Rewind - January 24, 1995

Today is the day folks....the anniversary of the day Nathan and I met. Fourteen years ago. Man, I suddenly feel old. I feel like I'm quickly approaching the date when I will have known him longer than I didn't know him and will have lived with him longer than I lived with my parents. Kinda freaky, but I can't change it now, right?
Ok, so back to January 24, 1995. Hootie was a Blowfish not a country singer and everyone was getting a "Rachel" haircut. My cousin, with whom I lived, arranged a meeting between Nathan and myself. We went to pick him up at his dorm which was located in Promontory Tower at WSU. I do actually remember the first time I saw him. He opened the door and it was kind weird because he seemed familure and I know I'd never seen him before. The feeling I had was summed up at the funeral of Sister Udall this summer when her daughter related the time when she asked her mom about their first kiss. She said that Sister Udall replied, "It was so lovely, I guess it just felt like home." I've felt like I was at home with Nathan from the first moment I saw him. So there we were in the hallway of the dorm. He was 21 and home from his mission 2 months to the day. I was 18 and thinking marriage was 100 (or 5) years away. We went back to our house and watched a movie and that's how it all began.
Anyway, we started dating, and it was lovely. He always made me laugh and had the best stories. I used to drive him around in my little crappy car and every day he'd meet me after my first class with a sunflower bagel. One day he broke the handle off the passenger side of my crappy little car and felt so bad that he bought a new one and replaced it. Then a few months later my dad broke the handle off the driver's side. (Note: Datsuns circa 1980 had very weak door handles). Anyway, he stayed in Ogden for the summer and I went home to work. We saw each other once a month or so and talked on the phone a few times a week. This makes me feel like we were dating in the 60's, but it was before cell phones and free night and weekend minutes, but I found a payphone where I could talk for as long as I wanted for $.50, so that's how we communicated. It was super!
One date we had that summer that I remember was when we met in Salt Lake for something. I am sure this wasn't the whole date, but we ended up at this pizza dive in Holladay called Gepettos. There was a guy playing guitar and singing "American Pie" and he just kept singing and singing and singing. I guess that song has about 13 versus. So when he got to the chorus for the last time (mind you he'd been singing for probably 20 minutes) he said, "Ok everybody now," and we just sat there and laughed and laughed. I think we were just relieved that it was over. Ever since then, that's been our song just because every time we hear it we laugh.
That fall was very fun. I went back through my journal this past week. I was a very avid journal keeper for some reason. It's something I've totally slacked on since, but reading it made me remember why I need to journal more. I can't remember half the stuff that's in it and I'm very glad I have it recorded.
Ok, so fast foraward to January 27, 1996. I really thought today (1-24) was the anniversary of when we got engaged too, but according to my scrapbook, that actually happened on the 27th. Nathan took me on a progressive dinner and proposed at Bridal Veil Falls...yes, in January. He purposly knelt between two trees so that we could come back and show our children the EXACT spot where dad proposed. I thought it was so cute. Then there was an avalanche 3 days later and the trees were knocked down along with anything else that was there. So, we can't show anyone the exact spot, but it doens't make the engagement invlaid.

I love you babe! I'm so glad that we were able to get together. It was the best decision I ever made. I always tell people that at 18 I knew I loved you, but I didn't realize how lucky I was to have you. I think that I know now. You've been a wonderful husband and companion. Thanks for everything!