how i met my lover

i've been meaning to get back into this whole blogging thing for a while now, but have felt like i forgot how to write.  on sunday we watched "My New Life", the mormon message by Stephanie Nielsen, and that motivated me to get back into it, if simply to share my testimony and how grateful i am for the gospel in my life and the way it shapes who i am and how i live.  perhaps the biggest way it's shaped my life recently is my decision to marry this guy:

man, this picture just makes me smile.  he is so great, and so great for me.  sometimes when i think how much i love him and how good he is to me i just cry.  

we were talking the other day about how awesome it is that things just worked out the way they did.  

i came home from mexico 7 lbs lighter, sick, and heartbroken.  i was not about to jump into another relationship.  in fact, i remember sitting at dinner that night telling my mom how i was done saying yes to every guy that asked me out.  from then on i was only going to say yes if i was really interested.  that was on a wednesday.  on sunday, on a whim, i decided to go to ward prayer since i didn't know any of the new people who had moved in while i was gone.  it was at a guys apartment in old academy.  i was one of the last to leave, and on my way out the door, the guys who lived in that apartment cornered me and said, "we haven't met you yet!"  after introducing myself a couple of them just walked away, but one stuck around to chat.  we talked about how from the back of his head he looked like another guy i'd dated (story for another day) and ender's game.  the next day i bought ender's game and brennan added me on facebook.  on wednesday i went to a gospel doctrine committee meeting only to find brennan there as well.  i had to leave early, so we didn't get a chance to talk, but just a couple of hours later he called and asked me to go to the boise state vs. byu football game with him that friday.  after the game on friday we went to dinner then back to his house and spent 8 hours together that first date.  after that first date we saw each other every day until christmas break and continue to do so.  i actually had a blind date the day after our first date (so much for saying no), but i kept it short so i could get to the ward halloween dance where i knew brennan would be.  

as for brennan, he was pretty frustrated with dating when we met.  he wanted to get married and was going on a lot of dates, but couldn't find anyone who kept his interest long enough to develop into something.  he also never went to ward prayer, but it was at his apartment, so he didn't have a choice.  at the time, he had been taking this girl out who apparently "wasn't very smart".  a couple weeks after we started dating he told me "once i met you i thought, why am i dating this girl?  i should be dating kelli".  and so he did.

it is pretty awesome loving someone and being loved by someone this way--to have that support and devotion.  it has been the best opportunity to develop charity, patience, and humility.  i can only imagine how cool it will be to be married. just one month and twelve days till we will be sealed for all eternity in this beautiful house of God!

peace+love