My Baby and me!

I've seen a lot of love stories being posted and I started to think about my own...somewhat different from most, but it has a happy ending! I met Rob in the summer of 2003, he had just returned from Iraq and I had moved home to OC from San Diego. He just showed up one day and acted like he'd never been away. In our singles ward we used to play softball on Saturday mornings and I'm not a softball player by any means. But Rob and I were just getting to know each other and this was a fun way to be around him! I would just stand behind him and act as his "shadow", but really the whole time checking out his adorable butt! Oh he had the best body that summer still being in the marines all he did was work out, man oh man!!!
So he he asked me out a few times and each time I said no (I have no idea why, maybe playing hard to get) but on the 3rd try I said yes and we had our first date at the OC fair. It was seriously the best date I've ever been on and I knew I started falling for him that night. We played all night and beat up on each other with these blow-up hammers and by the end of the night we were holding hands (we have a very specific way of holding hands, not interlaced through all fingers but just a couple....and it was so comfortable). No kiss on the first date (I totally would have) but I'm sure it happened a few dates later on the way out to my car to say goodnight. After that I totally stalked him! I had friends in the same apt complex and would just magically show up on his doorstep all the time! Poor guy never stood a chance. Well we had an interesting courtship, we broke up a number of times but something always brought us back together.

Late in 2004 we started talking about marriage (everyone was getting married around us so I started to feel the pressure) and he just couldn't handle it! We were at the mall one day walking by a jewelry store and said we should go in and look around...I was a little nervous but went with it....so we get in the store, I have a ring on my finger and he tells the sales lady that he is my brother! I couldn't get out of that store fast enough! I tried to be patient, but my emotions got the better of me one Sunday afternoon at his apartment, I started bawling asking him why he didn't want to marry me??? He disappears for a second and comes back and hands me the receipt for my engagement ring! I guess the ring was taking forever to make and he was just waiting to get it...needless to say I felt really silly after that! So I settled down and waited!

The proposal happened on Christmas Day 2004. My family was out of town and I think we went to his family's for the morning, but we got back to the apt and were just hanging out when he has this brilliant idea to try out his new trench coat. I though it was kinda random but I went with it, we went to Laguna Beach and walked up to this gazebo overlooking the ocean and all the sudden he was down on one knee! I can't remember a thing he said, but I know I said yes! I'm glad we actually had the camera there that night!



I started planning the wedding the next day and we got married on May 21, 2005 (exactly one month before my b-day, so he can't ever forget it) in the San Diego temple and it was a total blur! I remember him walking up to meet us that morning and I was so excited and I asked him "aren't you so excited?"....he then told me "please don't talk to me right now", I started freaking out a little cause who would say that like 20 minutes before they were sealed???? But we were able to see each other beforehand and he was totally calm and ready, so I felt ok about marrying him! After that we headed to our apt and took a nap (really I totally fell asleep for a couple of hours) and then went to my parents house for our reception!

We left the next day for our honeymoon in Hawaii, it was soooo amazing to be on our own! We had a great time in Maui in the best hotel ever. And he took some amazing pictures we have had blown up and framed in our bedroom!


And now almost 3 years later we are happier than ever (marriage was a tough thing for us to adjust to) and have our beautiful home, our giant dogs, and our great friends surrounding us! We are looking forward to having a family and are ready when the time is right!