J & L - Decisions

* I am writing our love story, if you want to start and the beginning click here. At the very bottom of that post you can click on "newer post" and it will take you through our story in order.

I was feeling so much joy being with John but at the same time I had just turned in my notice at work! About two weeks later I was at work and he called me. He was at Kid swim where he worked and he asked if we could talk.My office had people in it so I went into Karla's office and shut the door. He said he had a knot in his throat and he needed to talk to me about something right now. He told me he didn't know how to bring it up but he just felt sick and had to talk to me about it. I told him okay and he blurted out, "I think we should talk about getting married." I was shocked. I mean don't get me wrong I knew there was something special about our relationship but it had only been about two weeks!

We talked for a long time on that call. Everyone could see me through the windows of the office and they were wondering what was going on but I was in another place. We both decided that we would start to pray about that decision. I remember coming out of the office and Karla asking what was going on and I told her and she was shocked - everyone at work was. No more than me, I assure you! I'm sure there were all sorts of talk in the break room about those crazy Mormon's who rush into marriage. I honestly would have said the same thing if I was looking in from the outside.

But I wasn't looking in from the outside, rather I was feeling something special on the inside. It felt like the next natural step, although it was pushed up a little bit by the fact that I was moving soon. My Dad gave me the best advice. "Have them bring your stuff down and just leave what you want up there. Then if things don't work out just pack up and drive home." And that's exactly what I did.

John and I left a little before Brian and his friend Sherry, who were driving the other car and we were planning on meeting up at a hotel in Northern CA. John was very concerned about the fact that Brian had only reserved one room with 2 double beds, he is a gentleman like that. Since there were going to be 4 of us he reluctantly agreed and Brian made those arrangements. Only problem was Brian and Sherry broke down and so after we had checked in they called and said they wouldn't be coming.

I still remember how stressed John was about how it would look for us to have spent the night in a hotel room all alone. His honor was one of the things that I loved about John the most. He valued his testimony and doing what was right even if no one else was looking. We laid in opposite beds talking into the early hours of morning.

We drove the whole way, even in hot CA, with no air conditioner holding hands. I remember that it was hot and uncomfortable to hold hands but we just couldn't let go. As we drove through Napa valley and all of the vineyards we took that time to talk about things like: how many kids we wanted, where we wanted to live, our hopes and dreams for our futures. We were trying cover all the things you usually find out while dating over a longer period of time - not that I realistically think you can cram it all in, but we were trying.

We had a wonderful trip to CA and stopped to visit my brother Brian, his wife Kate, and my little niece Ashlynn who was just a baby. I remember being amazed at how great John was with her. They took us to breakfast at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. We drove the rest of the way to Brea where John was able to meet my Parents.

We went back to Seattle both praying about what we should do and where our relationship should go. It didn't take long for me to get my answer. It came clearly:

It was my decision who I would marry. John was a very choice son of our Father in Heaven and our Father in Heaven was pleased with my decision.