Our Engagement - May 18, 2012 :)

So I said I would post this after my last post, and then wedding planning has gotten the best of me!

I will record my Journal entry from May 18, but I wanted to share the video for those of you who are my friends and actually read my blog. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y_Dcokw1xo&feature=youtu.be

Sorry for the annoying background music, and for all my squeeling - let's just say it was the best day of my life so far!

I just love him! I can't WAIT to spend the rest of my life with this man! Getting more and more excited every day. Hooray for finally getting married!! :)

Our Story - (WARNING LONG POST!) ONLY READ IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW!

Well a lot has changed since my last blog post almost a year ago. That boy told me he LOVED me, and I told him I loved him back! We moved to California, and we got engaged on May 18th, 2012. We are getting married on August 31, 2012 and I could not be happier!

I started writing our story for our wedding blog, but realized it was too long. SO I decided to put it here on my blog so I can remember it.

I even told him - how funny is it going to be when our kids look back and say, "Ha - ADDED you on Facebook, mom? that was SO 2012!" 

So just so our kids know our story, here it is:

Alisha's Story: 

Jordan and I met in October of 2010, when Jordan and his brother came over to my house in Arizona. Jordan was living in Utah, but was in Arizona visiting his brother Jake. Since Jordan was good friends with my roommate, Denae, he came over to our house to visit and play some games. My friend Sara was over as well, and it was just a typical, low key Sunday night. At the end of the night, I was in the kitchen, and Jordan came over and started talking to Sara and me. I remember not feeling very talkative, so when Jordan turned to me and asked "So what's your story?" I don't exactly remember what I said, but I think it was something kind of short and kind of sassy. 

I don't really remember a ton about the conversation, but I thought he was a nice guy who lived in Utah and didn't think much about it.

The conversation made a little impression on Jordan, because he added me as a friend on Facebook either the next day or the next few days. 

A few weeks later, Jordan and a bunch of his friends came down to Arizona for my roommate Denae's sister's wedding. We got to spend some time together chatting and this was when he first got my number. I went to the wedding reception a little bit later than he and his friends went, and our first text was about when I was going to get to the reception. :) We had a fun time at the wedding, and then we all went back to our house. Jordan used his charm and while we were all watching a movie, he said, "Come cuddle with me." So I did. 

Right before he left he told me we should go out over Thanksgiving when I was home in Utah. So I think we text a little bit, and then when I was home, I decided to go down to hang out with him and his friends in Provo. He was really sweet and we went bowling with him and his roommate and his date. Of course Jordan was a sweetheart and paid for me and made sure I was taken care of. 

i thought Jordan was nice and fun, but I was not really interested in dating someone long distance, so our relationship was slow in forming. We kept in touch, and went out again over Christmas. Apparently we had a date, and then I totally flaked on him, but invited him to come over to my house. So we played Jenga, (and I beat him every time), and cuddled and watched a movie. It was fun!

I think we were supposed to get together again, but yet again I backed out because I was in Utah with my family. So we talked about meeting up in Vegas for New Year's. That didn't happen, but we kept in touch. 

Right before my friend Steph went on her mission in February of 2011, we took a girls' trip up to Utah, and we ended up hanging out at Jordan's house a LOT. Jordan was really sweet and paid a lot of attention to me. So on one of the nights, we were cuddling and watching a movie and we finally kissed! Jordan was a really good kisser and I was pleasantly surprised.

He came down to AZ a few weeks later, and it was a horrible weekend for me. I had just run the Ragnar in Arizona and was exhausted. So we got to see each other at my friend Stephanie's farewell party and that was about it.

Flash forward to April 2011. We had talked about meeting up in Vegas, but then my brother and his family were going to UT, so I decided to go there too. Jordan took me out on a date and we went to the Nickelcade in Provo. That was a turning point for me because I kind of had my wall up until that point, but during that date, when he was really concerned about me and was very attentive to my needs, that's when I realized how he was different from other guys. I'd never felt so comfortable with any guy before, and felt so ME. And it was because of how he treated me and how sweet he was. It was after that day when we started talking on the phone every day.

