I love the love story- with humor!

Senior Photo Circa '07

So... confession time. Shoot, it's not really a confession, since I have not lied to you before. But still, let's have a real talk. Before the rings and white dress and before all of our family and friends, the Big Love and I said our vows, I dated. A lot. Like not in a bad way, but I LOVED dating.

{Better grab some popcorn, as this is quite the long love story}

High School was SO much fun with great friends!

I grew up in a wonderful valley. It's small and filled with the best people. Yes, I am 100% bias but I'm okay with that. Within this valley is a large population of LDS people. For those that are not familiar with the Latter-Day Saint religion there are standards that are set within the religion to help youth navigate the fun and exciting world of dating. One of the standards set is that youth will not engage in dating until they are 16 years of age. I had a really strong group of friends when I was in school that all followed the same ideas of waiting until you were 16 to date, so it wasn't really an issue before that age for me.
Once I turned 16, the dating game was on like donkey kong in my eyes. I had waited for the appropriate age and by that point my confidence in myself and the various organizations I had become involved with introduced me to plenty of young suiters. I am here today to put some humor in dating and hopefully make you feel better about some of the winners you dated in your past! Or shoot, maybe dating today. Who knows but either way, I need something funny to write to avoid homework (college classes started back up today). Yuck!

Who needed confidence? #peacesign 😁😂😏

I work best when I am organized and can work chronologically through the past when I start thinking about past sweethearts- note I will not share exact names on this blog because I am still very good friends with the majority of them and have hung out with and even introduced them to their now spouses 😂 So let's start at the beginning of my love awkwardness that was quite the adventure and I hope you get a laugh out of these winners I dated before I married my best friend.
Age 16- Oh the Sweet Sixteen year
This was my first official year of being able to date. 😍😎😏

I started my year off with attending a conference in Northern Nevada for one of the organizations I was involved in. I was with my mother and other friends from the same valley. This was my first exposure to the flat-hat phenomena that would consume many of my dating years. I met a skinny buckaroo and almost his entire family at this conference who was also there to learn about the judicial system in our great state. Who would've known that my first boyfriend I would have met his mother and sister and brothers all at the same time. Talk about a family affair! Once returning home from this conference this suitor and I talked almost everyday. I thought for sure- I had found my buckaroo boyfriend! Even if it really was just a flat-hat flirtation opportunity! Soon enough, this buckaroo and I were chatting on the phone everyday and one evening he put his trusty cousin on the phone. Well, his curious cousin soon too started chatting on the phone with me. Boy was I scandalous! Not only was I talking to two boys, my goodness I was talking to cousins! Almost every night.  Well the shifty cousin made his move first and asked me to be his official girlfriend and how could a girl resist? I mean come on. This was the world before camera phones so this heart throb sent me pictures of him and his dog and horses at his family's ranch to me in the mail. I mean come on, who could resist! 😂 If I could go back, I would smack my 16 year old self and tell me to realize that a rhinestone cowboy (no matter how much I liked his dog and horses) would not be my honey for long. Insert Chris Ledoux song about what you will do with a cowboy  This chap came to visit me during the summer, twice. The first time he came down with some friends and stayed in my parent's camp trailer. Man, can we be more romantic at that age?... After we spent a few days of getting to know each other and him wrecking my parents four wheeler, he went back home to his ranch. I think my parents were very relieved and ticked about their four wheeler! I assured them I would pay for the damage, I mean it was my true love that did this to their quad. The lovely lasso-ing buckaroo didn't even offer to help pay for it. What a winner. He came down to visit one more time that summer, but this time we met in Las Vegas with his family and mine. Wahoo, we really know how to be romantic... And walked the strip. As 16 year old kids, there isn't much that we could do but by golly, we were together and that's all I needed. Good grief! Luckily, the love soon dwindled and I was a single gal once again ready to make my move! HA! But really, we broke up shortly after his family vacation in the big city and my summer romance was quickly over with.
LOVE at the County Fair....
The following spring was our county fair. And again, I think Chris LeDoux has another love song that of course 16 year old (I think I had just turned 17) knew was written in the stars for me! (Eye Roll Hard here). This particular year at the county fair, I met another winner whiner . This chap was a farm boy who definitely knew how to take me to the MOOOvies. Okay phew, that was terrible! But really, this kid was interesting and way too friendly to my parents. But in that way too friendly, you've got to be joking me way. I am not looking forward to these type of boys to come around when our littlest love gets to the dating age. This young man drove a white chevy which of course was the nicest truck that any of the other guys that I went on dates with drove. I mean come on, what other kind of chariot would a girl want??! I'm laughing while I write this. This guy and I dated a couple of months where he would travel down from a rural town in Utah to come visit. He was friends with the group of friends I had, so it had to be fate, right? Well, after a few months I we decided that we were better off friends. He then started dating other girls in our group of friends, he must've been super heartbroken. 😉😂 He came back around another time in my teenage years but luckily it never went to full on "Myspace Official" dating again. I think we went to my Junior Prom while we were officially dating the first time? I don't remember the dance much except that we went to a friends house (that we bought the house after they moved, small world) for ice cream. The ice cream was good! HA priorities? It's a wonder we didn't last forever...
After the farm boy, I found love with another cowboy. I knew this one had to be "The One" since we had been friends for a long time through my FFA days. It just had to be. He was older and worked, a real job! One of our first official "dates" he brought my first pair of pink boots. How romantic! On a side note, I really did love those boots. They were extremely comfortable so hey good job cowboy! He also bought me a really nice pocket knife. How romantic! We went to some fun small-town rodeos together, hung out quite a bit, got in trouble with my folks, etc. After a few months, he broke up with me. Through text message. What a jerkface. Have I mentioned I picked some winners? I was heart broken but good thing for great friends who made sure we forgot all about him and made terrible jokes at his expense, for years. He came back around a few different times but strictly as friends. We would laugh at our fun times while dating and then {quickly} move on! I find it interesting that as I write this I have my Apple Music on shuffle and Mama Mia comes on. Definitely not a sign for this cold hearted cowboy! He did go on and marry a wonderful woman and has beautiful children. I am very thankful for her friendship!

