27 Years Later!

When I was a kid I wondered the same thing every other person wonders and that is where and who exactly is the person I would marry someday. Of course as a teenager you dream of your favorite movie star and hope that they will be that person. You have your local crushes during high school. I remember one guy who for a full year we smiled and nodded at each other never saying a word the whole year. The following year we were in an English class together and became good friends and laughed about our year long glances only to find out we each were attracted to one another.

Some girls look for boys who are like their dads. And I suppose I probably did as well. I was just a babe when I met Mike. I was 17 but would soon be turning to the ripe old age of 18. I look at girls who are 17/18 and think wow by that age I was dating my future husband.



My roommates had met Mike's roommate a week before school started and the following Saturday night met back up with him (his name was Mike as well) and they invited Mike and his roommate over for dinner in between church. Yes we had split church meetings way back then. We went to Sunday School in the AM and then to Sacrament in the PM. I had arrived in Rexburg just a day or two before the weekend and they informed me that they had invited a guy and his roommate from our ward over for dinner. (Seems to me there were 3 guys. But for the life of me I don't know who that 3rd guy was.) Anyhow Mike and Mike arrived. I remember Mike walking into our apt in a gray suit. I thought he has to be a RM he can't be my age since he looked way older then I was. They were both cute and since all of my roommates(4)were in the kitchen cooking dinner I took it upon myself to entertain the male guests. I knew I entertained better then I cooked so I was good with that.

I think Mike and I talked pretty much the whole time. Ok I probably talked the whole time. Mike tells me that I can carry on a conversation by myself. We ate dinner and he and I walked to Sacrament meeting together chatting about Rexburg and the surrounding area. That is pretty much the beginning of our relationship. I was currently writing to a guy I had dated in Ca who was on his mission. Mike knew about him and didn't like him. I figured all was ok because I wasn't going to fall in love. I was already in what I thought was love with someone else.



Never before have 2 kids from Ricks College walk so much around Rexburg. We walked everywhere and I mean everywhere. Mike would spot me on campus and the next thing I knew he would be standing next to me. We did everything together and had fun doing it. I remember the first time he held my hand. It was after we had gone running. I wasn't going to tell him I hated running and couldn't run. Our first real date was to see the movie Grease but it left the small theater and we ended up seeing the Sound of Music. Our first kiss was under a tree on 2nd Avenue, I believe. We went to all the dances on campus and attended all the devotionals together. I discovered something I truly liked about Mike- I liked how the pockets on his pants danced when he walked. I use to find myself walking behind him often. :-)



By Christmas time I knew I didn't want to leave him for the Christmas break. I thought it just might kill me to not see him for 2 whole weeks. I was in love! We would have one more semester left together before he would leave on his mission for 2 years. Remember I was already writing one missionary and now I would have to start that process over again? UGH!!! I just kept thinking... why couldn't he have been a RM to begin with. Well he wasn't and we continued to date and fall deeper in love. I'm sad to say that I would have been happy for him to forgo his mission and marry me but Mike knew what was right and he always kept that in his site for which I am very thankful he did.

The walking and the talking continued. Our favorite thing to do was to walk and play in the snow. And during the winter in Rexburg there is snow everywhere. We ran around in more parks and went down more snow filled slides then any person in their right minds would and should do. We would swing on swings and go as high as we could and jump into the new piles of snow to see who could go the farthest. We got very cold and our clothes would be so wet they would turn to ice but we were having a great time. We would run back up to the school go inside the closest building and stand between the double sets of doors. Inside those double sets of doors were wall heaters and we would sit on them to thaw out. We sat on the heaters until our pants were thawed and our bottoms were almost thawed and then we would run to the next building only to sit on those space heaters repeating the same process. That is how we survived the cold Rexburg winters. Running from Building to building with frozen clothing and very cold bodies and red cheeks.

Well the end of the semester came and I was very sad. I knew this would possibly be the last time I saw him for over 2 years. We said we would write each other but writing doesn't replace hugs and being together in any way. My best friend would leave to go serve the Lord. I will always be thankful Mike knew what he needed to do and he never wavered in doing the right thing.



We both went to our respective homes writing and calling when we could. I remember when Mike called me to tell me he had gotten his mission call. Italy... where in the heck is Italy? Oh the boot shaped country??? I think I have seen that before. He then invited me out to his farewell. I jumped at the chance to see him one more time. I don't remember how many days I went out to SLC for but we had a great time. Nothing like being with your best friend again. See we didn't make any promises that I would wait for him. We just said if we were each around in 2 years we would see what might happen at that time but we both knew we loved each other very much. In fact in each of our letters we signed them with Forever and Eternity. We still use that today.



