"Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured" -Pres. Hinckley

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Our Story

I guess it's that time to update my blog on my exciting news:

I'm ENGAGED!!! to Shey Carl Grossen

I know what everyone is thinking. I've been single for awhile, how could I be getting married so quickly? The second to last post I put up even mentioned how "burnt out" from dating I was.

So here's the story:

I met this boy back when I was 15. One of my best friends (Alexi) wanted me to meet him so we brought him a frosty. I still didn't have my license, so while she drove to his house I sat in the passenger seat eating half this stranger's frosty.

I met him through the window, and instantly had the biggest crush. I remember thinking he had a killer smile.

Wouldn't you agree?:




It was only a matter of days when we started to hang out. He was my first date, first kiss, first love, first heartbreak, first everything.

We dated off and on throughout high school, and I always knew there was something special about this boy. He knew how to make me feel alive in a way no one else could! We have a connection that I can't really explain. I just know exactly what he's saying just by making eye contact in a room full of people or if it's just me and him.

We always have such a good time when we're together. I remember one time we went to a concert for a date and he opened up his sunroof and grabbed my arm and yelled to the world that he loved "this girl". He always has such "smooth" lines. (huh shey?)

I'm going to fast forward a little bit.

After high school, we both grew apart. I moved up to college and he went on an LDS mission. I think this was the point though for me, where that "young love" turned into a deeper kind of love that not a whole lot of people knew about. I missed and thought of him every single day and kept a journal of the feelings I had to hold in for him. He was serving honorably and I was trying to figure out my life. I dated other people but had him in the back of my head.

By the time he came back, I was dating someone else who wanted to move on to marriage pretty quickly. It was a little bit of a sticky situation, and I may have referred to Shey as a "toad" in one of my posts in 2010 because I was hurt...but I think in reality I was the tadpole that still had to grow up a bit!

We both hurt each other quite a bit, and walked away.

He dated someone and I dated someone else for the next year and a half. I moved to Africa for the summer, and he was been busy with school, work, teaching at EFY, and doing triathlons. We didn't have too much contact during that time, nor did we think we ever would.

Little did we know a few years later we would run into each other at my cousin's farewell in Shey's home ward. I remember telling my sister that I really wanted to find him and say hi! (I secretly missed him maybe a tiny bit) So, that's what we did, made a little small talk, flashed him a pretty smile and left. It was the first time where I felt that connection again.

He texted me a: "Hey it was good to see you at church today"

which lead to: "Let's get dinner sometime"

which lead to: "Let's go out on a date"

I almost had sent him a text saying that I couldn't go. I was dating other people and didn't wanta bring him into the mess of dating my life was, but I still decided to go.

(mind you, we hadn't been on an actual date in about 5 years!)

He picked me up and first thing he says is "It's been a few years, I've missed a lot of birthdays and holidays...so tonight is a night of celebration!" So he took me out for a "birthday" dinner. It was cute. He told the waitress it was my birthday so I could get dessert. And then said "We're also celebrating
Chinese New Year" and he pulled up to the top of the mountain where we lit off a sky lantern. We got back in the car and he had made a playlist of all these songs that reminded him of me. That night he got me. I remember watching Little Rascals at his house with his little brother and thinking: I could walk away from everything in my life, just to be with him. I felt alive again.

To make a long story short, things jumped right back to where we left off. I remember blogging about some rougher times of life and trying to stay positive even in times when I wanted to give up. But I now can look back and see why I had to go through all that. And I couldn't be more grateful! Heavenly Father never gave up on this girl. I'm grateful I went through that so that I could be able to understand the peace and happiness I feel when it IS right. I can't even explain it.

So in other words, it's taken about 8 years...but I'm getting married to my first and only love of my life! I've never been so happy in my entire life and I can't wait to get to be with him forever. He is the biggest blessing I could ever ask for. My mom taught me that true love is about forgiving each other and loving unconditionally. I don't think any relationship is perfect, but I feel like Shey is one of the most forgiving people I've ever met and loves me unconditionally.

The other day when he proposed,(which I will blog about as well) it was in front of a group of people in a hot air balloon on top of the world. I felt like he was shouting to the world that he loved "this girl". Can't wait to be married to that boy already.

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