A Love That Teaches

My mom and sister came to visit this weekend and we had so much fun.  I cannot be thankful enough for having a husband who loves my family so easily.  The day he met my parents, Tori, or Isaac was the day he proposed to me, and since then, I have never once had to sneak a listen on a conversation or ask my sister if she likes him.  Tori and Chase (Brian's brother) will be joining us in Rexburg in September and we are beyond excited.  Brian is convinced that their favorite place to hang out on the weekends will be with this old, married couple (us).  So we'll see how that goes.
A lot of things have really come together for me in the last few days.  From the Supreme Court madness to marital phases to swim teams.  And I realized the thing I'm supposed to learn from all of this (if not all of life).  Above anything in the world, we need to be Christ-like.  Anything can be solved using basic characteristics of love, patience, and forgiveness.
Supreme Court:  All I have to say is that we need to love all people.  We live in a world where everyone has their own agency to choose what they will do according to the knowledge they have.  My knowledge helps me to know that marriage, ordained of God, is something that we will be able to enjoy in the next life and this will bring us more happiness than we could ever imagine.  The people who don't understand this need love, knowledge, and support to make the choices that will make them eternally happy.  I don't think this should be an issue brought to the government because it is such a personal decision.  I just wish that everyone would be more open-minded about helping others become happy forever, not bringing them down temporarily.  My religion has a strong opinion similar to mine on this, which many people misconstrue.
Marital Phases: Marriage has taught me oh, so much.  However, the thing I appreciate the most right now is how important love is above everything.  It's important that we work out problems.  But, when these problems come up at 1:00 am when both people just want to sleep, nothing good is going to come of that and we must have the patience to put that off.  Most often, this process teaches how little of a problem it actually is.  I find so many people impatiently awaiting perfection, when having patience with imperfection teaches you so much more.
Swim Teams: My husband has been the coach of a swim team here on campus this semester.  This last week, they have had many ethical decisions arise about the championship meet.  All I can say is, I'm so proud of my husband for making the difficult, but right choice in his races.  He was able to teach his team that there are things more important than winning in life.  I love that man and the integrity he has to stand up for absolutely anyone to absolutely anyone.

I am so lucky to have Brian, who I can discuss any of these issues with and we both think so differently that we can learn a lot from each other, but so similarly that it doesn't end in an argument every time.

I'm That Girl

Well, I walk away for a second and I've been married for seven months instead of seven weeks.  Life moves so fast sometimes, it's scary!  The past few months have been great for us.  We found the perfect little apartment where we'l stay until we leave Rexburg, we got a new little addition to our family, and we both have amazing new jobs (as for the addition, his name is Toby and he's a dog and the only addition we plan for a bit).
I haven't been regularly blogging for a little over a year now (see my Disney Adventure Blog Here) and I really miss it!  Brian knows how much and has been trying to get me to get back into the swing of things, and I think he finally convinced me.
For my whole life, and I think every little girl is the same way, I always listened to those love songs and longed for the day when someone would feel that way about me.  I've tried tricking myself into feeling that way, but I finally had the feeling of subject-of-the-song-importance yesterday for the first time.  Brian got Justin Timberlake's new album and we were having a listening party as we cleaned the house.  At one point, we were sitting in the living room and this song came on. It's called That Girl.  And Brian loved it.  And I loved it.  And Brian raved about it.  And all I could do was smile.  Because Brian makes me feel that special and important.  And I love it.

The Things Marriage Teaches You...

... at least after the first 7 weeks of being married.
1. You become musically old and outdated really fast.  I haven't been on iTunes once, I listen to one Pandora station at work every day, and I haven't listened to my iPod.  In fact, I haven't seem my iPod or ear buds since the big day.  I've heard several song references that I've actually had to look up or ask my husband about.
2. It's not about you anymore.  But, seriously.  I know everyone says that, but it's impossible to understand until you actually get married.  I was used to deciding what to do with my money, what I got from the grocery store, and what I did every day on my own without speaking to anyone about it.  Now, all of those things and so many more must be discussed with, and I believe sometimes based on, the other person in your life.  It's the most difficult adjustment to get used to, but it is absolutely the most rewarding to have one person in your life that you want to be (and can greatly help to be) happy every single day.
3. It's not all up to you anymore.  Being selfless also comes with being a team.  I now am able to see it as a wonderful thing that I don't have to decide what to do with our money alone, I have someone else to buy and make food for, and I can make plans with my best friend any day I want!  And coming home from work to a freshly-cleaned home, clean dishes, and no dirty laundry is quite nice once in a while.
4. Every baby commercial makes you stop whatever you're doing and smile like an idiot.  Even more than before you were married.  And then hear, "Don't get any ideas..." from your husband in the other room.
5. It's easier to gain weight.  I don't know whether it's the homemade food so often, business of a day that doesn't allow time for the gym, or subconscious knowledge that you're husband is stuck with you, but marriage has something about it that allowed me to easily justify many things I wouldn't do before.  However, I'm working hard to disprove the stereotype that every newlywed women cuts her hair and gains weight within the first year.

