Our story- Warning this is VERY long.

This is a very Long post, feel free to skip to the end if you want!

I felt sentimental a few months ago- maybe a year ago or so, it was a while ago, and I pulled out my old journals from college and decided to read back over the months when my man and I where dating. Guess what, I really did not write about that at all. I think there was a line somewhere tacked on at the end of Sunday school notes that said oh by the way I am dating this nice guy.

Pathetic.

Anyways I silently berated myself for having been so stupid as to not have written about such an important time! I mean, I get that I didn’t know at the beginning that the first few dates with Mitchell would be important, I went on a lot of dates and as a rule note about the in my journal because, I mean really. BUT once I was engaged I think I should have at least written about that! Grr to my younger self.

Anyways recently over the Christmas break Mitch and I where reminiscing and I realized that I was actually starting to forget some of the details, I love details, so that saddened me.

It has not been very long, only 6 years, but add the kids and other life stress in there mixed with my general air headed tendencies and.... 

I don’t want to forget all the sweet little details, so I have decided in honor of Valentine’s Day that I will write down as much as I can remember. It might be long winded, so I apologize to those who won’t want to read it. Just skip it over.

I love those cheesy signs that say of all the love stories ours is my favorite, 

 We begin

Honestly I would be remiss if I did not mention a few details before the beginning. I was on track for the summer 2009 semester, but I had gone home for a few weeks between semesters. I know we went backpacking, I can’t remember if we did anything else but I do know that I must have been in an interesting frame of mind. I was thinking of transferring schools, or something. Back in the spring I had thought of serving a mission. I had talked to my bishop about it and he told me to pray about it again, maybe go to the Temple (baptisms of course), which I had done and I had felt very distinctly that it was most definitely not the time for me to serve a mission. Odd I know, I thought so too. But seeing as how I met Mitchell the day after my 21st birthday (that was the mission age at the time) perhaps it is not so very strange. Feeling frigidly made me want to switch schools or something..... All of this coupled with the general frustrations of going to tons of dates and still not feeling any real interest. 

My grandparents took me back to school after the break as they were headed for a vacation, My grandpa reminded me in his sweet way a few times during the long drive that "it only takes one" meaning finding the right one to marry. I arrived early to BYUI, I was there several weeks early because I was going to do a volunteer program called Get Connected, and it is as funny as it sounds. I was especially early because I was one of the leader trainer people, I had arrived about a week or so before that began, I think because of work but I can’t remember. I remember that my real apartment was not open yet and so I spent a few weeks basically living out of a suit case that remained on my bed in an apartment with some very interesting and somewhat irritable girls who had deplorable kitchen habits (bad guys, really bad) I know that I intentionally never ate at home because the smell was, I can’t even. And I remember attempting to help with dishes once only to find them moldy, in the sink mold, in cups! I did not help again, after all they were not my dishes and I never ate at home so without guilt I left them to their own.

. At this point I remember calling my dad to ... complain (silly choice for me since my dad is not a complainer himself) after telling me to go on a run and then call him back - in our family a run is the potential cure for all, and really it is- I called him after the run and at the end of the short conversation he said, "just stick it out, it will be a good semester for you, I am not saying you'll get married but, it will be a good semester for you." and then "I remember my dad always told me "it only takes one". " So I pressed forward with a positive attitude, because really dad is pretty smart.

The day or two before the Get connected mentor training started I moved into my apartment, which was (aside from one) a group of us who were already friends who intentionally decided to all be in the same apartment. I was very excited. At the end of that semester 4 of the 6 of us where engaged and 3 of us all got married in the same week, our bishop was very pleased.

So the first day of Get Connected- I know the name is funny I laugh each time I type it- started out with all of the volunteers meeting in the Taylor Building I really don’t remember detail for the net few days, we spent 2,3,4 days? (Can’t remember) basically training and having fun doing all sorts of EFY type activities I made wonderful friends on those days! Once the freshman came it was much the same only the volunteer myself included) where given freshman to help (the EFY thing now makes sense). Our first "real day" meeting the freshman arrived, began in a 5 am meeting at the Taylor building. Apparently according Mitchell’s journal (one of the few entries) this is when he noticed me first, but he was too tired to get up and talk to me so he just hoped to run into me later.  A few times that day the freshman would be in orientation with parents and such us volunteers in the orange (I-team leaders- again funny- who I will now refer to as orange shirt people) would all kind of wait in the hall, it was at one of these meeting that I remember noticing Mitchell for the first time, I was good at noticing cute men with good smiles, it like a dating 6th sense you develop at places like BYUI. He was pretty good looking and was sharing starburst with other orange shirt people while we waited for our freshman. I didn’t talk to him.

