Once upon a time way back in May or June, I was struggling a tad with life. I usually had plans on Tuesdays, but for some reason I had a very strong prompting to go to Institute instead, which I had fallen out of habit doing for like a year. I didn't have much of a desire to go because none of my friends were available to be my wing-man, but seeing as ignoring promptings tends to be a stupid idea, I went anyways! The lesson was great, but a tad boring, and as I was wondering why I was there, I ran into my friend Marne Zollinger! (I am sorry Marne, I don't know how to make my computer put an accent on the e, I am very computer illiterate) We were having a grand time catching up on life and discussing my sister's recent nuptials when this boy walks up, interrupts our conversation and says quite loudly, "Marne! We need to go home to finish The Little Mermaid!" I stood there feeling a little awkward when Marne says, "Yeah....this is my brother, Jonathan, and his friend....I guess we are leaving..." And that's how I met my husband! Totally ignored me. I know he likes his version of the story better, but I think this one is funnier.
When he first remembers fully meeting me, was when we went on a double date, but with other people. So we were not each other's date. I remember this double date and meeting him, and I that I found his humor quite entertaining, and he says that I was being very sassy that night (but I had a right to be, he kept changing my golf score to be worse when I was totally beating him!) From there he pursued me, and asked me on a date, which I agreed to! Not going to lie, he was adorable and planned out the most thoughtful and fun date I had ever been on. Through talking to me, he remembered that I loved Italy, so he found the most authentic Italian food in Salt Lake (Canella's, soooooooo delicious), and, since I have an incredibly nerdy side, we went to a nickle arcade where I clobbered him in every game we played. (Thank you Cody for teaching me your skills). He also gave me a rose, but accidentally left it in the car in mid-summer...it died.
From here, he asked me on a second date, which was a group date to make tin foil dinners in the mountains, at the end of the date, he handed me a new, handmade rose that he spent hours making saying, "since the last one died, I wanted to give you something a little more durable." (Adorable right!?) Then here is where I become an idiot: I friend zone him. I tell him I am not really looking for anything right now, just trying to date lots of people, can we be friends? For the next week and a half, we spent every day together. We made burritos, and he gave my friends and I Perry the Platypus stuffed animals, and I started to realize, did I miss something? Through several long talks until 3am with my friend Rachael, my mom agreeing that I was an idiot for friend-zoning him and telling me to take it back, and through Heavenly Father giving me that extra kick, I got the courage to tell him I didn't want to be friends anymore.
I was driving him home, and we were chatting awkwardly (I knew what I wanted to do, so I was SUPER nervous), when we turned the corner to his house, I blurted out, "I take it back!" And with a huge sigh of relief he says, "thank you!" And the rest is history! Our first time holding hands he asked me to do so (so cute), and we had perhaps the most romantic first kiss ever. But after realizing that he was the best thing to ever walk into my life, he proposed! Which is a story for another time since this post is already ridiculously long. But I am very in love, and after a month of marriage, I can't wait for the months that keep coming and am so blessed that I have someone to share my life with now :)
