5 Years Ago Today

I was a freshman at NAU majoring in Elementary Education. I had a weekend class that met each Friday evening and Saturday morning. October 25th, my roommate Brittany Rand's (now Nelson) birthday, would turn out to be a fateful date. When I came home from class there were two guys at our apartment that I had never met. They had come up from Phoenix for a ward camp out and decided to stop by and see their old friend Brittany for her birthday. Well, she had to go somewhere so she left them with one of my other roommates Jen to entertain them. This is when I walk in. I remember I walked right through the living room to my room and put down all my stuff then walked back into the living room and introduced myself. One of the guys, tall, blond, and handsome (who turned out to be Matt of course) stood up and shook my hand- which impressed me a little since many people would have just stayed seated.

We decided to take them hiking to the lava caves (which are underground caves formed by lava obviously). Jon (the other guy) drove his Jeep and I don't know why but I decided to sit in the back with Matt and Jen sat in the front with Jon. Who knows what might have happened if it had been the other way around. It wasn't really a date in my mind so I wasn't nervous at all and I just acted like my normal talkative self. I asked him a ton of questions about his major (computer engineering), what year (a junior), how old (21 almost 22), mission (Argentina, Salta), his family (1 brother 2 sisters). I also told him about my family, major etc. He said he found out enough about me in that first day to be interested. I guess trying to fill the silence pays off sometimes. I remember on the hike Matt kept wandering around to look at everything. I kept hitting my head, which he found funny because he didn't and he is so much taller than me. I found out later that he is actually 17 inches taller than me. He's used to watching his head, I am not. We went back to our apartment and they left to go on a blind date that night with some other girls that a friend had set them up with.

That might have been the end of the acquaintance except there was a girl ask guy dance coming up. Jen kept bugging me the whole night to ask the guys to the dance. I have never before or since asked a guy out (who knew it would cause such a life change). In my head I figured he seemed nice enough, if he wanted to say no he could use the distance as an excuse, and if it went badly I would never see him again! So Mormon style we put bananas on their car and made a sign that said, "We'd go bananas if you'd go to the dance with us." Kind of lame I know. We also made puzzles when their names on one side and ours on the other so they would know which girl was asking which guy. The next day they came by with flowers made out of paper napkins and said yes. They said they were so relieved it was us asking and not the girls from the blind dates. Ha! Before they left Matt stayed back to give me a hug which I thought was kind of funny- I don't usually hug guys I've just met, even ones I've just asked out. Anyway in the next couple of weeks before the dance Matt kept calling and e-mailing me. The more we talked the more we found in common. There were so many things we really agreed on that I didn't think I would EVER find someone so compatible. By the time the dance came we both really liked each other.

One of our first pictures on the hike in Sedona

The guys drove up the Friday night before the dance (and after my cursed class) we went to the Friday Night Institute activity to watch a hockey game. Matt and Jon showed up with a dozen red roses each. I still have them; they are in Charlotte's room actually. At the game Matt kept putting his arm around me. Then we went back to our apartment and played Loaded Questions. Matt sat really close to me and then held my hand. That was the first time I ever held hands with a boy. I thought I should be freaking out but it just felt like the natural thing to do. I was so excited! The next day we went to Sedona for a picnic and a hike with my roommates and their dates. My brother Jesse was on the date with one of my other roommates, Elysia. He gave us a hard time for holding hands. Then that night we went to the formal dance and had so much fun. For the next couple of months we saw each other every few weekends, talked everyday (my poor roommates), and e-mailed at least once a day. We met each other’s families once just briefly.

Not the best picture of us

And the rest as they say is history… Well not really because it was another year and a half until we got married but I’ll tell the rest of the story another time. Anyway, thanks Brittany for having a birthday, and being my roommate, and having somewhere else to be. It still boggles my mind that I met the person I married under such chance circumstances, and asked him out, and he said yes, and we kept dating. It must have been meant to be. So October 25th has a special place in my heart. I love you Matt!

We look so young and in love