Monday, December 6, 2010

The Beginning (Beware of this beastly long post. I promise they won't always be this long!)

I decided it would be a good idea to document our dating life, engaged life, and married life in a blog. I love blogging. I wanted to start it early (even though I won't publish or publicize this blog until after we are married.) so that all these memories will stay fresh in my mind.

High School Graduation 
Garren and I have been best friends for almost 6 years now. He has always made me laugh, listened to me cry, and been there when I needed him most. I never thought I would end up falling in love with my best friend, but nothing in this world could make me happier. Story time!

September 31, 2010
I was talking to Garren on G-Chat giving him a hard time because he had told Kendra that he would rather eat celery (which he HATES) than kiss me. Rude right? Well this conversation went crazy when he started making comments about marrying your best friend and wanting to talk to me. Basically I was confused at what he was trying to get at and he finally just invited me to watch conference at his house that Sunday.

October 3, 2010

Garren picked me up and we went to his house. He made me breakfast. It was the best omelet I have ever tasted. We watched conference and in between sessions we watched a few episodes of the Office. I was very confused this whole time. Was he going to tell me why he had been so weird a few days before? It didn't seem likely. Then the second session of conference started and he said, "Remember how I was going to talk to you about something today?" He then took about half an hour to try and tell me what that conversation had all been leading too. It was adorable to watch him try and spit it out. At one point he put a pillow between our faces to try and muster up the courage to tell me. I finally just said, "Garren its just me! We have been friends forever just tell me." Instead of telling me he likes me he said, "What if I like Larissa? I mean I like Larissa." I guess it was less scary to say my name than to say I like you? I didn't say anything. I just sat there and processed what he had said to me. He said something like this would be a good time for you to respond. Luckily for me my favorite apostle (I realize I probably shouldn't have a favorite... but I do. Its Bednar.) began his talk so I told Garren he was just going to have to wait till after his talk.

Finally I tried to talk to him but then ended up wanting to write it down. I am better at articulating myself that way. I told him that I have always cared for him and that it scared me but that of course I like him. Basically it was a ridiculous paper... one he refuses to throw away. However the results have been great. I am so glad he was brave enough to tell me he likes me.

October 8 - 10, 2010

On the "Y"
Garren came to Provo. I was so excited to see him and a little nervous as to how our first official date would go. What if it was awkward and our entire friendship was ruined over this?! So much pressure. However the moment  I was with him all that fear disappeared. It was a natural as love should be. We went and hiked the Y and I played battleship for the first time. (I destroyed him :p ) It never once felt awkward. I loved it when he held my hand and I loved how easily we could communicate with each other.

Disco Skating

The next day we went to the BYU football game. It was a blast! I met one of his mission companions and that night we went out to eat with a bunch of friends and then Classic Skating. I had gone classic skating with him before he left on his mission so that was fun. The night ended super awkwardly when well-meaning friends tried to give us "alone" time and I was tired and just wanted to go to bed. I had gone to work at six that morning. I was tired!

The next day was one of the best days of my entire year. We went to church and he met all my roommates (they adored him from the first moment they met him. Then after we went to the Temple. It was crawling with missionaries. We laid out a blanket and talked for hours. At one point a few missionaries came over and said, "Whoa Elder! You're way to close to her!" Then they realized he wasn't a missionary so they asked, "Are you guys married?" Nope. Awkward... They quickly walked away. We drove over to Kendra's, because I was going to eat dinner there and he had to get home. We went on a quick walk and he told me all the things he liked about me. It was so nice. Then right there in Kendra's parking lot he kissed me for the first time. It was the most perfect first kiss I have ever had. I remember later thinking whoa... I kissed Garren. Shouldn't that feel weird? But it didn't. Everything about being with him felt so right.

October 16, 2010

While on the phone Garren told me he loved me for the first time. It scared me. Mainly because I knew I loved him too and it felt all to insane... all to fast. I didn't say it back. Rude I know.

October 17-20, 2010

At Canyon Park
I came down for my mom's birthday, and to see Garren. That Saturday night I told Garren that I loved him. That I always had but now it had just grown from being the kind of love you have for a best friend to falling in love with him. Later that night he asked me if I would move to Cedar City. He has a scholarship at SUU and it wasn't really an option for him to move up north. To be completely honest the entire thing just freaked me out. What was I going to do? SUU doesn't even have my major. The summer before I had completely planned on transferring to SUU. I had no desire to go back to Provo. However my major and football convinced me otherwise. I told him I would think about it. For three weeks I didn't say anything to Garren about it. I thought long and hard, prayed, fasted, and looked at my options..... all the while falling more and more in love with Garren. I realized I needed to make a decision. In the end it was easy. I wanted to be with Garren and everything else found a way to work its self out. I know it is the right decision. I have never been happier than I am now that I have him in my life. Happiness truly is falling in love with your best friend.

On Monday the 20th Garren met me at canyon park and we read the scriptures together for the first time. Its been a daily tradition ever since :) By the time we get married we will have read the entire Book of Mormon together. I love it :) I love him.

Basically thats the beginning of Us and its only gotten better. If you made it through this entire sap feast of a post I applaud you. They will be shorter, and hopefully more entertaining/less mushy from now on :)