Later that day, became Mitchells favorite part of the story, I showed up at his doorstep, with sunlight pouring behind me and making me look like an angel (I like the angel part of his version). BUT I showed up at his door looking for a freshman roommate of his, to convince said roommate to come to get connected with the other fun kids. Neat side note right before we got to his building (we were visiting all of the freshman on our list) my I-team leader partner and I had debated just having him do that building since he lived there and then I could go do the girls apartments next door and we would be done faster, but we decided to go together like we were supposed to. (* note to my children: see how exact obedience can really bless your life?). Anyways. I showed up at an apartment with a life sized and very faded Hans Solo cut out in the window and the door wide open. We knocked and stepped and then I saw the same good looking man from before and thought "my lucky day" until I noticed his I-team partner next to him on the couch giving me the famous "he-is-mine -back-off-or-I’ll-eat-you-alive" look. So I let that idea go, after all there are plenty of eligible men at BYUI, but them he stood up and started a conversation with me, asked if he could call me Mel (which was the fun nick name that I was called by all friends and roommate thought-out college) and basically he and I hit it off, at that point I decided that glare girl could give me the look all she wanted but he was obviously not interested in her that much. 

Now my story get fuzzy again and in my mind it’s all out of order and confused. at some point in the next 4 days we saw each other and flirted at I-night, that is one of those surreal moments I remember, when he walked up to me looking like some gorgeous male model and he smiled, it’s all glowey and slow motioned in my memory. I don’t remember much about the whole conversation except that we talked about shoes oddly enough, I was wearing these totally wonderful gold ones, and that someone needed his help with the rock wall, and then I never saw in the rest of the evening. Full disclosure though I ended my evening crying like a bumbling baby idiot who needed a long nap to two friend (poor single guys, yikes) about how I wanted to get married and nothing was working out.

Meanwhile out at the actual party Mitchell- who I then mostly remembered as tall dark and good looking, was making rounds trying to find me to get my number, dance, flirt, you know all the good stuff. Soo sad, on so many levels,

Also a one point in those few days we had a dinner for the volunteers in which I asked various friends of mine who knew him better what they thought of him, and then kept passing his table , every time losing my nerve o talk to him again, seriously so embarrassing. And this was not my usual trend I liked guys to ask me out before I even gave them time of day and then if things progressed to second and third dates I would label them (ask my mom) since I often went on a sequence of dates with a few guys at once I would heartlessly label them as guy A, guy B, hat guy, Tall guy etc., in fact my mom still remembers many of them (only by my labels of course). I can only assume that I found him more attractive then the tons of other guys.... I don’t know. Anyway he finally asked for my number and then right when I was trying to respond I was circled by tons of my new orange shirt friends asking me questions, so what did Mitch do? Seriously guys he said he could see I was busy and walked off. !!! What? I remember being stunned, umm, he better want my number more than that. But then I remembered that he was a math Ed major, we would never pass each other since our classes where at opposite ends of campus, so I chased him across the room to give my number. I can’t remember our conversation after that although I am pretty sure he walked me at least partway home, I think I just felt silly after chasing him down. 

At some point there where hiking activities, we may or may not have been on the same one but I don’t think so, I can’t remember.

We had exchanged numbers, so I waited and he never texted or called, I was a bit put out. 

Finally there was this dance, it was so boring, and after an hour or so I began texting people to try to get more people to come or to find something else to do. He was one of the people I texted.

Here is a part in the story that I hate to admit, what was I doing texting him first, did I want to look desperate? And the pathetic text I sent? I am pretty sure it was something bad like' what are you up too' or the even less chic 'what’s up?"  I was braking all my dating rules. It’s so embarrassing but I guess it worked out because He texted back right away "want to go find some ice cream?" 

Umm, yes? Yes I did. I "casually" ran home (literally) and checked my hair and selected perfume to hide the running (although to give myself credit I was in great shape so the short run home had not cause sweat, but still). My friends/ roommate found the whole thing very funny and gave me a pretty hard time after. Mitch showed up and I tried to act like I had net just run a mile to meet him at my apartment. We set off.

In his usual confident manner he explained that he thought we could go on a walk first and talk, oh I was already in so deep, he was so direct about everything, so different from so many guys... We spent several hours walking and talking, we walked all over Rexburg and around the main park Porter Park, several times, and we even laid in the grass and looked at stars. Finally we realized it was close to eleven and that all the ice cream places where closed. I was pretty down cast after all getting home from a date well before curfew, was not really a good sign, but Mitch had prepared (of course and invited me to his apartment to have ice cream. It was strawberry ice cream.

I got home at curfew.

