A Forever Love

I love this man with all I have. I've loved this man since the moment I met him. Today you get to hear our cheesy, corny, cliche story, as crazy as it is...... or at least my version of it.

Saturday July 31st, 1999-- Second Best Day Ever

I met Ben at a stake dance (church dance). I saw him there that night. A guy I had never laid eyes on before. I thought he was GORGEOUS! I was dancing with a guy friend of mine and I pointed out Ben to him and I said "I'm gonna dance with him tonight." *I found out later that Ben had the same reaction when seeing me through the windows when walking up to the building* I went up to the group that he was standing in as a song was starting. I stood right in front of him and asked if anyone wanted to dance....He jumped at the chance.

And then I was dancing with the coolest guy ever! He was talking and I was soaking it up. All of it. He played baseball. I love baseball. He surfed. How cool is that?!? He loved camping. I loved camping. There was just so much that we had to talk about. I have no idea what song was playing....who cares, I had a pretty promising guy captive for the duration.

He hates this picture. I love it!

So every month after the dance there would be a gathering at my house. Stocked pantry, loaded fridge, surround sound, MASSIVE collection of movies. I told Ben that I had some friends coming over after the dance and asked him if he wanted to come along.......He said yes and I think I started floating a little bit. I knew I couldn't just let him disappear in a trail of exhaust. The next thought that ran through my head--"Crap, my parents are out of town and I haven't talked to any of my friends yet!!!!!!" The song ended and I tried to run off to ensure that I wouldn't be at my house, alone, with some guy I just me and his friend. He wanted to talk some more. I obliged. Then I ran off and told my friends they HAD HAD HAD HAD HAD to come over because I had just invited a boy over and once again, my parents were out of the state.

He came over. We watched a movie. He positioned himself near me. I put my hand right next to his and then......He didn't go for the kill. I swear, if his hand would have just brushed mine I would have taken the lead but nothing, nada, zilch! He didn't hold my hand! What the?!? I put it right there for the taking and he didn't go for it.... I was confused but still sublimely happy that he was there.

I got a phone number. I gave him mine. He left my house and I told my friend Brit that he was mine. I knew it. She was spending the night--trust me that plays into the story shortly....

Eventually we went to sleep.

Sunday August 1st, 1999

Me and Brit woke up and I decided it would be a great idea to give Ben a call. Yup, I called the next day, it hadn't even been twelve hours. I called, someone answered. I asked for Ben. We talked. He was on his way to church. His parents had an unplanned road trip to attend to that day.

We got off the phone and I turned to Brit and said "Lets go find him!" I grew up in Poulsbo, WA he was in Port Orchard, WA. A whole 22.5 miles apart. I had NEVER been in PO. This simple route....Not the one we took.
Brit knew where one of the chapels was in PO so we went there. I saw a lady in the foyer and started describing Ben to her. She told me he was at "the other building" and started spouting off road names and ways to turn. Yeah, I was gonna remember that. Good thing we had a quarter. I drove, Brit flipped the quarter every time we came to a crossroad. We kept on stopping at gas stations and getting more directions. Eventually we found the church. You know what....that quarter was NEVER wrong!!!!!

Once again I went up to an unsuspecting stranger in the parking lot and described Ben to him. he knew Ben, he was in Ben's class. His name was also Ben. He took me to the door and asked if I wanted to go in.....Yeah right, I'm not THAT crazy. Me and Brit waited in the foyer.

I can still remember exactly what he looked like as he walked down the hall towards me. He was wearing cargo khakis, he had his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows and he had on this tie with a yellow background and golf bags. (I think he stole that one from his dad) I'm pretty sure I heard a heavenly chorus. Yeah, there were definitely angels singing.

He smiled said hello and then took me to Young Womens. What? You mean I still have to go to class?!? Hello I just tracked you down and you're sending me to class? Okay. After church we went to his house for dinner.

Ben has a BIG family! NINE kids. Way more than the two I grew up with. A few of them were there that night. Plus me and Brit and Ben's friend Ryan. It was quite a gathering. There was turkey, and stuffing. We all gathered around the table and then Ben asked me to say the blessing on dinner. WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it! I had never met these people before in my life!!!! So what do I do? I pray. We eat. And then we settle on to the couch for another movie.

Apparently Ben's parents learned a thing or two raising nine kids, Ben and his twin being the youngest, Their couch was so narrow there was no way that two people can lay next to each other on that thing. Not that we tried that day, that was like two weeks down the road. (okay, more than that, I think.) Anyway, Ben was laying on the couch one way and I was laying on the section square to that. We were watching Last of the Mohicans, one of Ben's favorites. At one point, I couldn't take it anymore. The boy wouldn't make the move to hold my hand. So I tickled him. And he grabbed my hand to stop me. And I held his.

We talked on the phone multiple times daily. By Wednesday I had sent him an email asking where we were going with this and what he felt our "status" was. On Saturday we had our first real date. And our first KISS!!! It was sweet. We were down on the water at this place called Prospect Point. It was sunset and there was this amaaaaazing double red rainbow. He kissed me. Just a peck. No intimidating, suffocating tonsil mangling, just a sweet simple peck. BEST KISS EVER!

We have been together ever since.

We were married July 1, 2000. Best Day Ever! It has been an amazing, intriguing, roller coaster thrill for nine years of marriage(10 of togetherness). I can't wait for the next one or the next 50!

I love you Ben. Thank you for being an amazing partner, friend, lover, companion, snuggle buddy, personal torturer, alarm clock, taste tester, house cleaner, repairer, father of our children, dish washer, and mechanic. Hopefully I can pay you back for all that someday!

You are my destiny!