Mike left in July for Italy and I went back up to Rexburg in Aug. Mark was coming home in Nov. I dated a few guys while up in Rexburg but my heart was in Italy. Mark came home (Mike said he knew when Mark came home because my letters stopped for a month. I don't remember that) and he came up to Rexburg to see me. I drove down to Provo with him to listen to his homecoming talk. I remember thinking he is one wacky guy and I wasn't sure I liked him! I did talk to him one night for 5 hours long distance and hoped my phone bill wouldn't come and the funny thing is it never did. I secretly hoped Mike wouldn't come home the same way Mark did.

I remember one night kneeling down and praying and asking Heavenly Father about Mark. I didn't stay on my knees long to hear the answer but jumped right up and climbed into bed. I had a dream that night and in my dream a person came and sat on my bed and told me that I would marry Mike. Mike was to be my husband. This happened not once but about 2 or 3 times that night. I woke up that next morning thinking... hummm I guess I got my answer I'm going to marry Mike and I hope he would know that as well.

I never told Mike about that dream until he came home and maybe even after we were engaged or married. Mike had business to do with the Italian people he didn't need to hear about me and my dreams. Anyhow, we continued to write and about a month or two before he came home I wondered if I should go on a mission. I asked Mike what he thought about that idea and since letters were taking about a month to get the answers back he would be close to coming home when I received a letter from him. I remember reading it in my front yard. It simply said I don't think you should go on a mission. Lets go together when we are older. Come to Utah and please be at the airport when I get home.

Wow- I remember telling that one to my Mom. She said you can't go ... you will look like you are chasing him. I was so put out because she just didn't get it. As luck or the Lord would have it my family decided to have a family vacation in Utah the same time Mike would be getting back. How convenient that was for me. It would be too late to tell him I would be there. He would be home in 2 weeks.

The day came when he would be flying into SLC. I had hoped he told his family I would be there. I was staying with my family out in Bountiful at my uncle's house. I got to the airport and saw that his flight had arrived. I walked towards the gate. I didn't want to barge in on the family welcome so I lingered a little around the corner. I thought surely he has gotten off the plane by now and so I slowly walked to his gate only to be greeted by his parents. Who informed me Mike wasn't on the plane. He had eaten some peanuts on the plane and was still in NY. He would be on a flight the following day and to come back at that time. I remember thinking gosh... I have to do this again?

The next day finally arrived and I stood back as he greeted his family- I was still in love and I saw him come towards me and he gave me a big hug. I remember saying.. I have missed you so very much. He whispered in my ear I'm back and I'm not going away again. Mike invited me over to the house and as we walked to the cars and I asked if anyone wanted to ride with me. I didn't quite know how to get from the airport to their house. Thankfully Wendy, Mike's sister said she would ride with me. We drove to their house and Mike patiently waited to go see the Stake Pres so he could be released. He finally got the call and was gone in a flash and back in a flash. I heard him yell to me to come down to his room for a minute. I walked in and he grabbed me and gave me a big kiss. Boy was he out of practice!



It didn't take long for us to figure out what we wanted to do. We were both still around after 2 years! We went on a picnic lunch 3 days later in Cottonwood Canyon I think. I remember Mike laying on a blanket and I was sitting up getting stuff put out for the lunch when he said... well what do you think we ought to do now? I said well I don't know what do you think? He said lets get married. I said great idea!!! We decided we wouldn't tell anyone for 2 weeks after all he had just returned from his mission the a few days earlier and thankfully not weird. We first needed to find a date the temple would be open and picked the month of December. We found out that Dec 30th would be the date we would venture inside the Oakland temple and become husband and wife - Forever and Eternity!



So here I sit almost 27 years later and still in love and still glad I married my very best friend. The Lord has blessed us with so many things these past 27 years and just one of those many blessings is 4 amazing children.

Sometimes I look at Mike when he is far off and I think to myself- you chose well girl, you are truly loved by Heavenly Father because he gave you Mike! Mike has been a wonderful man in my life. He is all things I hoped for and even more. Yes he is much like my father in many ways and I have determined he is just perfect for me.

Thanks for being in my life all these years and for being you! I love you without measure and can't wait to venture into eternity with you! Forever and Eternity! I love you Mike.