The Holidays

It's hard to believe Christmas is already over for another year. Time flies...

Dan and I had a great first Christmas together. We enjoyed spending time with Dan's side of the family and participating in their fun traditions. Santa was good to us this year. We're both stoked about the Wii and are looking forward to the grandkids eventually giving us a chance to play on it! Dan also got me the cup stacking set I've been wanting. Nerdy, I know...but since seeing it on YouTube I've been wanting to try it out. I think it's way fun and plan on smashing Dan's record here some time soon.

It was a wonderful Christmas. I enjoyed being around so many little children. Despite the noise level and chaos, I love how easiliy little children invite the Spirit and can help you focus on the real meaning of the season.

Random side note that has absolutely nothing to do with the holidays: Dan and I found a couch over the weekend and we'll be picking it up today. Our first furniture. Wahoo! We're getting really excited about our little apartment in Springville and hunting for furnishings has been a fun adventure. We'll be in this week and hopefully have a few days to get settled before the new semester starts.

The Honeymoon

So, finals are officially over and so is the semester! I'm loving the break from school. Dan and I finished up our finals last Tuesday and early Wednesday morning we headed south to San Diego for our honeymoon. The ride was going great until we got to Primm, NV. I-15 was closed for "blasting." Whatever that means. It was closed from 10 am - 2 pm and we got there around 12:30, so we decided to grab lunch and pull out the lap top to watch a quick episode of 24...yep, I'm doing my best to get Dan addicted...

Well, when it was 4:00 and the road still hadn't re-opened, and we were still stuck in the parking lot of Whiskey Pete's, we started to lose patience. We called the highway patrol and they told us that due to extreme snow conditions in the area, I-15 was closed. So, we called up Joe to ask him if there were any alternate routes south. The best we could find was Highway 95, but that was also closed. So, we decided to go back to Vegas to wait out the storm. Luckily, Mara and Dennis let us stay with them. We didn't get to their place until almost 6:30 that night. So, it was a LONG day of driving. And the roads were awful because there were no plows or anything. We saw so many cars sliding and spinning off the road. California drivers!

When we woke up Thursday morning, I-15 and Highway 95 were still closed. We were starting to wonder if the honeymoon was doomed, but, to make a long story short, we got creative and found a nifty detour around the snow and mountains that landed us in San Deigo around 4:00 pm that day. We were disappointed to lose almost a full day down there, but we decided to make the most out of it. We stayed in a gorgeous resort (thanks Stacey and Dave!) that was right on the harbor. The view from our balcony was awesome at sunrise and sunset!

We did lots of fun stuff like Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, Old Town (where we had a fun caricature done and ate the BEST authentic Mexican food), and other random stuff like set off the smoke alarm in our room while cooking breakfast....um...yeah...it's true... The days passed way too fast and before we knew it we were back on the road to Utah. We got back Sunday night. It was a great honeymoon. We had tons of fun and enjoyed the much-needed break!

Back to the grind...

This weekend was our wedding reception in Idaho Falls. We left Friday after I got off work and arrived in Idaho Falls (conveniently) just in time to share dinner with my parents. We got up semi-early Saturday morning and went to a session in the IF temple. It was fun to show Dan "my temple." After the session we went to the church to help set everything up for the reception.

Later in the afternoon, we had a birthday luncheon with my family. That's right, I'm officially 25. My parents had asked our neighbor to cater the luncheon, and we had some of the best Mexican food! (Mexican food is a personal favorite, and when Sister Playas makes it, it's hard to beat!) We enjoyed enchiladas, rice, beans, sopes, and a cake of "tres leches." It was such good food and I completely forgot that I had to squeeze into a wedding dress a few hours later. Oh well! It was a fun luncheon, though they did sing Happy Birthday. Personally, I hate the Happy Birthday song. Let me clarify: I like singing it to others, but it's by far the most awkward 45 seconds of the year when people sing it to me. I never know if I'm supposed to sing along, or who to look at. My motto--Real friends don't let friends sing Happy Birthday.

Anywho, back to the reception...I think it went really well. It was fun to see a lot of friends and family I hadn't seen for a long time, and to introduce them to Dan and to Dad and Mom Meservy. We had a really good time.

Dan and I are off to a great start. We are so grateful for all the support we've received. Off to a great start and back to the grind...This is the last week of classes and then it's finals and then San Diego! I think we're gonna make it!

The Meservys...

So, as most of you know, Dan and I got married on Friday. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. The beautiful weather held out and though it got a little chilly taking pictures outside the temple after the ceremony, we honestly can't complain. We were very blessed to have most of our family with us at the temple. We truly appreciate and love each of you who came out to support us on our big day.

After the temple we went with my family to take some family pictures. We had hired a photographer as a surprise for my mom and dad's Christmas present this year. It was the first time we had had all of us together in a loooooong time, so we wanted to take advantage of it. We took pictures at the ampitheatre by Seven Peaks in Provo. Hopefully they turn out all right!

After the pictures we hurried over to the luncheon, which was also a great success. It was so wonderful to be surrounded by so many family members and friends. The reception that evening was a lot of fun. Dan and I loved seeing all the details come together. We can't thank Mom Meservy enough for all of her hard work!

Park City was a fun weekend get-a-way, though I woke up Friday night with a really bad pain in my stomach and Dan couldn't get to sleep until after 4 a.m. Ah, the stuff memories are made of!

So now it's back to real life... Two and a half more weeks of school until the break! I think we're going to make it! I love being married to Dan. I couldn't ask for a better man and best friend to spend my eternity with!

Our first home!

Laurie: So, along with all the wedding plans, Dan and I have been trying to plan for life after the wedding as well. And today we got a major break! I was surfing Craigslist at work when I came across a little basement apartment for rent in Springville. It was one of the cheapest we'd seen, so we decided to check it out. We went down to Springville when I got out of class to take a look. It's a tiny one bedroom, one bath apartment with awesome yellow walls. (That's Dan's favorite feature).