Our FFA State officer team. These are some of the BEST people!

Working down my list that took me a while to write down and remember yester-year boyfriends, now I moved to Reno for college. I was a state officer for FFA and between school and working full-time, I still had time to find love in the biggest little city. Let's refer this one as Emo Boy. It's not calling him in particular emotional because that is definitely not a bad thing but he did listen to "Emo" music and for me, I just knew that opposites attract? Right? We started talking the summer after my senior year of high school before I went to college and met through a friend who just knew that this guy was my destiny. (Side note, if I ever saw this "friend" again I'd smack him). The Emo Boy was from Wyoming and a chef. Who liked to eat better than me? Uhhh the answer will always be No ONE. So of course, fate right? We talked every day and he we knew it had to be love and decided to move to Reno the same time I was moving, so we could be together forever and he could cook for me forever. How could a girl say no? Especially when moving to a city 8 hours away with knowing very few people. Of course! Move to Reno and we can live happily ever after! Wrong. Dead wrong. I spent every free second with this guy. Like if I wasn't working on FFA or working my job, I was with him. I definitely wasn't working on my actual college homework or heck, even attending classes because well when you know it's true love, why would you ever want to get an education that I my parents were paying for. Goodness, please go back in time and smack the heck out me. This particular Emo Boy had some real issues. Like we fought. Once the honeymoon period stopped and I had officially told my parents that I wasn't staying at my college dorm room and just with him, it got ugly. Like I remember staying up until 2 or 3 in the morning and then going to work a few hours later after we'd been fighting all night long. I honestly can't remember everything we fought over. It wasn't over the dishes or laundry, it was over a lot deeper issues than that. And it was ugly. We'd fight, then he'd threaten his life on occasions, then I'd feel bad and the cycle would continue. This was some deep stuff. Like stuff that sheltered 18 year old me shouldn't have been dealing with. I get a pit in my stomach when I think about how awful the fights were. So the most logical thing when in a terrible relationship is to either a- get married (because marriage makes everything better) or b- have a child! That solves all issues! (I hope you are picking up the hard sarcasm as I write this.

