The Start of My Forever

BASICALLY UNAWARE OF HIS EXISTENCE

The date was January 4, 2014. I was at my friend Amy's reception and everything was kind of starting to wind down. Beyonce blared over the speakers and all the single ladies lined up for a chance to catch the bouquet. Amy threw the bouquet over her shoulder and I snatched it right before Sunny had the chance (she wasn't very happy with me). I joked around with everyone that it was now destiny that I get married even though inside I was still hurting over my latest letdown.

WHEN WE MET

The date is now January 5, 2014. Sunny had been begging me for a long time to double with her and Luis, and they had decided that Luis' roommate would be going with me. Luis and Daniel came over that night to visit for awhile just to talk and I immediately knew there was something different about this guy. I guess I should also say that I had technically met him before...but I was kind of not interested in dating anyone because of some other stuff going on. We've all heard that story a thousand times huh?

WHEN WE WERE DATING

For our first date Sunny, Luis, Daniel, and I went to Pizza Hut for dinner and then came back to my house to play Phase 10...which then erupted into a Nerf gun battle.

We went official on January 14. We went to institute and everyone had to answer a few questions about themselves including "Are you single?" Daniel had to go first and when he stood up to introduce himself I was wondering what exactly he was going to say because...well, we hadn't talked about it! When he came to that part he said, "I'm not single!...Well, I'm not married...but I'm also not really single...". We were definitely on the same page there :)

He told me he loved me on February 16th. We were watching a movie at his place and I don't remember what I did (I probably tickled him or something) and he said, "You know what?...Never mind." The 'You know what' part didn't surprise me, but the 'Never mind' part was new, so I asked him what was up and he got really quiet and then said, "...I love you." He caught me completely off-guard! I tactfully replied, "Really?! ...I love you too!"

Since the day we met I can count on one hand the number of days that we haven't seen each other :)

Dressed up as pirates at Grey's birthday party.

We had been dating almost 2 months at this point.

THAT ONE TIME WHEN HE POPPED THE QUESTION

Are you ready for the proposal story? It's a pretty cute one if I do say so myself!

We had been talking about getting married and actually...we already had the temple scheduled, but I was just waiting not exactly patiently for my ring. His parents had invited us over for Easter dinner and the words "funeral potatoes" had been used, so I knew there was no way I was missing out on that!

When we walked into the house I immediately saw yarn strung all over the family room and leading downstairs. Now that I look back, I could see that Daniel was acting a little squirrely and he immediately wanted to look for our Easter baskets, which I knew were hidden at the end of the yarn. I grabbed my yarn and started winding! I was bound and determined to beat Daniel, but he was always right behind me. He found his basket first and sat down on the couch to wait for me. My yarn led me to a door and when I opened it there was my basket! I saw a handmade booklet titled "My Book of Favorite Memories with Emma-Leigh" and I sat down next to Daniel to read it. He wrote about our first date, and when we went official and my birthday and Valentine's day and the time we went to Logan to watch a hockey game. It was all really detailed and I was really impressed by how much he had written about. When I turned to the last page I read, "All of these memories are very special to me, but my favorite memory was when I proposed and she said yes!" Then I started crying and Daniel pulled out the ring and got down on one knee and told me that he loved me and wanted to be with me forever and asked if I would marry him. Of course I said yes!!!

We took a walk down to the river near his house afterwards. 

And here is the ring! Let me tell you, it is SO sparkly :)

Daniel is seriously the best thing to ever happened to me. He never ceases to tell me why he loves me! He seriously treats me like a princess and I don't think I could be marrying into a better family! Daniel is everything I could have ever asked for and I love him so much!

SO WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!!

August 9th.

12:30.

Idaho Falls.

Oh my gosh, is this real life???