The landlord was a really nice guy and agreed to hold the apartment for us until January. With that, we were sold! That gives us about a month to find apartment furnishings....hmm...should be fun!

Dan: We're both pretty excited about it. $450 a month everything included? Not bad when the average apartment around BYU is $550 base then utilities on top of that. Can't complain! Well, I can, there's no room for a table in our itty-bitty kitchen, but hey! Just go with the flow. It'll work out nicely. 10 days left! We're getting married next week! Wahoo!

The shower

So, I've been to quite a few bridal showers in my life. Being the youngest of 5 sisters will do that to you. But I must say that of all that I've been to, the one I've enjoyed the most was this past Saturday. My sisters really out-did themselves. The food was absolutely wonderful! And the interview with Dan via video was really fun. I'm glad to learn that I do know him well enough to marry him.

The best part for me was being with the people I love the most and sharing this exciting time with them. A big thank you to all who came and made it such a special occasion. I loved seeing my sisters, future sisters-in-law, roommates both past and present, neices, friends, and both Mom Knapp & Mom Meservy there. I felt so loved and supported. It was great!

Dan-and-Laurie-o-Lantern

It's been a fun week for Laurie and I. There's been a lot to do, and it's been great! I love those weeks that you just keep moving. I just thought I'd hop on here this morning and add some awesome pictures of us and our incredible dan-and-laurie-o-lantern.

True Happiness < One Month Away

So, today is October 29. That means that in less than a month, we'll be married. Holy cow...that rocks. Dan and I have been working hard getting everything together while trying to keep our heads above water in school. So far, so good. Just this past week, for example, we bought envelopes, spray painted posts, made crust for the desserts at the reception, cut styrofoam circles and glued styrofoam balls on them (it was cooler than it sounds...), got my bridal photos back, and almost printed off our wedding annoucements. Phew! And it's just Wednesday. I say almost because the computer it was saved on kind of crashed.... OK, so it totally crashed. Hopefully Joe can work his magic and save the file! If not, our announcements might be getting out a little later than we had planned. Hmmm....

But, with all the wedding stuff going on, Dan and I still like to take time to relax and have fun. Our last date night was great! We went to the corn maze at Thanksgiving Point. They had tons of little booths set up and cool things you could go look at. They had the most amazing carved pumpkins either of us had ever seen! We had fun getting lost in the David Archuleta corn maze...I think we got confused trying to get out of his nose....

Here are some pictures of the fun!

Carved pumpkins of awesomeness.

The corn maze took us about an hour and a half to conquer.

Farmer Dan and his little lady.

Move over Cinderella and Prince Charming! We look way better in the carriage!

That's my beautiful bride-to-be! Man, I'm lucky! :)

Say cheese!

So, yesterday was an interesting day for me. I don't really like getting my picture taken, I hate being the center of attention, and I'm a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl. When you consider all that, it might be surprsing to find out that I had a really fun time getting my bridal pictures taken.

This past week getting everything ready for the bridals was crazy. All I can say is never go to Allyse's Bridal in the mall or wait until the last minute to find out who is making your veil. I also recommend getting a bouquet sooner than the day before, just to save yourself a headache. Oh, and it might be nice to decide which shoes you're wearing sooner than five minutes before your photographer shows up! You'd think with how organized I usually am, things would have gone a little smoother...oh well!

Even though figuring out the details was a little crazy, it ended up being a really fun day. My sister Amy helped me get ready and did my hair. We went with the photographer to a little park in Saratoga Springs with some beautiful old trees, and then to an old iron bridge over a little pond. And, we snuck into someone's yard and took a picture with this cool looking fountain. We knocked on their door first, but no one answered...

So, one more check can go on the list! Things are moving right along!

I, Dan, just had to add one thing, the picture... isn't she beautiful?

Woot!

Life is good! Our wedding plans are moving right along. We just designed our wedding invitations and will finalize them when we actually reserve a place for our Reception in Orem. We're both very happy and excited about how things are going. This week we need to get that place reserved, and hopefully get our announcements printed. They're cute!

On a side note, I've gotten Laurie addicted to "Lost". Ha! We've watched most of the first season in just about a week. That's kind of funny. Trust me, we go out and have fun too! We just have too much time o our hands! Ha!!

So, we move forward. Only 52 days! Holy cow! That rocks! :)

Good old Idaho...

The wedding is officially less than two months away! Wahoo! With the clock ticking down, Dan and I decided to head to Idaho for the weekend to do some wedding stuff with my parents. We got there Friday night just in time to go to a branch party with my parents where we ate the best authentic Mexican food. La comida fue muy rica!

Saturday morning I went wedding dress shopping with my parents. Poor Dan got left behind at my house while we were out and about. He's a good sport. Now Idaho Falls is a pretty small place, so the wedding dress selection is really nothing to shout about. But, despite that, we had success! I was able to find a beautiful dress at Margene's Bridal and I totally love it! It's getting pressed and steamed this week, and my parents will bring it down to me when they come up for General Conference this weekend. It's awesome, and if Dan didn't have access to this blog, I would post a picture so you all could see it...

We were also able to discuss some stuff for the open house in Idaho and pick out our colors--a deep cranberry-ish red and ivory. It was a productive weekend and I'm glad we went.

Life is definitely good right now. I love Dan and planning our wedding has been tons of fun so far. It promises to be a hectic two months with school and work and everything, but we're definitely excited!

Slowly and surely...

Well, it was a good week in the world of wedding planning. The wedding is only 67 days away, and our plans are starting to take shape. With Dan and I both going to school and working, you might imagine we're way stressed out about everything, but so far we're doing surprisingly well!

The highlight of the week came when we were able to book our honeymoon. Dave and Stacey (who earned themselves a lifetime of free babysitting) gave us a week stay in their time share. We'll be going to Oceanside, CA the week before Christmas. We are so excited!!

