunday and Monday off call!! We made a quick trip to Boise with it and took our engagement pictures (and downed an entire pizza on the drive)!!! I am so excited and relieved they are done! We can't wait to see the finished products, I know there are some super cute ones, and probably some not as cute ones too! It was a great weekend and I was just loving having Nate around. I don't realize just how much I miss him until he's gone! I also seem to forget just how cute my nephews are!
 driving to Boise! It had been 19 days since I'd seen this boy!

just trying out the ties we ordered...still not totally sure what we think.

the cutest nephew in the world wearing Nate's boots...watching him walk in them was the best!
Our drive back was fantastic, we had a really great conversation concerning church and family, including our future family, and building and maintaining our relationship. We covered a lot and I am so glad we are on the same page about raising a family, staying married, etc.
I am so grateful for Nate and for the way he was raised. More importantly I think, I am grateful for the way he came to be. His story of gaining a testimony and wanting to live better really inspires me. I've heard it multiple times and we've talked in depth about it, but for some reason it just really hit me this time that he really is amazing and nothing will stop him from doing and getting what he wants. There has clearly always been someone looking out for him and watching over him and pushing him to do better. And for that I am truly grateful because I think he turned out just right!
And then there's me...I'm turning into such a baby! I was completely fine up until the point he got into his truck to head back to Utah and then I couldn't help it, i bawled (:
145 days.