Six Years & The Beginning

I just have to say, this has been one of the best weeks of my life.

Josh and I both received really good news about new employment opportunities, and after struggling financially for quite some time now, we are excited for what the future holds. It finally feels like things are coming together for us, and we could not be happier!

This news came at a perfect time, too, because we have plans to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary this Sunday, August 19th. We are going on a little Wendover trip where we can gamble, get silly, and remember how much fun we have together.

Our last trip to Las Vegas!

So in honor of our upcoming occasion, I thought it would be the perfect time to reflect and share the story of how me and Josh first met.

awwwww!

I'm not sure why I've never gone over this before... I think it's because it's such a long story, includes all sorts of details about my religious upbringing, and I was never ready to dish. But, I'm changing that today because I think it's about time I confess!

You ready for this? Have a seat and turn on some Etta James- it's about to get lovey dovey up in here.

Flash back to October 2001:

I was 14 years old living in my hometown of Bristol, Connecticut.

Josh was 19 and serving an LDS mission in Hartford, Connecticut.

OK, I know we're only 2 sentences in and it sounds bad- don't get any crazy ideas. It was actually really sweet the way it happened. Let me just explain one thing first...

It is every Mormon girl's dream to someday meet a cute Mormon boy, fall in love, and get married in the temple. We were encouraged to date within our religion, but there were slim pickins' in my ward, and I was the only Mormon in my school... so... naturally, it became tradition for me and my sisters to scope out the missionaries: hot, righteous young men, serving the Lord, and always dressed in their Sunday best. How could we resist?

So one day, young Elder Roberts got transferred into my ward and walked into church one Sunday morning. He saw me walking in for sacrament meeting, and asked his companion who I was. His companion laughed and said I was only 14, but to check out my older sister ;)

I don't remember exactly how it happened, but from the moment he shook my hand and our eyes locked, I felt something. I felt like I already knew him... and I quickly developed an intense crush.

Though, it was really awkward and weird for him because of the age difference... he had to keep reminding himself I was only 14 (and fyi... I already had been blessed with a full set of ta-ta's, so I looked a lot older, not that it makes a difference, but, well, it kinda does).

Like all young girls with a crush, I became obsessed. I asked my parents to invite him and his companion over for dinner every month. I loved the way he said my name, the way his lips moved, the way he ate.  He caught me staring at him all the time, and I liked to think I caught him looking at me too.

My seminary teacher would often invite missionaries over for early morning seminary sessions. We all had notebooks for class that we would leave there, and I remember doodling in mine at one point, "I <3 Elder Roberts!"

One time he went to my teacher's house for dinner, and he saw my notebook sitting out... I'm not sure why he decided to peek, but he found a list of my favorite bands and added some of his, along with a cute little doodle of himself as a missionary, waving hi. I think there was something else too, but neither of us can remember.  Oh, what I would do to find that notebook again!

I just remember seeing it the next morning and feeling like he thought I was special. The belief that I would marry him someday increased, but soon he would be transferred to another ward and we wouldn't see each other for another three years.

...to be continued!

I hate to leave ya hangin' but I got to break it up a little bit before this turns into a novel.

Anyway- wish us luck in Wendover, or 'Dover as I like to call it (it's basically a random cluster of casinos on the border of Utah/Nevada). I'm planning on going nuts with the penny slots- howling when I win big on Coyote Run and doing an Egyptian dance when Cleopatra pays out.

What are you guys up to this weekend? :)