p.s. I tag Natasha, Dad, and Amanda
1. Where did you first meet your hubby? I have always been a relationship girl and I had just gone through a nasty break up and decided that I wasn't going to settle down into any relationship. One of my best friends, Eric Portlock, decided to set me up with someone who had also just gone through a rough break up. All I knew was that I was going on a blind date with one of his room mates named Justin. Little did I know what I was getting into. Justin and his men all decided to plan a date centered around the guys. They planned an elaborate "Pirate Date" (more on that later). Anyway I briefly met Justin a couple of days before and totally blew him off! (remember I was done with guys). The first time I really met him was the night before when he dropped off the invitation to the date. The boys had burned the edges and made the invitations look like a map. We talked on the step outside my apartment for about 5 minutes, and that is when I started to get excited for the next day.
2. What do you remember most about him? I know this will surprise many of you, but what I remember most is how funny he was. He smiled all the time and was just very carefree! I also remember that he looked NOTHING like any of the other guys that I had dated before. He was blond ... and that was HUGE! I remember after the date I called my mom and she was shocked when I told her that he was blond.
3. Who asked out who first? Ok, like Irene I don't really know how to answer this question. I guess technically Eric asked us out because it was a blind date. Then after the official "Pirate Date" Justin invited me to watch the football game at their house, he picked me up and took me home, but I sat with Eric most of the game. I guess when he dropped me off from the football game HE asked me out for another date. I was THRILLED!!!!! For some reason I was hooked immediately. I knew that there was something good and different about Justin and I couldn't wait to find out what that was.
4. What did you do on your first date? It was a "Pirate Date"!!!!!!!!!! Justin picked me up from my apartment and called me wench all day long. We made pirate hats, wore eye patches and gold earrings. We listened to pirate music on the drive to the Provo river. Once there we boarded our ships (canoes) and went in search of our pirates booty (our lunch), which was indeed buried under an X. There were 9 couples in total and somewhere in the middle we pulled over to have a naval battle. Right then 13 ninja's jumped out of the bushes and knocked over all of the canoes screaming "Ninja's hate Pirates!!!". Apparently there were only 3 people who knew about the ninja's and Justin was one of them. The coolest part is that all of this is on video that another room mate was recording through the trees.
After the pirate date was complete Justin dropped me off at my apartment, but it was still fairly early in the day. I was more than stoked when he asked if I wanted to watch the football game at his house with everyone. I cleaned myself up and headed over to his house.
I love having such a memorable first date and LOVE that we have it recorded!
After the pirate date was complete Justin dropped me off at my apartment, but it was still fairly early in the day. I was more than stoked when he asked if I wanted to watch the football game at his house with everyone. I cleaned myself up and headed over to his house.
I love having such a memorable first date and LOVE that we have it recorded!
5. What was your favorite thing to do together while you were dating? I really loved going for drives on his motorcycle. I thought that was just a blast. Justin would probably say his favorite thing was making out.
6. When was your first kiss with your sweetheart?
7. Who said "I love you" first?
8. When did you first realize you loved him?
I LOVE this memory! I have to combine these three questions though because they are all part of the story. After our second date I told Justin that I really liked him but I didn't want to date any one person. I told him that he should understand because he had just gone through a nasty break up as well. He heard "I like you" and asked if he could see me the next day. I had so much fun with him I quickly agreed and that cycle continued for the next month and a half. In my head I thought I was dating other people, but I saw Justin everyday and nobody else. (He totally tricked me!!!)
After I realized this I went out on ONE date with a hot guy in my ward and I could only think of Justin the whole time, I came home and told Justin that I could only think of him and I guess we were dating exclusively.
Soon after that we went to a General Conference session in Salt Lake. While we were waiting in line Justin took me to a fountain on temple square and told me that he loved me. I was so trying to protect myself from falling hard that I said "Thank you" and gave him a hug. (poor guy) He stayed for the Priesthood session and I headed back to Provo. The second I was in our apartment I just started crying. I told my room mates what he had said and my response. My room mate Heidi's reply was "but Kira, you DO love him!" After she said that I realized that I not only loved this man, I REALLY LOVED him!!! I called his cell phone and probably left a gazillion messages asking him to call me as soon as he got back to Provo.
When he got back I drove to his house and took him into their backyard by the swing set. We had seen each other every day for two solid months at that point. I told him my realization and apologized that I was too scared to admit how I felt about him earlier that day, but that I really loved him a lot.
He smiled and I remember every detail of his face when he asked if he could kiss me. There under the stars I received the sweetest kiss I have ever experienced. Literally I felt the world swirling around us as we kissed for the first time under the stars. I know it sounds cheesy, but that is exactly what happened, my own little movie moment!
9. How did he propose? He planned out activities for the entire day. He arrived at my apartment with a bouquet of roses and took me for a picnic lunch in a canoe on the Provo river (no ninja's this time). I totally thought he would propose then, but he didn't. He dropped me off at home to put on some nicer clothes. I room mates swarmed me all wondering if he had proposed. They were disappointed when there was no ring.
Justin then picked me up an hour later and we drove to Salt Lake. The whole drive up Justin kept rubbing my ring finger and I thought to myself "Ok, this is happening!" I knew how badly I wanted to go to a bridal fair and signed us up to go to one. I loved walking around looking at the exhibits with him.