Our next meeting was when I flew out to Duck Beach over Memorial Day 2011. He was out in Baltimore, MD selling alarm systems, so when I flew out to the East Coast, I made a stop in Baltimore to hang out with him for a couple days. We went to Washington DC and saw some of the sights and just had a blast. I was still waiting to find out if I was going to be the next Mormon Bachelorette, so I didn't want to do anything crazy. BUT even when I went to Duck Beach without him, and was meeting a lot of people, I was texting him the whole time.

I was heading to Utah for the fourth of July, and his brother's wedding was July 2nd. He asked me to be his date to his brother's wedding, which I of course accepted. He tried to play this off as no big deal, but I knew it was a little bit more. At the wedding he held my hand the whole time, and introduced me to EVERYONE at the wedding, and of course they already thought we were an item, which technically we weren't, but really we were. 

We went up to Park City that night with my family for my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. We hiked to the top of Park City resort, and we were watching some fireworks just the two of us. it is one of my favorite memories with him because we just held each other and I just felt SAFE. 

That night he mentioned that he wanted to be my boyfriend and he wanted to be in the same state as me. In my head I was thinking, "He lives in Utah, I live in Arizona and I'm getting transferred to California. How is this going to work?" So I didn't say anything. He still teases me about it. 

About a week later, I decided that I needed to stop with this one foot in one foot out, and just jump in with both feet. I knew I would only figure out if it was a good thing if I actually gave it a shot. So I called him, told him we needed to talk, and then told him I wasn't going to be dating anybody else and just him.

Fast forward to August 2011. For my birthday, I flew out to Baltimore again to see this guy. He was so sweet, and took the whole day off with me to explore Washington DC. I love that city. He gave me more than a generous gift card for my birthday, and just made the day so much fun! He also told me that night that he was falling for me, which of course made me really happy.

We saw each other next over Labor Day weekend in September of 2011. He was back in Utah, so I flew up there to spend time with him. I had felt myself want to tell him I loved him a couple times over Skype, but I didn't want to be the first one to say it! I think we were driving from my parent's house in SLC to his house in Provo when we heard Colbie Caillet's song, "Falling for You" and I turned it up and just put my head on his shoulder and held him as close as possible. We both knew that we loved each other. 

At that time we had a habit of saying, "I like you!" and it started happening all the time. So Monday morning, we were just cuddling and I told him that I liked him. And then he told me he loved me. It startled me because I wasn't expecting it at that moment. But of course I said I loved him back. It felt good to finally be able to tell him because I knew I had been feeling it for a couple weeks!

The first time I knew I could marry him was when we were together, and it just hit me, that if it continued to be this good, then I would want to be with this guy for forever. We talked about getting married for the first time in Arizona. Jordan always had great timing and would start trying to talk about serious things AS I was falling asleep. I told him I had felt that I should move to California, so I was going to check and see if I still was supposed to do that. Our relationship kept being wonderful, and I still knew I really wanted to and felt like I needed to be in California. So I applied and got the job transfer to So Cal. Of course I told him I wanted him to come too, and that it was my DREAM to live by the Ocean.

So, the amazing man that he is, decided that I was worth it and moved out to California. To be with ME. I knew then that this guy was a keeper, but we both needed to see how it was to live by each other. 

After a few months of dating, and a few job offers for Jordan, we got engaged on May 18, 2012. :) And I am the happiest girl alive! More details to come about our proposal. 

26th Birthday: Baltimore and Washington DC with Jordan

For my birthday this year I went out to visit THIS guys below. :) He lives in Baltimore for the summer and I didn't want to do anything but see him since he lives so dang far away!He was super sweet and took the day off work to spend with me and we went to DC. With no air conditioner so we sweat the whole time!

We shopped at Georgetown - Love that area!

And went to Arlington National Cemetary.

And went to dinner and then had a photo shoot.