The next day was fairly busy, my roommates and I friends that we were had decided to have a big bonfire out at the sand dunes. Jen and her boyfriend (future husband) where giving us rides and helping us haul wood and such (he had a truck). Mitchell did call that day and we talked a bit before he asked me out on a date for the following Tuesday. Then somehow I ended up asking him if he wanted to come to the bonfire. 

-Lets have another moment to say- okay STOP chasing!

That man, my goodness he made up some ridiculous story about having to have apartment council that night to go over how dishes would be handled and such and said he would have to get back to me about that night. Well I rolled my eyes, he called to ask me out so mi assumed he either didn’t like that I was being so forward, or he had another date or something, or he was just being weird?

He called me back 30 min latter saying he had managed to meet with his roommates already (uh-huh) and would love to come that night and what could he bring? Hot dog buns.

That night was so fun. He flattened some totally jerk like cocky Canadian in a fabulously understated way and then we flirted and hung out the whole time, I don’t think either of us remember much of what we said though. I do remember that I was still grading him pretty harshly. I had a few routine conversations I would bring up to judge their responses, he did not give my ideal answers for some of those conversations, for example when I talked about stars at the sand dunes, instead of going anywhere personal or spiritual with eh conversation, he, in quite a Hill family typical way, began talking about the science part of it...... 

That night at the door he was just as obnoxious as I know he delights in being, we are at my door flirting in the usual way and then he asks when we have church, I tell him, "oh, same time as I do" he says. Then asks me what I am going to do after church? "Nothing, free evening" Oh he says "me too" then he says, "well, see ya" and walks off. .Ouch or as my roommate who observed everything from the couch about 2 feet from the door said, "Wow, burn" 

I was not a happy camper. That kind of Burn was not something I enjoyed or was used to and I tell you I think all I could do after that was go to bed and quickly as I possibly could to avid the embarrassment. I considered the case closed, so-to-speak.

I spent the next morning busy at church, I was relief society president for our small singles ward, I had actually been in that position for almost 2 years so I was not new to it, but the beginning of semesters with that calling is frantic because right away we had to get all the callings and visiting teaching assignments done.  Basically I had successfully put him from my mind and my wonderful friends/roommates didn’t bring up the Burn he gave me again. Thus I was surprised when that afternoon he texted me asking if I wanted to come for dinner, explain that he had made a big roast and all the sides. At this point I made a conversation with my roommates, concluding that this must be his way of friend zoning, burn me to know he wasn’t interested and then extend the Sunday dinner olive branch of friend zoned peace.  Shortly after this conclusion thought he informed me that he would come pick me up and that I didn’t have to bring anything. So now I was out for friend zone, because you dot pick up friends (not when the friend in question lived comfortable close to walk- it wasn’t Rexburg cold yet). So I got ready and correctly assumed it was a date but was sort of short tempered because I didn’t like feeling like I was being played with. He told me on the way to his apartment that he had a great time with me and didn’t want to wait all the way until Tuesday to see me again for our date. The evening was nice and I had a good time. We ate till full and then walked and talked and had more ice cream until it was close to curfew and then he took me home.

At some point after that evening or the next day’s two things happened the first was that I remember deciding to be done with him, I had a system, if he didn't get me really hooked after a 3 or 4 dates I cut ties, so to speak. So I had pretty much decided to do that, the other thing that happened was I spoke to two of my best friends, they were both roommate and several years older than me, for whatever reason after the conversations and my nightly prayers I decided I had better go on a few more dates with him. Although I was still accepting date offers from other guys too.

Tuesday rolled around and for our date he grilled on the BBQ for me, the food was yummy, he had set it up so we prepared a lot of it together (this was one of his little dating things he like to do) I knew that after dinner if it went well he would think of another activity or dessert, and gratifyingly he did. It was either this date of the next one which was I think Thursday (so only a few days later) that we held hands for the first time. It seems silly I know, you know that part in the movie Sleepless in Seattle where the mom is telling Meg Ryan’s catcher about the first time her and her husband held hands???  "Magic" she says airily "it was magic, and I knew..." (Watch the clip) all I will say is that was how I felt about that whole thing.

I think I might have had one other date that week with someone else but it might have been the week before.... It really doesn't matter because after the hand holding thing I kind of put all my focus there. By the end of the next week we were exclusive and spent time together every day. His BBQ date started a trend, every Tuesday Thursday he made lunch for me. I had a 30 min brake between classes and his apartment building (which is now torn down) was right across the street from the building both my classes where in. Its sweet really when he found out I had such a tight break for lunch he offered to have lunch for me each day I had those classes. I expected sandwiches or chips but he made actual food each time, homemade fried chicken strips and a salad, enchiladas, shepherd’s pie, nachos. Then in the evenings we would usually cook together at either of our apartments usually mine. Before doing whatever else we had planned. Side note, he always did the dishes. *sigh*

We went on walks to watch the sunset and listen to music at the same time, all sorts of things that are so cheesy but didn’t feel weird or stupid or cheesy at the time. We dance and went to the art gallery and bought gas station hot chocolate and even doodled and colored together. 