We also got four of our engagement photos back. Our photographer (Dan's friend Triana) says the rest of the pictures should be ready any time. She will be giving us a CD with about 40-50 pictures on it. I'm really excited to see how they turned out. I really two of the four we already have. Dan looks GOOD, if I say so myself...

I was also able to get in touch with my Grandpa Knapp and ask him to be our sealer at the temple. He was a sealer in the Idaho Falls temple for a long time. He has performed the weddings of all my siblings, and most of my cousins. Since he's not a temple worker anymore, he has to get permission from the first presidency to do sealings. But, since he will be doing the ceremony for my cousin's wedding the weekend before, there shouldn't be any problems getting permission. It will be a neat experience to have my grandpa do the ceremony.

The housing search continues...November is a wierd time to find an apartment. We've found a couple possibilities, but nothing is for sure yet. We'll keep looking and something will turn up!

So, yeah...that's basically what we were up to last week. This week we need to reserve the church for our reception, get our engagement pictures back and work on announcements, and then kick back, relax, and just enjoy each other. Sounds like a plan to me. And, we will be going to Idaho this weekend to do some stuff for our open house up there.

There's lots to do, but it's definitely worth it!

Teacher...

Thinking back, was there a teacher(s) or a class that had a great influence on you?
DAN:
One of my favorite teachers was my high school Algebra and Calculus teacher, Mr. Jensen. Though on in his years, he gave his all to teaching and loving his students through these awkward and frustrating years. Mr. Jensen would get to school sometimes hours before the first bell rang and stay later into the evening to help students with needs. I never felt like I was one of those students, but he still made me feel like I was important to him, and could call on him whenever I needed. Every year, Mr. Jensen would write a personal letter to each of his students. He seemed to know me well, and connected with me well, which is interesting looking back because I never really did spend a lot of time with him one on one. I imagine that to most any other teacher I was just another student in the class whose name he had to memorize, but Mr. Jensen made me feel important and worthwhile. To a growing kid, that can mean a lot… and looking back, I see how easy it is to make someone feel special. Just show a little love to those in need, and they will remember you years down the road – just like Mr. Jensen.

LAURIE:
One of my all-time favorite Young Women’s leaders was named Marge Sanders. Her daughter Kathy was one of my best friends in elementary school and middle school. I spent countless hours at the Sanders’ house playing with Kathy and participating in church activities. Marge was one of those “cool” moms that everyone wants. She even let me and Kathy sneak chocolate chips to eat outside in their playhouse. But, the most valuable thing Sister Sanders gave me wasn’t the chocolate…. She helped me understand the importance of applying gospel principles to everyday situations. Here’s an example… One year at Girl’s Camp I got into a petty little fight with some of the other girls. As a result, I was reluctant to participate in many activities and spoke little during the camp. I remember that Sister Sanders took me aside and said, “Laurie, forgive and forget!” For some reason that simple sentence really struck me and has stuck with me. Many times now when I am faced with situations where I could choose to hold a grudge or move on, Marge’s words ring loud and clear in my head. Marge had a profound influence on my young adult life and I will always be grateful for her.

Getting to Know Us...

Dan and I have been answering questions from a jar... Look for responses in upcoming posts. I think you'll like me better than him after you get to know me a little more...

Between the ages of 5-10, what was your favorite activity?
LAURIE:
As a little girl there was nothing I liked better than playing Secret Du Agents with Janie and Darin. Countless hours were spent loading mine and Jane’s pink Barbie suitcases with all our necessary mystery-solving and crime-fighting gadgets. We used everything from McDonald’s Happy Meal toys to wooden spools to empty tubes of lipstick to become the Secret Du Agents. Of course, we were almost always accompanied by our trusty dog, Darin. After packing our suitcases, we set off on long flights (via the sofa) to track down criminals like Vic the Slick. Once on the plane, our secret helpers (the Happy Meal toys) worked as informants to help us know which of our arch nemeses were on our same flight. It usually didn’t take long for us to devise a plan, use our gadgets, and capture the criminal. All in a day’s work for the Secret Du Agents!

DAN:
When I was about that age, I loved playing "Cheetah". The game usually happened during recess, with a few of my close friends, while I went to Hillcrest Elementary in Orem, Utah. I particularly remember one time when the oak leaves had changed colors and fallen to the ground. A few of my guy friends and I would be cheetahs, and a few girls would be our moms – naturally! Well, they would build "nests" for us out of fallen oak leaves (what cheetah doesn't live in a nest made of leaves?), and find us "food" to eat (usually some sort of grass or weed). Let's just say that I don't remember having eaten any of that "food". Thank goodness. I remember being the fastest cheetah, and able to sprint the fastest on all fours. It took a lot of practice, but it was well worth it. The fresh Utah Fall air was enough to make this a valuable memory, and every once in a while I see those cheetah spots reminding me of simpler times.

Our Engagement Story

Dan: On Thursday, 28 August, in the morning, I felt a need to buy a ring, knowing that I would soon propose to Laurie. I’d been terrified to do it, as it was different from the norm (thank goodness!). I guess buying an engagement ring is something you hope to do only once. I went up to the University Mall where we had previously looked at rings together, with pamphlets and notes about which rings Laurie had liked. Because of that, I had a good idea of where I was heading. First, I went to Morgan Jewelers, and found a beautiful ring, and looked it over. I left there to briefly visit another store, but that ring just didn’t say “Laurie” to me like the one at Morgan’s. Back to Morgan’s I went… I told him I was interested in the ring, and we got the deal done. I had to have my dad come up to put it on his credit card, and will pay him back in the future.

Laurie: It’s nice of your dad to do that. It’ll be me paying it back!

Dan: It’ll be us paying it back. J So, I bought the ring, and walked out the door with a big bag with the most expensive/smallest thing I had ever paid for. Granted, it was well worth it, looking back! When I got out to my car, I called my best friend, Aaron Southerland (who, incidentally, proposed that night to Stephanie Horn), and said, “Dude… I just bought a ring…” He was very excited for me! I guess that’s a huge step, huh? Then, I picked up the phone and called her dad (whose number I had stolen from her unattended phone weeks earlier). He didn’t answer, but I asked him to pull me aside during his birthday party that was to happen on Friday out in Saratoga Springs at Laurie’s sister’s place. You can talk about the next part, because you know we went to the party.

