15 Years

Today is our 15th anniversary. Rusty and I met when we were 15 years old. I don't remember it but he does. Then a year later he moved into my ward and the bishop asked me to show him to our Sunday School class. My friend Karen Olson liked him, so I had to just be "friends" with him at first. I was the Laurel President and his sister who, let's just say wasn't particularly active in the Church at the time, was in my class. I really magnified my calling and "fellowshipped" her (okay, I'll admit, it was to see Rusty). Anyway, Karen moved on to a different guy and on New Year's Eve 1986 we danced our first dance. It was love.

We dated on and off for the next two years and we went to each other's proms. When he was a freshman in college and I was a senior in high school, we dated other people. He graduated when he was 17 and had an entire year before his mission. As both sets of our parents will attest, we had a rough patch at this time. We argued and "broke up" more times than I can count. But right before his mission we were dating again and I diligently "waited" for him. By diligently I mean I wrote him at first a ton, but then began dating a ton, and the letters got fewer and fewer. This was okay with Rusty because he totally got into his mission and thought my tapes were annoying (as, he reports, he threw one out a 30 story window).

Rusty's Senior Prom May 9, 1987. Which hair do took more time?

He got back from his mission on October 26, 1990, exactly two years to the day that he left. I was there with his family waiting in my new outfit and ready for a ring (I had just broken up with a guy "for" Rusty and thought I was going to be engaged in a matter of weeks). This was not the case. For the next two years, yes I said TWO years, Rusty strung me along. Whenever I decided I was done with his "playing around" and started dating someone else, he would reel me back in. Finally, in December 1992, I was going to go to Washington state over Christmas to meet a guy's family that I had been dating for about 4 months and Rusty asked me not to go. I didn't and on January 8, 1993 we got engaged (Elvis' birthday--Rusty fondly recalls). It really stunk telling that guy when he got back from Christmas break that I was engaged to someone else.

How we got engaged: We were in sweats eating pizza and talking about marriage on Rusty's bedroom floor (don't tell BYU housing--my diploma might get revoked), and Rusty said, "Let's be engaged." So romantic!!! However, I was thrilled! I wanted it in writing, but. . . Then about a week later Rusty took me to a Chinese restaurant and when the fortune cookie came my ring was inside with a fortune saying "Will you Marry a Marvelous Man." My patriarchal blessing says that I will "marry a marvelous man." How cute/clever is that?

We got married in the Provo Temple on April 29, 1993 and I was the only bride of the day. The man who married us also gave both Rusty and me our patriarchal blessings and was also my neighbor. We had our luncheon upstairs at the good ole' BYU Wilkinson Center and our reception in Rusty's mom's NEW cultural hall (can you get any more Mormon than that?). It was nice, and our entire family was there, as well as all our good friends. That's really all you need.

Our engagement invitation and picture.

Don't you LOVE the matching tie and dress?

Our Wedding party

The traditional gift for the 15th is Crystal and the modern is a watch. Well, Rusty has the watch he has always wanted. No it's not a Rolex--it's a BYU Cougar watch. He LOVES it. And I know that if I gave him anything crystal he would look at me and say, "What am I suppose to do with this?" Therefore, I will decided to surprise him and take him to lunch. Our big celebration is in June. We are going to Vancouver for a 5 days. He gave me a bouquet of flowers with the card reading, "I'm good for another 15. Happy Anniversary!"

Rusty knows these are my favorite kind of flowers.

Rusty's the true romantic?!?! I love this actually. It's totally him.