Happy Anniversary to us!

On Sunday Kaleb and I celebrated our 13th anniversary!! In commemoration of it I would like to share our love story, and the date when I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.

We met when he was moving into his sister's house to go to college after his mission and I was babysitting his neices and nephew (his sister says she set us up). Anyways, after he moved in we became really good friends along with another girlfriend of mine. All three of us hung out all the time. She kind of had the hots for him and I liked him too but both of us were too reserved to say anything. Then after some serious hinting that I liked him (okay, I wasn't that reserved!) he finally asked me out. We went to the state park down the road from us and flew kites and then went to Dairy Queen. It was a small town, not a whole lot more to do.

So the next date we decided to go to the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum in downtown Kansas City and make a day of it. (We lived about an hour away from KC). So he picked me up in his 19seventy-something BMW that he had bought from his big brother. He had tricked it out with a brand new white paint job and gold rimmed tires. Yes, I said GOLD-rimmed tires. ha ha!!! We then drove up to Kansas City. When we were about twelve blocks away from the museum the car just died at a stoplight. Poor Kaleb was panicking a little and he suggested that we just push it over to a parking lot (he pushed, I steered; he IS a gentleman!) and went and ate lunch at the Burger King next door and hoped and said a prayer that the car woul start up by the time we were done eating. So we finished eating and get back into the car to see if it would start and it still doesn't.

Luckily,there happened to be a car repair shop across the street so we got it across the street and decide to have them take a look at it. Let me also mention that the Nelson-Atkins is not exactly located in the best neighborhood in KC so the mechanics, I'm pretty sure, have little or no experience working on German cars. Nonetheless, they decide to go ahead and try to diagnose and fix the problem. They told us it was going to take a few hours, so we just decided to go ahead and walk the twelve blocks to the museum and hopefully when we got back the car will be fixed. (wishful thinking). So we took the long walk to the museum and looked at all the art and get ready to leave when we noticed that is raining outside and not just a light sprinkle but a torrential midwestern downpour. We think "oh we'll just wait until it stops" so we wait for about ten minutes and it hasn't stopped and the museum is closing any minute. Luckily a very nice couple in the lobby has overheard us talking and offered us a ride back to the repair shop, which we gladly but awkwardly accepted. So we thanked them profusely and get back to repair shop where we sat for about another hour to find out that the mechanics really don't know what's wrong and don't know how to fix it. Then Kaleb, who has been so patient and fun, (even though later he told me he was SO embarrassed) tried to call someone to come get us!! He tried EVERYONE he knew and only one person, his brother-in-law, was home. So his brother-in-law brought his yellow Pinto and a tow rope (Yes I said Pinto!!!!) and hooked it up to Kaleb's BMW. Then Kaleb and I got into the BMW to steer it, while his brother-in-law towed us home in his yellow Pinto.

I have to tell you it was the most fun I had ever had!!! Call me crazy!! It just seemed like one thing after another went wrong, but the way Kaleb handled it by keeping cool (at least outwardly!!) and just going with the flow made me realize what a gem he was. He also just kept the conversation going. I always felt like he was listening and interested in what I had to say, which really meant a lot to me since, at the time, I was pretty shy (I know it's hard to believe now) and didn't talk alot to anyone. I knew after that date, though, that I was head over heels in love with him!!!!

We were married on March 15th, 1996 at the Denver Temple. One of the best days of my life!! At the time I didn't think that I could possibly love him more, but I definitely do. He is my best friend and keeps me laughing. To quote the cheesiest song ever: He lifts me up. Its cheesy but true. (I suggested getting tattoos on our derrieres to commemorate our 13th anniversary. A "1" on one cheek and a "3" on the other cheek, but luckily he vetoed it). I love you Kaleb and may we have an eternity filled with laughter, friendship, and most importantly, love. (I really should work for Hallmark)

Kaleb and I, young and in LUUUUVVVVV.

The sun was SOOOOO bright reflecting off the new snow. I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open!!