Laurie: Okay…We arrived a little late to the party and when we got there the food was just about ready and it was time for the prayer. I guess that means we got there right on time, huh? My mom offered the blessing on the food (which turned out to be a good thing—Jared had secretly cornered each of the grandkids to bribe them with $10 if they would ask in the prayer that Dan would ask me to marry him…typical Jared). We were about finished eating when my dad suddenly stands up and says, “Hey Dan, come check out my new car!” Dan, innocently looking confused and slightly nervous, followed him up the porch steps and out to the front yard. As soon as they disappeared from view, all of my siblings’ eyes turned to me and they all busted up laughing, and were soon talking about their various proposal stories and talking to future fathers-in-law.

Dan: When we got out to the car, Laurie’s dad innocently opened the driver’s-side door, and we looked in. Then he went around to the passenger side and climbed in. I took the clue, and climbed into the driver’s seat. Now, I have to preface this by saying that this moment was the one that I’d be terrified of having to have since about the time I was 9. I know that sounds ridiculous, especially since Laurie’s dad is really easy-going, but it’s the whole thought of asking a man to let you take his daughter to yourself and having him trust you enough (hopefully) to let her be yours for forever. I said “You probably know what this is all about, but I want to ask you for your daughter’s hand in marriage.” He replied that as a dad of a daughter, you hope that somewhere in the world, a family is raising a righteous son that will be worthy of your daughter and treat her with the respect that she deserves. He said that he was glad my parents were like that, and had raised me to be worthy of Laurie. Frankly, I’m glad too! And, hey, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Relief! After talking with him a bit longer about Laurie, he welcomed me into the Knapp family, and said how excited he was to continue to get to know me over the coming years. He also asked me to watch out for Darin, Laurie’s little brother, while he’s down here at BYU (something I’d already been planning to do).

Laurie: I don’t believe that I didn’t see through you. You’d been very convincing that we needed to go ring shopping… I don’t know, I just didn’t see it coming for a few more weeks.

Dan: It’s true, it was a good act that I put on!

Both: Mhmm

Dan: So, we walked through the house and out to the back yard again, talking about his car, naturally.

Laurie: Right, the car. When they got back, I asked Dan what was up. I know my dad and that he can be slightly overprotective of his daughters, and I was secretly nervous that he may have said something to make Dan feel uneasy. Dan, telling only part of the truth, told me that my dad had wanted to make sure he was taking good care of me and had asked that he check in on Darin from time to time during the semester. I thought it was weird that he would do that, but then again, I have a w….

Dan: …Weird dad? Do it!!

Laurie: …ierd dad. The rest of the night was spent playing family games, including a piñata, and eating home-made ice cream and carrot cake. I didn’t suspect a thing…. Saturday afternoon Dan met up with me, Dad, Mom, and Darin for the BYU vs. Northern Iowa football game. Dad had scored us some tailgate party tickets, so we enjoyed some burgers before the game. The game rocked! Of course, it’s BYU football…how can it not rock?

Dan: We had tickets with a group of my friends, including Jared Davis and Dave Horan. When we got to our seats, I sort of pulled Jared to the side while Laurie was talking with Darin… and whispered: “Guess what? I’m gonna propose tonight!” You should have seen his face, it was classic! He was so excited for us saying, “Are you serious? That’s awesome!” I asked him not to tell anybody, and of course, he obliged.

Laurie: The game was fun and hot. Kinda like me.

Dan: Ha. Nerd…

Laurie: After the game we said bye to my parents and Darin and Dan suggested we both get a little cleaned up before driving to American Fork to check out Discovery Park. So, we stopped by both our places to change clothes.

Dan: As we drove to my place, I texted my brother Joe to tell him to let everyone know that I still hadn’t proposed to Laurie, so as to not say anything.

Laurie: Oh, that would have been bad!

Dan: Yeah, it would have! Can you imagine? Well, we got to my place and I went downstairs to change, and throw the ring box (ring included) into my camera case with a tripod. I tried to cover up the ring box with a sock just in case Laurie wanted to get into my camera case for whatever reason. So, I was cleaned up, and terrified. I got upstairs, and we went back out to the car…

Laurie: The car? Isn’t it my car?

Dan: Well, you just gave me a set of keys, so now it’s the car. Ha! Okay, so we went out to the car…

Laurie: Now, Dan has said that he was nervous, but I must give him credit for his acting skills. I had no idea he was terrified. The only slight tell-tale sign was his nagging ulcer… He was even doing gangsta impersonations on the drive. Smooth. When we drove past Discovery Park, all the lights were out. I was a little disappointed…

Dan: It’s still a cool park and we should go some time.

Laurie: We’ll add it to the list. Anywho, Dan suggested we keep going a little further up the road to the Mt. Timpanogos temple to take some pictures. I still didn’t suspect a thing. So, when we got to the temple Dan pulled the car into a parking spot so we could see the temple and told me that I was finally going to be able to hear my song.

Dan: Now, I had planned on Aaron Southerland being there to play the other part of the duet, but he was out of town, which ended up saving the surprise….

Laurie: (distracted) It’s so pretty, we should take it to go get sized, so I can have it for the weekend… yeah… just keep typing.

Dan: Well, I had my iPod, and let Laurie listen to the song. I could tell my hand was sweaty on her leg, where I had let it sit while we listened. I was, however, distracted and looking out the windows to see how many people were around, and thinking about how to work it all, so that it didn’t seem awkward or impersonal.

Laurie: My song is awesome. All my life I had thought it would be so cool to be the theme of a song. I’d always wanted somebody to write a song for me, but that’s not really something you go around asking. Dan had written me the song back when we dated before my mission. I didn’t know that at the time, or I might never have put in my papers!