The Engagement Party

Alright, well this is my first real down time since the proposal!  Since Brian popped the question in the middle of the semester, I was stressed out with wedding plans and keeping grades up for another month and a half.  From there, we came back to my home in California for a few days, flew to Texas for the wonderful party, Brian and I parted ways for the first time last Wednesday when I flew home to California, I went straight to a family reunion, and now I'm home until the wedding!  Life is crazy!
I could write for days and days about everything we've been up to, but in order to avoid that level of boredom, let's just keep this to the Engagement Party in Atascocita, TX.
The party was help on Saturday, July 28th and it was wonderful.  First of all, there were so many people who helped in so many ways that we could never thank them all, but we feel so blessed and honored to have such selfless and talented people in our lives!  Brian's mom took charge of the whole thing and did a spectacular job.
My family had flown to Texas with me for the party, so they spent Friday night and all day Saturday setting up everything along with several angelic volunteers.  Because heavens knows Chase, Tori, and Isaac snuck away every second they could to watch the Olympics.  Brian and I weren't allowed to see or know much at all before the event, so we got to relax and run errands for everyone; something I always enjoy, but that Texas heat made it for a sticky adventure.
The night was one to remember.  There was an unexpected Disney theme (the topic that took over the first conversation that Brian and I ever had and something that is, and will always be a huge part of our life together), delicious food, talented entertainment, and, most importantly, amazing people.
To everyone that came, everyone that helped with any small part of the night, and everyone that has helped Brian to become the person that he is today, thank you!  I feel so welcome to this new Texas family and so blessed to know so many more awesome people.
Enjoy a few pictures from the night!

The dessert table featuring the beautiful cake made by our moms (and it was very tasty)

Mine and Brian's cute little table

Our families lined up

He always knows where the camera is...

Brian's beautiful grandmother

Aunt Rosa and Uncle Mo

Their voices gave me chills!

Us and dad

The daddy-daughter dance where we tried to keep each other from crying the entire time...

... but they cried

Bibi and Brian dancing

Tori, Isaac, and I

All of Brian's family that was there.  It was so great!  I almost fit right in, if I do say so myself...

The Night We Met: Brian's Version

My version of our story is very much the more accurate account of what happened in the beautiful love story of Mad & I. I was about to start my second semester of my first year at Brigham Young University in Rexburg, Idaho. I was very much focused on just doing my own thing this semester, I felt like if I just concentrated on my schooling and did not worry about girls or dating, my Father in Heaven would place in my path my eternal companion. I had just moved into a new apartment with a group of guys that seemed very chill and down to earth. I quickly became friends with them and we soon hung out every night together before our new school semester started.  One night after coming back from an eventful night shopping at Wal-Mart with some of my roommates and a couple of their girl friends, we went back to some other girl's apartments that lived at Southgate. When I walked in and greeted everyone that was there I was quickly drawn to this breathtaking, goddess of a girl who was wearing a green flannel shirt with black jeans and brown boots. She had big, curly, black hair and I thought to myself, "She is gorgeous, but that hair makes her look like Scar's sister from the Lion King". I chuckled to myself and sat down on the chair and tried my best not to look too terribly interested  for fear of her thinking that I was some weird, overly obsessed, guy. I introduced myself and she told me her name was Maddi from California but that she had just come off an internship were she worked at Disney in Florida as a custodial worker. From the get go, Maddi looked as if she was the kind of girl who knew exactly what she wanted and knew exactly how she was going to get it. I felt very inadequate and way out of her league but none the less, I still had the ambition to go for her. We talked for a while and then one of our mutual friends decided to announce that he wanted to go bowling which to Maddi's delight was right up her alley of things that she wanted to do. Due to a lack of money, I went back to my apartment feeling down on myself for not trying harder to make a lasting impression on her. I thought I would not get another chance, but to my surprise I got invited over to another one of my friends apartment where Maddi had just returned from her little bowling escapade. There I laid and watched a movie where I was able to text my friend who was there and who knew both Maddi and I and tell him how much I thought Maddi was attractive and how I wanted to get to know her better. There began the "start of something new" for me. The start of a relationship that would develop into a love that would define and be the foundation of a beautiful and eternal partnership between two people. 

The Night We Met: Maddi's Version

It all started on Saturday, April 14th.  It was the day before my half-birthday and the day before, I had made the 12-hour drive from Folsom to Rexburg for my Spring Semester of school.  I hadn't been at school for about nine months and I was extremely excited to be back.  I wanted to jump right into the schoolwork, the socializing, and the stress.  Classes didn't start until Tuesday and none of my roommates had arrived yet so I decided to make it a spontaneous Saturday night.  I texted one of my good friends who was up here already and an hour later, I was sitting in an apartment with nine other people, only knowing him, and we were having a casual conversation when four more people rush through the door.  The first one in was this loud, sweatpants-wearing, hyper, outgoing guy named Brian.  My first impression was that this kid needs some deep breaths.  He walked in telling this elaborate story of accidentally leaving a friend at Wal-Mart and driving over curbs which took ten minutes longer than it should have because he couldn't stop laughing and he would repeat every funny moment of the story at least three times.  It got a little bit annoying but I was thoroughly entertained.  I'm pretty sure by the look on me face, I looked like I thought he was crazy.  And I did.

After that story, he introduced himself and we started talking about my internship in Walt Disney World last fall.  He was (or seemed to be) immensely interested (in the story) and for the rest of the night he continued making comments about how he thought I was so much older than 19 (and a half) and I held in comments about how I thought he was so much younger than 22.  At the end of our evening, I was driving away and got a phone call from a energetic Brian telling me to turn around and come back to his apartment.  I did and he handed me three huge Hershey's bars and three packages of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for my half-birthday.  I had mentioned that they were my favorite hours earlier.  One point for Brian.