The best dog out there. 

Well, I knew having a baby so young wouldn't have solved anything {high five to 18 year old me} but I knew that he was my destiny. So we adopted a puppy together! What is better than to get a dog while living in a studio apartment that didn't allow dogs and we fought?! The 18 year old me answer, "Nothing!" A fellow state officer and dear friend gave me one of her border collie puppies. That's how we got Sage. I wouldn't trade Sage for the world. She's the best dog around but I still laugh that is how we got her into my life. Now, this was the beginning of the whole emotional animal trend. I do not recommend this to anyone, especially those that truly need it for their mental help. We went to a quack doctor and he wrote off that we needed a border collie puppy to help us out mentally. Yup after a $200 office visit fee and our "sob story" of why we needed her to help with our fights. Go figure he gave us a prescription for an "emotional support animal." Worked for us. Have I mentioned we lived in a TINY studio apartment in a VERY sketchy part of downtown Reno. My parents were thrilled. We came home from Christmas then flew to Wyoming to spend the New Year's Holiday there. I met his entire family and they were very kind to me. They knew his intentions the whole time and were very on board with our relationship. They even helped him surprise me to ask him to marry him. I of course said, YES on top of the mountain where he asked me over looking his city. It was all very romantic like. Again, we had the puppy so of course marriage would be the next step on helping this rocky romance get on it's way to the pure bliss. Eye Roll Hard here. A few months later he had gotten accepted to the Border Patrol Academy so he was getting ready to leave and we went to go look at vehicles. Because of course his young wife would NEED a brand new truck. A mega cab to be precise. We went to go look and oops, a few hours later we were driving away in a new truck. Who in their right mind sells a truck to two young kids: one that works at Wal-Mart part time and the other one who doesn't technically have a job yet? Makes you wonder... A short time after it was his time to head to the academy and I had to stay behind because of state FFA convention was around the corner and there was tons to do. My parents were so incredibly thankful that he was out of the picture for a minute. After some late night chats with friends on my state officer team they truly helped me to see the writing on the wall. This was not a safe and loving relationship. My parents also helped to show and explain to me the way things were heading in this relationship. I am forever grateful for them all. While he was away at the academy, he called and said he couldn't stick with the academy. I told him not to come back to Reno and that we were done. I am not proud that I did it over the phone but to be honest, I am thankful that I did because I am worried I wouldn't have been strong enough to stick to my conviction if it were done in person. The state FFA convention went off and it was time for me to come home. My parents were so happy to pack up my tiny apartment and take me home. But what about the truck? I know that's what you are wondering about. My mom took it back to the dealership and "kindly" explained to them that we had no way to prove our income since at this point the EmoBoy had just quit the academy and was on his way back to Wyoming. They took it back 😪😭 I was so sad. I felt like a BAD-A** driving this truck. That's okay. We packed up all of my stuff and we packed up his items as well. I think he ended up coming back to Reno to pick them all up at one time or maybe we mailed it back? I honestly can't even remember. I did have to return the ring he gave me with his proposal, my Mom wouldn't let me keep it and I am glad she "strongly" encouraged me to give it back. I am incredibly thankful for my family and friends for their support in this relationship. Did you know

• Girls and young women between the ages of 16 and 24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence — almost triple the national average.
• Nearly half (43%) of dating college women report experiencing violent and abusive dating behaviors
• If you or someone you may know is in a violent domestic relationship, please get help. https://www.loveisrespect.org/for-yourself/contact-us/ 

Moving on from EmoBoy was fairly easy. Not the emotional damage side of things, that has been hard but finding a new replacement was fairly easy. Unfortunately, finding quality rather than quantity was the struggle.

