eight years, no itching

Today is mine and Neal's eighth anniversary. So I'm going to be cheesy and tell my blog how we met. My blog absolutely loves to hear stories, especially romantic ones. If you don't, feel free to move on. I'm not offended. This might get sappy. ;)

Back in the fall of 1997, I was a junior at BYU. And I had a boyfriend I didn't like. He was only my second real boyfriend, and it just wasn't working for me, so, I broke up with him. At the Orem Public Library. I don't know why. Reliving that moment is not fun. Anyhoo, turned out it was just in time.

At the "Fall Fling" (the BYU's first on-campus social event of the year), I ran into a friend of my brother's named Keith. He had been in Paris as a missionary with my brother, Elliott, and we met him when we went to France to pick Elliott up. I used to see Keith around and he's a really fun guy, so I stopped to chat with him on my walk home from campus. I was alone, having just left the company of my sister (who had, coincidentally, just officially met Mike, the man of her dreams).

Keith and I chatted for a moment, his roommates standing behind him a bit in the shadows. I think Keith introduced me to them, Neal and Everton, this weird Brazilian dude. A week or two later, my super-cool other older brother, Matt(hew) and his roommate, Jeff, decided to throw a party on their block. (Those older brothers with cute friends certainly came in handy in those days.) Jeff was a novice DJ and the party was supposed to be big! I went with my roommates and we had a great time, when whaddya know, Keith and his roommates showed up! Keith asked if Elliott was around, he hadn't seen him in a while, and I said, "No, he's back at my apartment with Ginger" (his then-fiancee and my short-term roommate). I walked back to my condo with Keith, Neal and Everton. We hung out there, chatting with Elliott and Ginger, me admiring Neal's shoes and serving drinks, and having a good time.

Later that week, I was in my room taking an at-home English exam on my computer when Neal called. I had to time myself, so I couldn't take the call (you know, Honor Code, etc.). Ginger told Neal to call back later, and then gave me the message. When he called back, he was afraid I didn't remember who he was. I said, "Of course I do! I don't know anyone else named Neal, and I remember your cool shoes."

Our first date was a double date to the Utah Symphony and out to eat at Baci, a yummy Italian place in Salt Lake City. Yes, a real date. To this day, my mom swears that all boys at BYU ought to take lessons from Neal on how to take a girl out. I remember a few things from that first date. I remember what I was wearing (of course), I remember walking out to Neal's green Explorer and seeing the Texas plates and saying, "You're from Texas? Huh." Didn't know anyone from there. :) I remember thinking, "Wow, molecular biology? I can't even really say that let alone major in it! He must be brilliant!" (he is) Meanwhile, Neal was thinking, "Oh great, an apostate English major." (That's the reputation English majors had back in the 90s.) While we were waiting for the symphony to start, Neal's roommate, Jeron, who was the double in the date, showed me Neal's BYU ID, where it said that his first name was really Walter. He thought that was so funny. I remember Neal and Jeron walking out to get a drink or something during the intermission, and as I watched them leave the theater, Neal almost tripped on the slanted floor. That was funny. :)

We went on several more dates, most of them involving going out to dinner, mostly at DeMae on Center Street (where I proceeded to spill an entire glass of water on more than one occasion). We dated and had a great time together for several months. I remember when he called me on Christmas day, when we lived in Villa Park, (CA), and I talked to him on the upstairs phone, while sitting on the floor, and I was SO excited that he was thinking of me, because I missed him terribly. In May, I went to study abroad in London, where I became quite certain that I wanted to marry him. We spoke semi-often on the phone while I was away; I would steal away at night to the big red phone booth down the road on Palace Court. The one phone in the BYU London center was always busy. We actually wrote a few real letters to each other (man, that was a long time ago), and exchanged email, too.

When I came home, it was the last day of finals for Spring Term. My mom was staying at Sundance, and drove me down to my condo to wait for Neal to finish his exam. My mom still tells me that she has never seen anyone so giddy or talkative or excited to see someone as I was that day. I sat in, yes, in, my kitchen sink, so I could see the sidewalk out the window, waiting for him to walk by. And there he was; he had bleached his hair and looked extremely cute. I ran out and we greeted each other right there on the sidewalk on 7th East.

In August, we went to Texas to visit his parents, and took a side trip with his mom to Louisiana, the state from which Neal originally hails. He showed me his childhood home, I met his old "black mama," Myrtle, we saw amazing plantations and the beautiful sites of that incredibly unusual state. And Neal bought a diamond.

We were engaged on August 15th, on the second-floor porch swing, at his parents' house in Tyler, Texas. It was a moment I'll never ever forget. I'll spare you the details, but it was quite dark, and so I couldn't see my ring until we went in the house a while later. I was shocked at the beauty of the ring he gave me. I still love it and am so proud of his choice.

We were married in Los Angeles on November 21, 1998. A very happy day that was. We stopped at the In N Out drive-thru in our wedding clothes on the way to our reception in Costa Mesa. The next day, Neal surprised me with our honeymoon to Grand Cayman. All I knew was that we were going to a beach. Grand Cayman was absolutely perfect and dream-like, even when we got ourselves locked out of our hotel room.

Here we are in the ocean in Grand Cayman.

Us at the Sphinx! I can't believe we've stood there.

Again, in Egypt. What a trip! Thanks again to the P* parents. Memories to last a lifetime!

In Greece

Since then, we have had many fun adventures. We've moved across the country a couple of times, been taken around the world with my family, been through dental school and then some, we've had three deliciously perfect children, and have grown to love each other much, much more. We've seen each other in pretty bad circumstances, and have come through it all for the better.

I love my man. Marrying him was the absolute best thing I have ever done. Our life has been incredible so far, and I can't wait for the rest of it. All forever of it-- it's going to be great.

I love you, Baby!

The Fams

In Maui, 2004