Dan: Yeah right!!!!!!!!

Laurie: Right, I guess I would have anyway… sorry. My song is great because it describes our relationship so well and how things were when we first met, and how they still are. I felt kind of bad for Dan during the song because he looked slightly panicked. His hands are never sweaty…

Dan: Thank goodness!

Laurie: Mmmhmmm. So, not only were his hands sweaty, but he didn’t really look at me much during the song. He kept glancing out the side window. I just thought he was really nervous about me liking the song. I’m pretty naïve, aren’t I?

Dan: I don’t know if naivety is the right word, but anyways… We got out of the car, and went to take pictures in front of the temple. I gave her my tripod, but kept my camera case close to me. While she set up, I went out a ways, and stood, giving her something to line up with the temple. After double checking everything, she set the self-timer, and ran over to stand with me. ‘Click.’ The picture took, and I went to make sure it looked good. “It’s a little off-centered, how do I set the self-timer?” “It’s that button near the bottom of the camera.” “I don’t get it, can you come set it?” As if I wouldn’t know how to press the self-timer button! Ha!

Laurie: At this point I did wonder why he couldn’t figure it out. Isn’t he a computer guy? But, I humored him and went over to set the self-timer. I went back to stand by him when suddenly…the moment I’d been hoping for! He got down on one knee and pulled a little white box from his pocket. “Will you marry me?” ‘Click.’ I was so surprised all I could think to say was “Are you serious?”

Dan: Well, you were grinning too… “Are you serious? Are you serious?” “Yes, I’m serious, I have a ring”… yes, I really did say that. Finally, I got the answer I was hoping for…

Laurie: Yes!! We hugged, he put the ring on my finger and spun me in a circle.

Dan: Unbeknownst to me at the time, spinning a girl in a circle after proposing to her merits nice rewards…

Laurie: Dan just told me to clarify what constitutes a “reward.” In his words, “just a little kissing.” I love my ring! It was definitely one of my favorites I tried on. It’s shiny, and shiny is good. But even more than the ring, I love what it symbolizes, the fact that Dan loves me and we’ll get to be together forever.

Dan: Laurie just merited one of those rewards… Okay… three.

Laurie: You’re such a nerd.

Dan: Yeah, so… It’s true! We’re so excited that we get to be together forever. We feel that God’s hand has been in our relationship from the beginning and that this is meant to be. How grateful we are that we were brought back together at this point in our lives – after learning some important life lessons – to be the best thing that has ever happened to each other. I love Laurie, and I’m so glad that she said yes (eventually). It really will be wonderful to build a life with her by my side.

Laurie: What a stud. I paid him to write that. So, back to the story. The picture turned out awesome. We both have huge grins on our faces, and you can see the ring box and everything.

Dan: It really was great.

Laurie: We went back to the car and called my parents. We put them on speaker phone so we could both hear their reactions. They were, of course, really excited for us and were more than happy to welcome Dan to the family. My dad said he got what he had wanted most for his birthday—a new son-in-law. We also called my sisters. They were equally excited, but each said they had been expecting it. I called my best friend Janelle Wilson (who is also engaged) to share the wonderful news with her. Then we drove back to Dan’s place.

Dan: When we pulled up, my Uncle Dennis and Aunt Mara were just unloading their van to spend the night after having dropped kids off for school at BYU. I said “Hi, this is my fiancée!” They were surprised of course as they didn’t even know I was dating anyone. Then they found out that she had been my fiancée for a whopping 30 minutes! How excited they were. We then went inside and told my mom and dad. My mom was thrilled, and hugged Laurie, saying that she’s was always rooting for her. When my dad came in the kitchen, he was teary-eyed and obviously excited for us. We talked for a bit about the whole story (that you’re reading now), then wanted to go tell a bunch of other people. We first went down to my old apartment, and told Jared and Dave, along with other friends. Dave had no idea I was going to propose, so he was shocked. Jared just grinned, and all were happy.

Laurie: There was much rejoicing…. Yay….

Dan: We then went over to Kelli Stower’s apartment (with whom we went to the Rexburg temple to get her endowments) and told her the good news. After swinging by another apartment … awkward… and telling the story a total of 324 times, we went back to Laurie’s apartment to tell her roommates.

Laurie: I walked in (Dan had to stay at the door because of curfew) and went to the back to tell Charlotte Larson. All I did was wave at Char with the back of my left hand – her response was classic. She just screamed and gave me a huge hug. I think she may have woken up our neighbors… She and Abby came out to congratulate Dan and we told the story yet again. The evening ended with me and Dan sitting in the trunk of his Saturn…

Dan: …on the trunk.

Laurie: Stupid prepositions… on the trunk of his Saturn talking about the future and how excited we were. I couldn’t have asked for a better proposal, or a better guy.

Dan: Awww….

Laurie: Yep, we’re going to have a great life together.

Dan: It’s true. I’m so in love with this girl. She makes me want to be a better person, and together we feel like we’ll accomplish many great things. We’re really excited about our engagement and plans to be married September…

Laurie: Hey! Really? Really?!

Dan: Uh… errr… November 28, 2008 in the Bountiful Temple.

Good News!

Another fantastic weekend! Ha! It's always fun to be with Laurie, and I was lucky enough to go up this last weekend to be with her again. Nothing really new or exciting happened, but it was just nice to be with her. We watched a lot of Olympics, and visited a lot. I got home last night.

Well, Laurie found out today that she got an interview with Foote Insurance here in Provo. The interview was... well... today. So, she drove the 3.5 hours to Provo this morning to be here for an afternoon interview, and called me right after it ended. I asked how the interview went... "I guess you could say it went well". What does that mean?! Well, she was offered the job on the spot, and accepted it. Good news? HECK yes! :) She'll be starting Monday, so she's wrapping up stuff there in Idaho, then moving down by Friday or Saturday! That's it... she'll be here! No more long-distance pain (hopefully no near-by pain either! Ha!). That's so much better than the 2-3 more weeks that we were both expecting.