Despite the heat it was such a fun day! Thanks Jordan for making my day so special. Now if only I could see him more often...:)

St. Louis!

I am in the great state of Missouri and I can't believe I'm saying this but I am LoViNG it right now! We're in a really cute part of town and had dinner outside on the patio. It kind of reminds me of Paris!! It is amazing to be in a place where it actually cools down at night!

We have meetings tomorrow and Wednesday but I am going to make sure to get up and run around Forest park. I haven't run in months because it is always soooo hot. Gotta love Arizona in the summertime...:)

Another Funny Dating Story....and John Mayer

I hope you all can get a kick out of this! Because I sure did.

So on Sunday, this guy text me and was wanting to get together. He seems fairly impressive on paper, and I have only met him once, but after a bunch of texts Fri-Sun, Sunday night he asked me when we could get together. I told him I would have to check my schedule and get back to him.

To which he texts me:

"Alright I'm off to bed. Well let me know when I have to put up with ya."

PUT UP WITH ME?

Oh gosh.

So I didn't respond.

Then he text me on Wednesday to ask to me to play tennis with him, his buddy and his buddy's wife.

I couldn't, so I turned him down. I said, "I'd need a practice round on you first!"

and he said," Fair nuf. Well you say when, smokey."

Me: "Well how about Saturday?"

Him: "Night or day?"

Me: "Night" (I'm thinking we're talking about a real date, not just tennis.) Mind you this is a BIG deal for me to offer up a weekend night to a guy for a first date! Remember - he looks GREAT on paper.

Him: "You really think you deserve to monopolize my Saturday night?"

EXCUSE ME?? Oh. My. Gosh. What a jerk!

If there is one thing that is a COMPLETE turn off for me it is arrogance. I dated a guy who was arrogant before and I have ZERO tolerance for it!

So my response: "Wow. You know what? I'm good with us not going out ever..."

His response: "Hahahaha I'm playing!"

"I would be more than happy to have you monopolize my Saturday night, ma'am."

Well... I wasn't playing. And I was completely turned off. So I didn't respond.

What a dufus.

And then today, this song below popped up on my shuffle today, and it's kind of ironic!

It reminded me of the dufuses that I have been going on dates with. (There are a couple good ones, just maybe not the right one for me.)

AND I am sitting here at home thinking about how all I want to do is stay home! Nothing is going on and after a week of work, I'm kind of worthless on a Friday.

AND the first line of the song is "staying home alone on a Friday..." :)

As a single girl - I definitely relate to this song! I'm not super lonely, but I AM tired of being alone! I'm ready for love to hurry up and get here! :)

In 7 Days I Will be Here...

To be honest, I don't typically get excited to go home to UT. I am not quite sure why, but I have always been the type that when I move forward, I don't really like to move backward.

BUT. I LOOOVE Utah in the Summertime! There is NOTHING better! The mountains are green, the weather is warm, but cools down at night. (Not so here in AZ - 105' at 9 PM last night.)

Plus it's the 4th of July which is one of my favorite Holidays! We'll be spending that in Park City.

First Stop - MISSOURI. St. Louis and Kansas City for work, then straight on to SLC!

I think I'm going to need a Snoasis when I get there....:) Anyone remember those?!

The Happiest Place on Earth

Tuesday night I went to MY happiest place on earth, the temple.

There really is no other place where I feel so much peace, and God's love for me so strongly than the temple. Right when I walked in the hymn "Be Still My Soul" was playing and it really just hit me that I need to be still and trust in Him. He truly always has guided my life and loves me so much. He has answered my prayers about numerous things that have guided me to where I am now. From helping me know where I should go to school, blessing me with success with dance stuff and enabling my career so far, it has all been because of my Heavenly Father.

I am so incredibly grateful.

I am anxious for change in my life right now. 4 years in one place is a long time! And I am ready to move. But I have to be patient and trust that it will all happen in His time, which is the RIGHT time.

And so for now, I am working on enjoying each day and just being STILL.