I often felt like he could read my thoughts and emotions like a book, and really he still does.

I remember many date where we had and especially good time or that was profound to me later or at the time but I don’t remember the order very well because everything was very fast. 

One date we sat on the walkway outside my apartment and drank hot chocolate and he told me about his head injury on his mission and how it ended it early and by the time he was recovered they told him well done, now move on with life. I remember knowing that he did serve a full time mission. I remember feeling insight into how that very difficult experience shaped in part the person who he was.

I remember a date cut short because he  got a call from the sister he home taught, I remember another date where we spent at least an hour wandering around the local craft store. I remember studying together and not getting much done. We went to a Jim Brickman Concert and held hands the whole time, we went to my Aunt Cheryl’s house for a movie night and he was so nice about everything. I met his sister and kids and noticed what a great and loved uncle he was. I also love the date where we went up on a walk to the Temple grounds (although that was later in the relationship).

I also remember when I got so sick (to this day I think in was swine flu (so did one of my roommate she basically avoided me for weeks and used a ton of Lysol) and he found out I was sick and he brought me apple juice and crackers and murine and a whole bunch of paper Z's he cut out, basically a get well package...

I fell in love with him so fast.

*-First Kiss-*

This story is rather funny, except to me it is still embarrassing. 

We had been dating for probably a month it was starting to get really cold outside and the evenings got dark faster, so yeah we must have been dating a while. 

We had almost kissed many times but each time I kinds chickened out at the last second, I would turn my head or say something to break the moment. It seems silly but I was nervous. I really liked Mitchell, I was falling fast, I was a little bit scarred and I had not kissed much before, at all, so I was also kind of worried and insecure, especially since I knew he had had many girlfriends. In other words he knew what he was doing and I didn’t. 

So finally one night after a date- we stood there goodnight hug type thing, it was one of those moments where I kind of did a “oh wow did you see that bird fly by”, comment, totally mood killer, so Mitchell asked if he could kiss me. For the life of me I can’t remember the wording, I remember he spoke softly and it was one of those moment where I felt like he could read me like a book and I was clueless. I can’t remember if I said "No" or "not yet" or what but I was horribly embarrassed and I can’t remember what he said either but I do remember he was very calm and nice about it and began walking home. Pretty much the second he was round the corner I ran inside, and got a bag of chocolate chips that I only used for baking and began eating big handfuls of them like some stupid teenager in a chick flick movie. pretty much all my roommate and my roommate Jen's fiancé asked what happened and when I told them they probably said "what the hack you weirdo!" but I don’t remember except that after a few handfuls of chocolate chips I just bolted. I ran after him.

It was dusky dark and raining, totally like to movies only I had to run a few blocks not a few yards, and I dint look like a super model with wet perfect hair, and worst of all once I caught up I had nothing to say.

I think I said "hi" 

And then the rest of the conversation is pretty blurred and I think for sake of my sanity I have repressed most of the memory due to acute embarrassment. Why did I not run up to him and kiss him? No sure. Pretty sure I wanted too, also pretty sure I said nothing even informing him of that.

In the end it was quite cold, he pointed that out, and obviously I need time to think before we could talk again, and that as regards relationships I needed to figure out what I wanted. It was all said very kindly but I left feeling....

Well I'll put it this way, I ate the rest of that bag of chocolate chips before trying to sleep. 

It was sometime soon after that we did kiss. I don’t remember if we talked about it at all or if I just finally didn’t sabotage the perfect moment. 

It was perfection. Except the part where he had to tell me that I was supposed to kiss him back (I knew that, I was just in some sort of stupefied coma at the time). Afterword’s thought her told me we weren't going to have any problems with kissing, except perhaps wanting to kiss too much.

It was a few weeks after that that the big family introductions happened, he came to my parents’ house for the weekend, and fit right in, everyone loved him. The week after that was the big “I love you" words. After we said I love you it was always and forever and I'll never let you go. Mitchell told me that and I said that’s big Talk and he said "I know" and that he meant it.

We got engaged very quickly after that.

And married after that. We meet, the last week of august and got married the last week of December. It was fast, and at times really stressful. We did think of waiting to get married until after the winter semester in April but for some many reasons we felt it would be best to get married in December. Turns out the Lord knew what we didn’t, Rebecca got married the following march, so it’s a very good thing we got married when we did.

Within this story are some many very personal spiritual experiences that we both had as well but they are some of the things that we keep close. 

Mitchell Man I love you so much and I love the little family and life that we have created together. Love you always and forever,

Your Melinda Girl.