Up until about 4 months ago, I would've punched the next person who told me this when it comes to dating. I was so sick of hearing all of this dating advice and this particular statement made me especially mad. I'm 24 years old, I'm an endowed woman with a desire to be a wife and a mother... How can I NOT expect this?!?! Well, 5 months later, I am shoving my foot in my mouth and saying IT. IS. TRUE.
Rewind to August-ish 2005: I met Jeremy Allan Back on the first day, first class of high school and we were immediately great friends. We have had the same group of friends since then and hung out all throughout high school, but we did not date at all! Well, he took me to prom and I think we went on a couple other dates, but that was it. After his mission, we kind of lost contact. We would hang out every once in a while if I was up in Sandy for the weekend or see each other at weddings, but that was about as much contact we had had for the last 3 years. Last summer, I was up in Sandy for the weekend for the first time in months and I just felt like hanging out with my high school guys, so I texted Jeremy for the first time in probably 2 years! We ended up at a BBQ that night and then continued to hang out just as friends for the rest of the summer.
Fast forward to this last December: I had planned a big work Christmas party that I needed a date for and I had asked probably 6 guys if they could go and no one could. Jeremy was the last person I asked (sorry babe!) and he said he could go. "Frozen," a drive through the Thanksgiving Point lights and that was about it. I think that was the first night I felt a glimmer of attraction to him and had the thought for .01 millisecond of maybe going out with him again.
Fast forward to February 15, 2014. I was grocery shopping in Smiths on a Saturday afternoon and wanted my Sandy guy friends to come down to Provo to hang out with me. I texted a few of them, including Jeremy, and it turns out that Jer was the only one who could hang out that night. I told him it would just be the 2 of us, but it would still be fun if he came down, so he did. He picked me up and took me to dinner and then we walked around downtown Provo and then went to Comedy Sportz. I remember thinking throughout the whole night "Wow. He has really grown up and I am so impressed with him. Was he really this hot in high school?? Is it weird that I think Jeremy Back is WAY hot?? Is it weird that I'm having so much fun with him and that this feels so easy? Am I thinking too much into this? Probably. Oh well. Keep flirting enough to get him to ask you out again." I walked in my apartment that night and thought all of these things again and right then, Jer texted me and said something like "Al, I had so much fun with you and really enjoyed our conversations! Can we do this again next weekend?" Little did I know that was my last first date. (Well, that's a lie. I did go on 2 more dates in between. Including one that ended about 5 minutes before I went on my second date with Jer. Haha.)
Fast forward 3 weeks later: Frosty's from Wendy's. Drive around Wasatch/ Sandy/ Draper area. Back to my house to watch Remember the Titans. Halfway through the movie, Jer turned to me and said "Allie... Have we been going on dates? Are we dating?" Me: "Ummmm, yeah!" Jer: "Ok, cool. :)" Do I remember much of the movie after that? NOPE. ;););)
Fast forward about 2 months later: I knew I loved him. We had gone up the canyon to star gaze in his truck then came back to his house to watch a movie. Naturally, I immediately fell asleep through the whole movie so he had to wake me up at the end. To spare you all the gushy details, hearing him say that he was in love with me for the first time was one of the craziest and coolest feelings. I thought I had been "in love," before, but it is nothing like this. It's a moment I'll never forget and want to preserve it forever!
Fast forward about 2 months after that: Lake Powell with the love of my life and 20 of our best friends was THE FUNNEST!!!! Powell is my #1 favorite place on earth, Jer is my #1 favorite person on earth, so put those two together and you have the happiest girl on earth! We had been talking seriously about marriage for 3-4 weeks at this point, but hadn't decided 100% yet that it's what was right and what we wanted. We had some sacred and very spiritual experiences in Powell that helped us "pull the trigger," on getting marriage. As if I didn't already love Powell enough, it is that much more special to us now, because that is where we both realized that we couldn't imagine spending eternity without each other.
Fast forward to July 4, 2014: We had the ring picked out for 3 weeks and I was getting ANTSY!!! I was 98% certain he had the ring and had talked to my dad and I knew he was just making me wait at this point. I thought he was waiting to do it on the 4th, so that whole day it's all I thought about! I was suspicious of everyone and everything that they were doing! We went to a BBQ with our friends and again, I was way suspicious. After that, we went to the Sandy City fireworks which happened to be at Jordan High School, which is where we met. :) (Awwwwwww! That's what you all thought, right?) From the second we got there, I started sweating... I kept checking his pockets for a ring box (I know, I'm terrible) and NOTHING! He started acting so weird that it threw me off and I was 100% sure it WASN'T happening that night. The fireworks started and then I felt his hands start to get super sweaty and shaky, but I still didn't think he was doing it!! He randomly said "Hey, I haven't taken you on a big special date in a while, can I take you out next weekend?" Imagine a person with the most suspicious face you've ever seen and that was my ONLY response to him. I was just getting progressively more & more angry at this point cause I wanted him to PUT THE DANG RING ON MY FINGER!!! He started saying really sweet things to me, but again, I didn't think anything of it. He is always saying sweet things to me, so it was nothing out of the norm. Plus, I was just so bugged at this point that I don't even remember what he said, ha! The fireworks had been going and then our friend Reagan randomly got up and said "Allie, let's take some pictures with fireworks in the background." I turned around and there he was.... Down on one knee... With a big, shiny, STUNNING diamond ring in his hand! I. Was. Shocked! Even though I was so confident that he was going to do it that night, I still was not prepared for him to ACTUALLY PROPOSE TO ME!! I remember the huge crowd of people that we were in started clapping and cheering and then I don't remember anything til about 10 minutes later! I just kept looking at him, looking at my finger, kissing him and saying "Is this real?! Did that really just happen?!" I had imagined this moment countless times throughout my life and it surpassed my wildest expectations!
Fast forward to October 14, 2014: This day isn't here yet, but I already know that it will trump all of them! I just know that kneeling across the altar in the Draper Temple from Jeremy will be Heavenly. I can't imagine feeling closer to Heaven then when we are sealed together forever in the Lord's house and we can start our journey together as Mr. and Mrs. Back! :)
I have imagined what falling in love and being engaged would feel like, and it's so much better than what I pictured. Jeremy is perfect for me in every way. He is everything and more I've been hoping and praying for in a husband for 24 years and I don't even feel deserving of a man like him. My heart is exploding with love for my Jer Bear and I can't wait to spend eternity with him!
#PDA
#sorrynotsorry
Xoxo,
Alliecat