I saw her this afternoon for about 2 hours, then she had to drive back up to Idaho... blah! Did I say I'm not jealous of the driving she had to do today? She texted me to let me know she got home safe, but was upset at the traffic (don't rightly blame her!). I asked if she was still happy... "Of course! God answers prayers & i get to be w/ you soon- how could i not be happy?" Hoorah! Good news, good news, good news. I'm excited to have her near.

O Fim de Semana muita Divertida

"The way fun weekend"

Okay, so, you heard I'm sure... I went up to Idaho this last weekend! It was super fun! I'll give ya'll a break down of the weekend.

Friday: I got in Idaho Falls about 4 in the afternoon, and as expected, it was a little weird meeting the parents at first, but so great to be with Laurie again. They were very welcoming and kind! At about the same time, I met her little brother and another of her older sisters. Her parents made dinner (and I grated the cheese -- pro, I know!), and we had soft tacos for dinner. It was very tasty! After dinner, we played Apples to Apples with her family, afterwhich we played Scum. It was uber fun! I was able to joke with them, and things were just comfortable. While playing, we got to talking about the new movie "21". So, Laurie and I decided to go to redbox to get it and watch it... unfortunately, it was out, so we got "Bourne Ultimatum" instead. It's always nice watching a movie with someone you care a lot about.

Saturday: Woke up at about 8:30, and had breakfast (we made pancakes, eggs, and sausgage... yum!). After breakfast, Laurie took me to see "Idaho Falls"... for any of you who may never have been to Idaho Falls the tour is pretty much the falls and the temple grounds. Ha! Not too much to do in Idaho besides peel potatoes, I guess... hmm. We took a walk all the way around the falls (probably a 2.5 mile walk) with a half-time show at the Idaho Falls Temple's new Visitor's Center. It was nice to just walk hand-in-hand with her, and enjoy her company. After the walk, we went back to her place where we ate lunch, then it was off to Rexburg. My friend Kelli was endowed this day, and asked if Laurie and I wanted to come. It was great being in the temple with Laurie, but I won't go into details about that. Let's just say, I like her a lot! :) After the temple, we went geocaching, which is like a treasure hunt using GPS, and stopped to take a few pictures (included below). Yeah, I know what you're thinking... 'Man, they look GREAT together!' We know, don't worry. Then it was back to her place, where her dad treated us to dinner at El Salvadoreno, an El Salvadoranean (go fig) restaurant. The food was yummy, and the company was better. After dinner, we decided to go check out "Mama Mia". Her little brother pulled out money and paid for us. I was confused, and bugged Laurie about it saying I was going to treat us. Well, Sunday night I asked if her parents had given the money. She said that her dad never does anything like that, but wanted to pay for it. After Mama Mia, we sat on Laurie's porch swing from 12-3 am, and enjoyed a great evening talking about us and things in our future. She accidently said, "When we decide to get engaged, I want a short engagement"... "When?!" Wahoo! :) Nah, she said that she's been praying a lot about it, and definitly wants to pursue this. I feel the same, and am excited for our future, whatever it holds.


Sunday: I woke to pounding on my door at 9:45, 15 minutes before church. Laurie said that she didn't know whether I was awake already and getting ready... needless to say, I wasn't! Ha! Late night, and all... Well, we went to church at her single's branch with her little brother. It was way nice to be there with her. After, we ate a wonderful lunch and it was time for me to leave. As Laurie drove me away to where I was to meet my ride, you could see she was sad. Happy for me! :) She's so cute when she starts to miss me.


It was a lonely ride home. I longed to be with her. We talked on Sunday night, and she told me what her parents' thought. They really enjoyed having me there. When she asked her dad, her dad said that he really liked me, but the only thing that matters is that Laurie likes me. Her mom likes me too. When I told Laurie I may be coming up this weekend, her mom was excited, and her dad said of course I'm welcome in their home again. She told me that later in the evening her dad came in and sat her down. Together, they looked at her finances, because he said that Satan would do his best to try to convince her to not come down to Provo and seek after eternal things. Her dad didn't want to take any chances, and was going to loan money towards Laurie's schooling or housing if need be (something that Laurie said he'd never offered before).


Laurie and I are both very excited about where things are. She said that her dad said since she got home from her mission she didn't seem truly happy and herself until she's been with me. Today, I got a text that said "They love me here (at my job) -- but what I have waiting in Provo is a million times better than this!" We both feel really good about things, and are excited about the future, when she moves down to Provo. This weekend we told each other that we love each other, and though fast, I really do feel that way. She's wonderful, and we are so much alike, sharing similar life goals, desires and dreams. She makes me feel special, and says that I make her feel wonderful. It really was a "fim de semana muita divertida", and there are many more to come (starting this weekend, hopefully)!

Meet the Parents...

Okay, today's topic has been one that ALWAYS gets me when I'm dating someone... the dreaded moment of meeting her parents. Now, some say that it's no big deal, and really easy, but sure, I'm nervous, how could I not be? Yeah, yeah, I know it'll be over with soon enough, but man... you wanna make a GREAT first impression. Well, I made that first impression on Laurie's mom last weekend when she came down to drop Laurie off in SLC (luckily, I was in church clothes and we were going to a Mormon Tabernacle Choir Concert... Ding! Bonus points! :). Her dad, on the other hand, I figured I'd be making first impressions on come this weekend. Well, that's not exactly true. Sure... I'll meet him face to face, but apprently I've already made impressions on him. Laurie and I were talking on the phone last night, and I asked her if she had already mentioned me to her dad. Well, as I understand it, she showed him a picture of us two years ago when we were dating. He told her just this last weekend that he remembers me from that picture and when he saw it back in the day, he had a really good feeling about me. He said he was confused when she decided to go on a mission because he'd had similar feelings about each of his sons-in-law. Now, sure, people can look at that and say, well, gee... that's just some funky feelings! Hey, all I know is that it makes me happy to know that I've already made a good first impression on her dad. So, meeting him face-to-face this weekend shouldn't be a problem! Ha!