**I had to take a few days to work through this post and get my head back on. Going back into the past sure can be trying.
Now back on track with the humor...
Shoot. Where was I? Oh yes...
The Bio-Dad. This love was short but intense. We met during the NFR at Cowboy Christmas due to some mutual friends and my sister. 😂 Who said love doesn't last that happens in Vegas? In all fairness, in a small world I am sure we crossed paths at one time or another before our first official meeting. I thought for sure it was love. Well, once again, I was wrong! What a surprise. We broke up. Then came along those little lines on a pregnancy test. Unfortunately, they weren't very strong colored lines so who was I to know? I told him. He told me to go to a doctor. Went to doctor. It was confirmed, I was pregnant. Bio-Dad really wasn't ready to be a father (his words, not mine). I said fine. We broke up, again. I sent a few texts and pictures throughout the pregnancy and after the biggest of my little of the loves was born. To receive insurance or child support the Bio-Dad had to confirm to be the father. He denied it. (Super thanks to another mutual "friend" that spread lies about me and my family, you are a super person 😤.). The Bio-Dad lived about 7 hours away in Northern Nevada. We had to take a paternity test, that was fun as a young new {single} mom. It was confirmed that the Bio-Dad was in fact, the father. Shocker. Okay not a shock at all but I think it was for him. 😂

Brand new! 

We invited him to the first birthday and he actually showed up, as did a few of the other guys I was dating at the time. #Awkward Luckily, the Bio-Dad's family came also and it was fun to get to meet them and have them meet the baby. They are seriously the best people out there and I am so thankful for them and their relationship with my son. A few years go by, the Bio-Dad sees his son a few times a year. This still continues to present. It is a good system. He's growing into a good Dad to his step-kids and his girlfriend is very kind to our son and I appreciate her very much. Shoot, she must be a saint to put up with the Bio-Dad, just kidding, but really...

Great photo quality right here. Sister and her BF at the time.
The Bio-Dad and me. Double dating at it's finest.

Being a single mom didn't slow down the funny train on dating. During the pregnancy I think I dated a few suitors? One was a friend who was there during the early stages of pregnancy. He is a great person who I think got along better with my Dad than he did with me. Another one turned into an engagement. We will call this one, "Yes Ma'am Man" This was interesting and went way too fast. After a few weeks of dating exclusively he popped the question using his adorable niece. She was cute. He wasn't. He wanted to become the dad to my little love and I knew I was okay with him being around, but not exclusively the Dad. The "Yes Ma'am Man" was there during labor and delivery and the first couple of months. I knew it wasn't going anywhere but didn't want to break it off either. My parents were NOT a fan of this young man. He was a "yes ma'am" type. I couldn't handle that long term. One weekend he was down at the house with me and the new baby. I just said, "This isn't going to last. Let's break up." Pretty simple. I wish I would've learned how to say this much earlier on in a lot of my relationships. The break up didn't slow him down much at all as I saw on social media he was quickly in another relationship soon afterwards and then married- side note, the woman has my engagement ring on. Talk about recycling! 😂😁😅
After the "Yes Ma'am Man" I decided that I wanted to enjoy being a new Mom to a perfect little baby boy and just dated if and when I wanted to. I dated a few but nothing serious until...

THE BIG LOVE happened! This is my favorite love story. Always.

The trip as friends that started it all..

