Exactly One Year Ago...

The man of my dreams asked me to marry him.

*Sigh*

I still get butterflies just thinking about it. That picture was taken on my phone the night he popped the question.

* * *

June 8th, 2009.

It was a Monday night. We had wanted to go dancing for a while. Seth knows some swing dancing and I really wanted him to teach me some moves. I love to dance, but have never really learned any couples dancing.

We went to Seth's family home evening. After the lesson was over, we left to find a place we could dance. We tried a few different places on campus, and finally ended up in a big room upstairs in the Wilkinson Center.

He taught me some awesome moves, and I even taught him some ballet! :) At some point, a bunch of janitors came into the room we were practicing in and started puting away chairs. So we decided we should probably get out of their way. 

We still wanted to dance for a bit, so we found ourselves in a corner of the big ballroom. We danced and danced for quite awhile.

I started getting tired and was ready to call it a night. Then Seth said, wait, he wanted to show me something. It was a move that he'd seen done before but had never actually done himself. I wanted to get to bed, but is sounded like a cool move, so I gave in.

Seth showed me through a complicated series of movements. At the end, he turned me away from him, then spun me back around. When I turned, I saw him down on one knee. At first I thought, "What am I supposed to do now? Sit on his knee?" Then I realized what down on one knee meant, and I was mad that he would joke about something like that. Finally, he pulled the ring from his pocket and I knew he wasn't kidding.

At that point, I think I went into shock. Seth started talking to me but I could never remember what he said. I was just staring at his face, shocked. When he asked the words, "Will you marry me?" all I could do was say "Of course!" and giggle like crazy because I was so happy. I gave him a big hug around his neck and couldn't believe how lucky I was.

At that point, we realized that the building was closing. So we went outside and sat on a bench for a while, talking about the enormity of the decision we'd just made. Neither of us could stop smiling and we started using phrases like "When we're married..." which was exciting to be able to say finally. We had both known that we wanted to spend forever together for quite some time.

We finally made our way down to the duck pond. We sat on a bench by the pond and started calling our families and close friends, even though it was late and most of our family members were in bed. We figured they deserved to know very first.

At around midnight, the sprinklers started so we had to run to the car. Once there, we stayed parked by the duck pond and continued calling and texting pictures of the ring to friends. Everyone was so excited for us, but I wish they could have seen our faces. We couldn't stop staring at each other or smiling.We were talking to other people, but our attention was really all just for each other.

It started getting pretty late but neither of us wanted to go home. We wanted to soak in the moment as much as we could. Finally, Seth decided I had better get home so I could make it to work in the morning. Saying goodnight that night was the hardest it had ever been.

 74 days later, August 21st 2009, we were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple for Time and All Eternity. It was the happiest day of both of our lives. For nothing am I more grateful than this wonderful man that God has allowed me to be with forever. I don't know what I would do without him. In the relatively short time that we've been together, he has impacted my life in ways I never knew he could.


Since then, we have each learned so much about each other. We know each others secrets and so called "imperfections." However, we still insist that the other is perfect. Because we are perfect for each other.

People always warned us that the first year of marriage would be the hardest. It hasn't quite been a year for that yet, but I can honestly say, it has been the best year of my life. We have had some hard times so far (surely nothing compared for what is to come in our future) but we have learned so much about each other. I think the "hard" part of the first year of marriage is all about stepping outside your own brain, and realizing that there is something else out there. It can be hard because we want the world to be as we see it. But when we care so much for someone that sees it differently, we have to look at it differently sometimes. We can either resist, or embrace that.

Some times have been harder than others, but in each of these experiences, I have learned more about who my husband truly is. It is a wonderful feeling. Although I like to think I know everything about him, there is still a lot to learn. There is no way to define the complexities of a single human. But that's why we have forever to spend learning about each other.

I love you Seth. You are my entire world and I am eternally thankful for the time we've been granted together so far. Here's to the future. To all the future memories and things we have to learn. Here's to all the future arguments and heartache and times our world feels like it's upside down. I know we will hold each other up and come out stronger people. I love you sweetheart. Thank you for everything you are.

*amber*