Sunday, October 26, 2008

Love Story Part 6

The end of January 1996 Bryan's Dad moved to California from Canada.
Bryan and he got an apartment together. Bryan's mother was due to move to California in April. In the mean time Bryan and his Dad were roommates. It was nice to hang out with Bryan in a nice clean apartment rather than the worn down house he was at.

Like I said, Valentine's Day was on its way. I was very excited. I was on the hunt for the perfect present to give to my sweetheart. I was having a hard time finding something I wanted to give him. I finally went to the mall and found this really cool shirt for him. I was so excited to finally find a gift.

Valentine's Day was a Wednesday and the church I was attending at the time had a Wednesday Night Service. We were going to go together and then out for a quick bite for the evening. I arrived early and found us a seat. Bryan showed up shortly afterwards. I was shocked when he walked in the door and I laid my eyes on him. I quickly got really sad, and then mad at myself that I could be so forgetful.

After the service was over we headed out to my car. I told him that I had gotten him a Valentine's Present, but that he would want to exchange it. Bryan said he would never return any of my gifts. I told him he really would want to return it. He opened the present and found the same shirt he was wearing in the box. It the moment that he had walked through the door for the service I saw the shirt and remembered why I liked the shirt so much when I bought it. I had seen him wearing it before on one of our dates.

Bryan laughed when he opened the gift, but was sweet about my attempt to get the perfect gift.

We continued to see each other, and then the week after Valentine's Day (Wednesday the 21st) I got a call from Bryan saying he would not be able to attend the Wednesday Night Service, and that he would call me later. I was bummed that I would not see him that night. After the service was over I headed over to my friend Anne's place and went up stairs to call Bryan. He sounded distant on the phone. I could tell something was wrong.

I asked him what was wrong but he said nothing. I then said, "You need to break up with me." His reply was, "Yes." He sounded so sad. I said, "It is because I am not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." He quietly said, "Yes." I can't remember what I said to him at that moment, but I know I was nice. I felt so sad, but at the same time I was proud of him standing up for his beliefs. He wanted to marry a Mormon Girl, and I was unfortunately not that girl. The fact that he was so strong in his beliefs, moral, decisions, what ever you want to call it, made me love him even more. But I knew I could not have him. I hung up the phone and headed down stairs. I wanted to head home. My friends were concerned about me. I told them that Bryan and I had just broken up. I told them, I wasn't angry but just really sad. I hoped that Bryan would find what he was looking for.

The next few days were a blur. I got up and went through the motions of going to work, and coming home and such, but I was dead inside. I worried about Bryan. I wanted him to be happy. I respected his decision, because I new it was not because he had really wanted to break up with me, but because he had made the decision in his life that he would marry in the church.

By Saturday of the same week, I came home to a note from my sister saying that Bryan had called and left me a message. He wanted me to give him a call back. I reluctantly made the phone call. Bryan wanted to know if he could come over and we could talk. I said sure. He showed up a while later, and we went out to his car. He was going to drive me to a restaurant to talk, but we never did make it out of the parking lot of the apartment complex.

Bryan quickly started telling me that he was sorry. That he didn't want to break up with me. That he wanted to get back together again. He said, "I can't stop thinking about you. I prayed to Heavenly Father and he clearly told me that I am suppose to be with you. I don't know why but I am." I told him that I was NOT going to join the LDS church. I told him that he needed to except me for me. I would support him and he needed to support me. We agreed.

We started seeing each other again. I hung out at his apartment but we took things slow.
I remember thinking..."I really love this guy. I can see myself being married to him. If he were to ask me to marry him I would in a heart beat." And I also, believed that he would not ask me to marry him until I was a member of the LDS church. I figured I could take my time to get to know more about the church's beliefs, and would take my time dating Bryan. Have fun.

Then on April 2nd my life changed. Bryan said he wanted to take me out to dinner after work. I told him that he didn't need to keep taking me out to dinner. It was expensive and we both really didn't have the money. But he was admit. He picked me up and drove us to a VERY FANCY restaurant. Equies.

We went inside and they had reservations for us. The waiter seated us and handed us the menus. I had no idea what I wanted to eat. The waiter kept walking by looking at us. I felt under dressed because the place was so nice. The food was served, and while we were talking Bryan popped the question! He handed me the small box he had hidden in his pocket. I was in shock! I opened the box and saw the most beautiful diamond ring. It was a solitaire. I pulled the ring out of the box and put it on my finger....the band was huge and it spun around. Bryan said, "Does this mean yes?" I said, "ah, yes, but I am not a member of the LDS church." Bryan's reply still rings in my ears..."It doesn't matter I am suppose to be with you." We hugged each other. The waiter came back around and gave Bryan the look like he was saying, "Did she say yes?" and then I think he did ask us if we were celebrating something special. Bryan told him that I had said yes. The waiter took our picture and gave us some champain glasses with apple cider to celebrate. I wish that I had that picture still. It was a Polaroid and it has not lasted.

The months afterwards, were spent planning the wedding. I was busy buying a dress, and ordering the cake, flowers, decorations, and food. Bryan and I continued to spend quite a bit of time together. I felt like we were already married by all the time we spent together. We did have some struggles with the planning of things. Not everything turned out the way I had pictured in my head on that special day. Our minister refused to marry us because we were of different religious backgrounds. He told us this a month before the wedding. I called my mother in a panic. She was able to find someone to help us out. The day of the wedding it was raining in the morning and it was very windy. We had planned to have it outside at the park gazebo in Lake County, but it was to cold and muddy. We moved it into the Community Center.

Despite all the disappointments with the plans and dreams I had about my wedding day, the most important thing was there, and exactly as I had ever hoped for, and that was Bryan standing down by the minister as I walked towards him. It was the best feeling to see him smiling at me as I walked towards him.

12 years ago today, I married my best friend. We have gone through a lot in the past 12 years. Good and Bad, but I would never change a thing.

I Love you Bryan!

5 jittering comments:

jennbecc said...

So sweet. I gave you guys a shout out on my blog. Hope you had a nice day and that you got to spend it together.

Andrea said...

Ahhhh...
So glad you didn't leave me hanging again.
Hope you have a great anniversary! And a great forever together.

Momzoo said...

very sweet....

question, what ever happened with the religion thing? Did you convert?

Becky said...

This brought tears to my eyes. Isn't it truly amazing how Heavenly Father knows what is best for us and how to direct our lives! You truly are meant to be together. I know some of the rest of the story . . .

Uberly Ewe said...

And to answer Aimee's question...yes, I did end of joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints. 2 years into our marriage. I will write a post about that very soon.

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