Laurie and I are surely excited to be with each other again. She texted me early this morning and said "I loved talking to you last night & now i can't get you out of my head"... Excccelent! My plan is working out perfectly! Ha! Last night before we talked I also got a message that said "I hope you know how awesome i think you are and how much i love getting to know you". I know! She suggested that on Saturday morning, we hit a session in the Idaho Falls temple. My friend that's bringing me back from Idaho, Kelli Stowers, is getting endowed in Rexburg that same day in the afternoon, so I suggested (at Kelli's request) that we attend. She readily agreed. Life is good!

So, hey, meeting the parents? No prob! Being with Laurie? Always wonderful.

Up to Idaho!

Well, I did it! I've worked circles around my friends, and figured out how I can go up to Idaho Falls with one friend and come back with another. Wahoo! Another great weekend ahead, I'm sure! I'm so excited to be with Laurie again. She's a babe, and great fun to be around! My day is a little brighter!

Cute girl!

Well, another week passed, and as many of you already know, Laurie came down this weekend. It was a very fun weekend (though awkward at first -- I mean, how do you determine how to act after a fun weekend then time apart and getting back together -- ie: was it all real? Did she really feel that way about me? -- she did!). She said that she feels more affections toward me this time around than she did last time. I feel like it's a much more mature romance. She's such a good girl and inspires me to do what I've known I should do for a long time. Yeah, I already miss her... I still haven't figured out if I'm going to be able to go to Idaho this weekend, but I'm still really working to figure out the details. When I told her that, she said "I truly hope you can come"... I do too!

Oh, a fun little text chat we had yesterday! :)

Dan: My family is all mad at me, and it's your fault! :)
Laurie: How do you figure?

Dan: Because they wanted you to be here!

Laurie: Can't say that I blame them- i wanted to too

Dan: They're all prying me to get married asap... :)

Laurie: And they think i'll take you off their hands?

Dan: You won't?

Laurie: It depends on if some one were to ask me to...
Dan: Someone? Or me?

Laurie: You- it might not be so special if john asked

Dan: We'll see... I'm excited about us... My whole family knows that

Laurie: Mine too

Dan: I'm glad!

Life is good, and man, is she a cute girl, or what?

Success!

Well, Laurie came down to visit this yesterday and today. She came down just to see me... cute, huh? I was a bit nervous, to be honest... We enjoyed getting together and just spending time with each other. It's weird, because we kind of just picked up right from where we left off. Well, I'm going over to dinner at her sister's place in Saratoga Springs today before Laurie heads back up to ID. Nervous about that, too, but I'm sure it'll all be good. She's a great girl with a good head on her shoulders. I don't know how much to say, but I'm sure you'll all be seeing her around in the near future. :) Success!

Oh, I also took my concealed firearms permit class yesterday. Way good! I won't be sending in the application for a bit (money... blah), but I will eventually... Success!

Laurie, Laurie, Laurie...

:) Yeah, we talked on the phone tonight for like an hour. Things are excellent. Let's just say that it's in the open that there are still mutual feelings there. She's a babe! So much to say, but it's late and I have to be up really early tomorrow to drive a friend to the airport. I'm happy!

Mission Calls

John is expected to receive his mission call later today. It's weird, but I'm kind of nervous for him... kinda got that butterflies-in-the-stomach feelin'. It's odd being on this side of the mission and seeing my little brother almost takin' off. Hard to believe! I'm so excited for him!

Laurie wrote on my wall on facebook (great... now I have to get that KABOOM! stuff that Billy Mays sells on TV to get it off). She said thanks for the chat, that it was nice catching up a bit, and that she hopes we can do it again soon. That was Monday, the day after we first talked. Hmm.. was I on someone's mind? :)

Speaking of being on someone's mind, Trisha texted me yesterday at 10 am (kind of unusual for her) and said that she was thinking about me and hoped that I had a good day... well, I did! Wahoo!

Chat with Laurie!

Ha! It finally happened! I chatted with Laurie online for like 45 minutes tonight! It was GREAT! It was so nice to talk to her again after 2 years. We just talked about life, and what her plans are and my plans, what's going on in our lives, etc. She's gonna be moving down in 7 weeks, and says that she really misses Provo. I think we'll have a good friendship. It's exciting! Short... but sweet post... I know

California!

Okay, so maybe this post won't be like the norm, but I thought you'd all like to know what the heck happened to Dan in California! This was a well-needed break from the norm. We spent a lot of time in Valencia at Six Flags... It was a blast! We also played on Long Beach. Maybe I should let the pictures do the talking. They do, of course, speak 1,000 words each... Let's just say I don't want to spend the next 3 years writing about what they can say.

This is me being tougher than Batman infront of Gotham City -
Note the Batman Cutout behind to the left.



What's Six Flags without a little fun with your best Warner's Bros. Friends?

In the Pacific Ocean. Gotta love Beach Frisbee! :)

This all made for a fantastic trip, but it's always so nice to be home. Heck, I even got a little tan (though I know that may be near-impossible to believe! Ha!) What a wonderful trip!

Once in a long while... miracles happen...

Well, a few miracles, yes miracles, happened this month. Number on on the list - Dan is writing in his blog again, and it's only been just over a week! :)

The rest, well, let's just say my dating life rocks right now! Ha! So, I'm being more relaxed about the Trisha thing, and come to find (who'd have though) that it makes the relationship much more pleasant! Last Monday, I asked Rachel (aka Sparks Office Girl) out on a date, and she gladly accepted. Though we didn't go on a date, she came over to watch a movie on Thursday, then on Monday to watch Lost. -- Let me interject something here. Lost is AMAZING... I'm addicted. Middle of season 3, and I just can't stop! -- So, things are good between us.