Next he took me on a horse carriage ride around Salt Lake. Our first stop was at the capitol building where we went to our first dance. The sun was starting to set while we stood on the steps holding each other. I totally thought here it is, he is going to do it, but it didn't happen.
Then the carriage driver takes us through old town Salt Lake and tells us that he has had so many people get engaged while he drives through that section of town because of the magic it holds. I thought, "I am going to turn around and he is going to be holding the ring". When he didn't I was a little disappointed and doubted my intuition.
When the carriage ride ended and the driver pulled away I was positive that I was wrong and Justin must have just wanted to treat me to a really special day. Then he said ... "Let's go for a walk" He walked me to the fountain where he had told me that he loved me. He sat me down and got on one knee! I was soooo excited and my heart just kept pounding. The funniest part is that Justin was so embarrased he got down on his knee really fast and spit out his proposal even faster and was back up sitting next to me. I didn't even care ... I was just crying and couldn't believe it was happening to me. I eventually said yes and that was the beginning!
When I got home my room mate Jen was in the living room. She eagerly grabbed my right hand with excitement too see if there was a ring, but when she didn't see one got really disappointed. I told her that she got the wrong hand and to check the other finger. She started screaming and the rest of my room mates came running down! It was a party all night long!
8. When did you first realize you loved him?
I LOVE this memory! I have to combine these three questions though because they are all part of the story. After our second date I told Justin that I really liked him but I didn't want to date any one person. I told him that he should understand because he had just gone through a nasty break up as well. He heard "I like you" and asked if he could see me the next day. I had so much fun with him I quickly agreed and that cycle continued for the next month and a half. In my head I thought I was dating other people, but I saw Justin everyday and nobody else. (He totally tricked me!!!)
After I realized this I went out on ONE date with a hot guy in my ward and I could only think of Justin the whole time, I came home and told Justin that I could only think of him and I guess we were dating exclusively.
Soon after that we went to a General Conference session in Salt Lake. While we were waiting in line Justin took me to a fountain on temple square and told me that he loved me. I was so trying to protect myself from falling hard that I said "Thank you" and gave him a hug. (poor guy) He stayed for the Priesthood session and I headed back to Provo. The second I was in our apartment I just started crying. I told my room mates what he had said and my response. My room mate Heidi's reply was "but Kira, you DO love him!" After she said that I realized that I not only loved this man, I REALLY LOVED him!!! I called his cell phone and probably left a gazillion messages asking him to call me as soon as he got back to Provo.
When he got back I drove to his house and took him into their backyard by the swing set. We had seen each other every day for two solid months at that point. I told him my realization and apologized that I was too scared to admit how I felt about him earlier that day, but that I really loved him a lot.
He smiled and I remember every detail of his face when he asked if he could kiss me. There under the stars I received the sweetest kiss I have ever experienced. Literally I felt the world swirling around us as we kissed for the first time under the stars. I know it sounds cheesy, but that is exactly what happened, my own little movie moment!
9. How did he propose? He planned out activities for the entire day. He arrived at my apartment with a bouquet of roses and took me for a picnic lunch in a canoe on the Provo river (no ninja's this time). I totally thought he would propose then, but he didn't. He dropped me off at home to put on some nicer clothes. I room mates swarmed me all wondering if he had proposed. They were disappointed when there was no ring.
Justin then picked me up an hour later and we drove to Salt Lake. The whole drive up Justin kept rubbing my ring finger and I thought to myself "Ok, this is happening!" I knew how badly I wanted to go to a bridal fair and signed us up to go to one. I loved walking around looking at the exhibits with him.
Next he took me on a horse carriage ride around Salt Lake. Our first stop was at the capitol building where we went to our first dance. The sun was starting to set while we stood on the steps holding each other. I totally thought here it is, he is going to do it, but it didn't happen.
Then the carriage driver takes us through old town Salt Lake and tells us that he has had so many people get engaged while he drives through that section of town because of the magic it holds. I thought, "I am going to turn around and he is going to be holding the ring". When he didn't I was a little disappointed and doubted my intuition.
When the carriage ride ended and the driver pulled away I was positive that I was wrong and Justin must have just wanted to treat me to a really special day. Then he said ... "Let's go for a walk" He walked me to the fountain where he had told me that he loved me. He sat me down and got on one knee! I was soooo excited and my heart just kept pounding. The funniest part is that Justin was so embarrased he got down on his knee really fast and spit out his proposal even faster and was back up sitting next to me. I didn't even care ... I was just crying and couldn't believe it was happening to me. I eventually said yes and that was the beginning!
When I got home my room mate Jen was in the living room. She eagerly grabbed my right hand with excitement too see if there was a ring, but when she didn't see one got really disappointed. I told her that she got the wrong hand and to check the other finger. She started screaming and the rest of my room mates came running down! It was a party all night long!
10. What do you remember about your wedding day? Honestly??? Just how happy we were. I could feel how happy I was, but it was a really special experience to see how happy Justin was also. Walking into the sealing room with my love was amazing and the feelings I felt while we were being married are ones that I will never forget!
As much as he teases me I truly adore Justin!!! I am still excited to be his wife!!!! Thank you for loving me Justin ... Happy Valentines Day!
