It all started with us both graduating college and deciding where to live. It was a big decision for both of us and I’m not sure we would have found each other if we had made a different decision.

I finished my classes at Southern Utah University in December of 1999. I had talked to one of the Special Education professors for advice before I filled out my student teaching application. I told him I wanted to student teach where the jobs were. I felt like I had 3 choices – Las Vegas where teachers were in demand and I could live with my aunt and uncle while having a job and paying rent, stay in Cedar City while keeping my telemarketing job and continuing to pay rent, or move back home to the Granite School District that was saturated with teachers but since I was technically still a student my mom wouldn’t make me pay rent. The advice I was given was to go where I felt most comfortable or I would never do well enough to be hired. I moved back home to save money and avoid the need for a job on top of my full time student teaching job.

I started student teaching in January and finished in June. 10 weeks of Special Education and 10 weeks of Regular Education. For most of my teenage years I bragged that I didn’t want to get married. A seminary teacher wisely guessed my bad attitude was because I hadn’t seen many great examples of marriage in my life. I really wanted to find someone to fall in love with but I wasn’t sure where I was going to find Mr. Right since I had left the college scene to spend my days with middle aged women, most of whom were divorced! My brother would tease me by saying he thought I would marry a dad of one of my Special Ed students. Hmm . . . a guy old enough to have a school aged child? I don’t think so!

In the middle of all this Heath was graduating from The University of Washington. A few years earlier he had visited Utah for a friend’s wedding. My grandparents were at the reception and after hearing his plans to move back to Utah, they offered to let him stay with them. That might sound weird until you know that Heath grew up in Utah. He grew up in my grandparent’s ward one street away from them. Heath’s dad got a job in the Seattle area so they moved when Heath was 15. My parents got divorced about 2 years later when I was 15 and we moved in with my grandparents. My mom bought a house in the same neighborhood. So Heath and I know the same people but we never lived in the ward at the same time!

Heath had the choice of staying with my grandparents or with his aunt and uncle in Provo. His uncle was a BYU professor. Move to Utah to find a wife? BYU is your store! But my grandparents lived close to Franklin Covey Headquarters. Heath was hoping to work in a different department there since he had worked retail for them for several years. So he chose to stay with my grandparents. Which is how we met.

When I first saw Heath I thought he was stuck up, full of himself, and Peter Priesthood personified. I don’t know why. First impression based on looks alone. I don’t remember where he had come from since he was all dressed up. I think it was his white shirt and tie that made me think what I did. He was taller than me which I thought was great. Apparently they grow guys short in Southern Utah! I’m not that tall and I was taller than most guys. He thought I was cute enough but was pacing himself.

Our first date was after I had my hair cut. My hair had been between the middle of my back and waist for over 10 years. It was permed and severely damaged but in the 90′s that was the style so I thought I looked good! But I wanted a new look to go with my new job. (I was hired after my last student teaching experience in a 6th grade classroom.) My sister talked me into going to show my new haircut to my grandparents but really to see if Heath was there!

He was there and agreed to come with me to show my mom at her work. She was properly excited and shocked with my transformation. Then she asked what we were going to do. I don’t think it ever crossed my mind that I had just asked him out! My mom suggested we see a movie and get some dinner. So we did. When I dropped Heath off at my grandparent’s house I felt like it was a fun evening but a total waste of my time since I didn’t think Heath was interested in me based on the way he talked at dinner. According to my Grandpa, Heath couldn’t wipe the smile off his face!

The next day was the 4th of July. Heath had no choice but to join in our family traditions. It ended up being a fun and flirtatious day. The next day Heath came over to see me. I was on cloud 9! We have seen each other every day since, with the exception of business trips.

Some people may argue that we moved too fast but we believe that when you know something is right you go for it. We had been “dating” for 2 weeks before we started hypothetically talking about marriage and kids. True story. We were engaged 2 weeks later on August 7, 2000. I was super nervous about getting engaged. I knew it would happen soon but I didn’t know when. I think I was nervous because things were happening so fast. There was no reason not to but I had been raised with unhappily married parents. My mom was always saying we needed to date for at least a year before getting engaged. But life never happens how you plan it.

Heath went to the hospital where my mom worked to ask her for my hand in marriage. My mom was shrieking she was so excited! Heath surprised me. We went to Murray Park, our favorite park, to have a picnic dinner. We did that a lot so I had no idea what was about to happen. Heath told me he was interviewing with the Shane Company. I had picked out a ring that I loved from there but Heath was interviewing with a lot of companies so I didn’t think anything of it. I was so clueless I even changed out of my work clothes (I was teaching at a year round school) and into an outfit that wasn’t my best. Heath picked me up and we went to the park. We walked around after eating and stopped at a bench that we sat at a lot. Suddenly he was down on one knee saying my full name asking me if I would marry him. Then he slipped the ring on my finger. I stared at the ring for a good 30 seconds before I finally realized I better answer! Of course I said yes. No tears though. No tears when we got married either. Heath teases me about that. The tears came after babies, not when they were born but I cry very easily now!

We were married 6 months later. I know that’s weird by Utah standards but we were also old by Utah standards. I had just turned 23 and Heath was 25. We timed it the way we did because like I’ve said before, I don’t multitask well. I met Heath’s family the first time I went off track right after we were engaged, we planned the wedding the second time I went off track and were married the third time I went off track. I don’t regret it. Maybe we both regret having our anniversary so close to Valentine’s Day but I hate holidays so it’s easy not to celebrate that one. The problem is roses are too expensive and everyone is going out for Valentine’s Day. Oh well. We love each other and that’s all that matters. We weren’t sure if we would ever get through our first year and now it’s been 8 years. Here’s to an eternity together.