Saturday night, I asked out a girl named Kasey. She's a real cutie (and she's one of April's good friends, so I've totally got the ins). She really has her head on straight and is on the right track. She's been thinking about a mission, but there's a hold-up on the papers due to medical concerns. We enjoyed a fun Saturday evening! Flirting a-plenty! Ha! I need to call her up again. I'd love to go out with her again. That's her on the left

So, another miracle -- Laurie added me as a friend on Facebook last night. Incredible! I know... she finally contacted me. It's all in the patience!

So, the options are open and I'm happy with life! Plus, I'm going to California tomorrow or Friday to Six Flag with some friends! We've got a soccer play off game tonight and if we win, we have the championship game on Thursday! Life is good. Yes, once in a long while... miracles happen...

He's back!

Whoa! Could it be.... is it really Dan?! Ha! I'm a slacker, I know. Wow, it's been a while. Things have changed quite a bit, but somehow, and somewhat uncannily, they are still the same. Let's go through my new list of girls. :)

Trisha: Well, things are good between us. I keep learning more and more about how to have patience and give her the room she feels that she needs. She really doesn't want to lose me, though, and I don't want to lose her. I don't know why, but I feel like this is something important to keep holding on to. She really is special, and I care a great deal for her. She was sick this last week, so I went and spent most of the afternoon and evening with her. She really appreciated it. Yesterday, she wanted to get together to volunteer at the Special Olympics, but I already had other plans. She was rather disappointed.

Annette: Things are good between us. We talked recently for about an hour and a half, and she's been real kind again. She feels restless living at home and is considering moving up to Provo again. I must say, it would be nice to have another dear friend around. She's a neat girl.

Nicole: Wait... who the heck is Nicole? Ha! Wouldn't you like to know? Nah, she's a good friend of mine from Dad's ward. However, she's currently down in Guatemala teaching kids. She served a mission, is Canadian, and she's the type of girl that holds on just a little longer when you hug. She really made me feel special before she left. She'll be back. :) That, above - the white one, that's her!

Laurie: Well, still no response, but I'm not writing her off yet.

Sparks Office Girl (aka Rachel): She's a cutie. I still haven't asked her out, but I plan on it.

Ha! Man, why is life this complicated? I really do enjoy it though, it makes for a lot of fun. I think I'm on the right track, and that this will all work out in the end. Well, there you have it, an update on Dan's life. Be happy for it!

More to come!

Well, I don't have a lot of time to say what I want to right now, but I thought I'd better get this hairy monkey off my back, and let you all know that I will be returning soon with detailed information on what's going down. Oh... PS... go Jazz! We rock!

Blah.

I got a lengthy email from Annette and a lengthy message on facebook from Trisha. Common string... I make both of them feel like they must be bad friends. I'm tired... really tired... where is peace and joy?

Trisha's Text

Well, it looks like I didn't have to text her. She texted me to see if I was going to class tonight. I told her that Jared, John, Dave and I are going disc golfing so I wouldn't be there. She replied saying that she assumed I wouldn't be there, and told me to have fun. I said thanks. hmmm...

No class...

Well, I've decided.... I'm not even going to go to class tonight. Instead, I'm gonna go disc golf with my friends. Whether I should text Trisha to let her know or not, I don't know. I think it would be more polite to do so, but at the same time, I'm not trying to be polite. It's honestly been kind of nice to be in charge of my feelings. I don't know when she'll make another attempt to be my friend. I'm sure she won't last long... I mean, look to the right. I'm a stud! :)

Crystal, a good friend of mine has been wanting to hang out with me lately. That's a nice feeling. She's a pretty neat girl. Sometimes we run together. We've talked a lot about our lives, and have a good trust between us. She's fun!

A couple of Trisha's roommates said they're planning on coming to my basketball game tonight... Jet and Kira... we'll see if they do.

I emailed Laurie last night in response to her email. No reply yet... yet... Again, refer to the picture at right! :)

Email from Laurie? Whoa...

Yup, it's true! I got an email from Laurie... well, I did with about 50 other people, but hey... I know she's alive, and in contact with the world. Crazy! Why do I even care! lol! Well, she basically just told everyone on her list how wonderful Chile was and that she's back to real life now. Said she's looking for a job and plans to move back down to Provo in the fall to finish her masters. Simple. I texted Annette. She said she'd call me when she has a minute. I'm at peace. Trisha matters to me, but I can't let her be everything... especially since she doesn't want to be everything to me. Keep movin'!

Later that day...

Well, I guess it's already taking affect. Trisha texted me while John and I were at the baseball game letting me know that the books that we share were available for pickup from her house. I later texted her back and told her that I just wouldn't use the books this week. During FHE, she texted me asking me if this meant that I wasn't going to devotional tomorrow. I didn't respond. "Are you ignoring me?" Well, yeah... I am... Do I tell her that "Yup, that's right, I'm not going to devo tomorrow? -*sigh*-

Annette texted me and asked how I was. I didn't respond to her either. Maybe I'm taking this "being a jerk" thing overboard. I just need some time to myself.

Number 1

Okay, you asked for it and here it is. A deeper look into Dan's life... personal... and, well, not complete. :) Can't let this get into the wrong hands, you know. This week is gonna be an interesting one. I don't know what all that entails, but I know that I'm gonna make changes to the way I'm approaching things... specifically with Trisha. Things were so good on Saturday and Sunday that it really confused me. It's time for me to take a stand. I can be strong and I can make it.

Just this last week, Annette told me that she couldn't do this anymore. Today, I got a message on facebook telling me how hard a time she's having with not talking to me. I understand, but I still haven't replied. I can't say that I would know what to reply to be honest.

Yup, it's true... Laurie's back. Well, back meaning back in Idaho. Haven't heard from her, nor do I expect to for a while, but I kind of hope to. I don't know what lies ahead there. People change a LOT in two years... heck, I've changed a lot in two years. Anyone who knows me know that's true.

BYU Baseball this afternoon. Going to hang out with John. It'll be fun.