My sister always talked about this one guy in regards to roping. Like a lot. Her and her friends were constantly roping with this guy. I had heard about this guy for years. Like years. My older brother had talked about this guy years ago. Now I was hearing about how great he was from my younger sister. Now that I was a new Mom, my Mama Bear was coming out. Who in the heck is this old man hanging out with my sister and her friends?!?! Of course I then had to stalk him and see who he was on social media (MySpace). I messaged him a simple, "What is up. Who are you?" message (super sly aren't I) and he responded. We messaged a bit and made a plan for a large group of us to go dancing in St. George at the dance factory. My sister, some friends and I went up to St. George and met this guy and a group of his friends. I danced with his brother. He wouldn't dance with me as he stated, "I don't dance." I think I danced with every single friend of his that night except him. We all went dancing a few more times. He asked me to go to the movies later on. We went. I thought we had a lovely time. I was smitten. I then asked him to come help out with the local high school rodeo that was coming up and then we could go to a mutual friend's wedding reception together. We went (drove separate) then I asked him to come over and watch movies or go do something fun just the two of us. He said no and that he had to go home. On his way home, he made a mistake. He accidentally text me instead of who he was trying to text a "I'm sorry dear" that was clearly not intended for me. I was livid. Like as I type this my blood pressure is raising as it still makes me mad! 😡 I was so hurt. And mad. Mostly mad. I text back that he had the wrong girl and that he could lose my number. Okay, yes it was a little extreme but good heck. I was mad.
A few months go by and I get a job in Mesquite and I see him and his brother at my work. We make plans that he can join up with a group of friends and myself while we go out and have fun after work. He tags along afterward. I basically ignore him and have fun with my friends. This happens a few more times. I may have had a few too much fun if you are over the age of 21 and reading this. He then takes care of me a few times. He even went as far to ensure that I made it to a Halloween Party and that no one tried to take advantage of me. He then took a cab ride home (he later tells me that he'd never taken a cab ride before). I think we are just friends, I mean who in their right mind would take care of a girl and not expect something in return- multiple times? He must be gay. Okay, I didn't think that part but I thought he clearly just thought of me as a friend, only. I then invite him to a Farm Bureau conference in Northern Nevada, as friends. We agree that we'd stay in the same room together, as friends, and we'd save money and it would be fun and not weird. He drove part of the way up there and we had my baby boy in the back seat the whole way. We had to drop my baby off with the Bio-Dad (see above) on our way to the conference. We attend the conference, have way too much fun. He became friendly with a friend from northern Nevada, I had way too much fun again. Then we head back to pick up my baby.

Seriously. 💓

We were scheduled to pick up the baby in the morning but we gotten there the night before so we wouldn't have to travel that far the next day to go home. He left his phone at our room and we go to the movies. It was so cold in the movie theater that he held my hand the whole time. I didn't think anything about it. It was so cold! Then when the movie is over with I checked my phone and I had 36 missed calls! I was in a panic! The Bio-Dad stated that he and my son were at the hospital and that he had a seizure. It was horrible. We raced over to the hospital and it was awful seeing my baby in there. The Big Love then just held me as I cried when we got out of the hospital. I cried. I ugly cried. I tear up thinking about how horrible that situation was while I write this. The staff was horrible with such a tiny baby and the whole situation. We then get back to our room and the weather is supposed to be horrible the next day. We decide to take the long way home through Utah to avoid dangerous, not well traveled roads. On our way home we stop in a small-town in Northern Utah to see a very kind man I was dating at the time. This guy was (is) great (he's single last I heard- ladies!). The Big Love held my hand the entire drive. I had no idea what was happening but it was sweet. He then crashed at my house once we finally got home, it was the longest drive ever due to the weather and my baby in the backseat, every time he'd make a noise I'd fret. Every time he didn't make a noise, I'd fret. It was awful and stressful. I was so happy to be home.

How could the Big Love not fall in love with this work uniform? 😂

Our first trip together "official" relationship #Disneyland

The Big Love stayed on the couch but before we went to bed he text me to come out and gave me a kiss. It was amazing. I seriously am smiling while I type this. It was just so simple and perfect. I had no idea what was going on, other than I was happy. We then have the talk a few weeks later after he's come down almost every night after work or seen me at my work during my shift. I still remember talking to the older ladies I worked with and how sweet they were over the new love thing. After a few weeks of just "dating" he asked if we could make it official. He said, "I can't guarantee forever, but want to give it a go?" I asked, "Like Facebook official?" He said, "Yeah, like Facebook official." Oh gosh, gag me with a spoon. HA. But really, I was hooked. I of course waited until he made it official on Facebook (the next day) before I changed anything. I also waited the 90 days (I read it somewhere in a magazine, that you should wait that long) before I said I love you. I'm so glad I did. When I asked him, "Do you love me?" His response, "Of course, I do. I wouldn't be here if I didn't." The rest is history. I think I'll do a post about his proposal. He's the best. I married up. Even if it took a LOT of wrongs, I am so thankful I found my Mr. Right. 💓💑 

Always laughing with my Best Friend 💖