it's a love story, baby just say yes!

I love a good love story and thought it was about time I finished off my own.

It is not the most romantic event but it is mine and I treasure it!

It involves me and my handsome, spunky husband, who I adore.
I have already shared Part 1 and Part 2 on my blog and since it was so long ago I have decided to just repost them to make it easier.

Here is Part 1:

I first met Matt when I was 20 years old.
It was at a church dance {not the slow dancing, waltzing type of dance but, the loud pop music shake your booty type of dance} and I said 'hello' and 'goodbye' in my first sentence.

It was the last church dance I was going to before I went away for 18 months. I was leaving to go on a full-time service mission for my church to New Zealand and the Cook Islands. To serve in the community and to talk to people about Jesus Christ.

So we spoke very briefly. We said hello and I told him I was leaving that week.
He wished me good luck and we parted our separate ways.

Matt was 22 years old and I was 20 years old.
He was a full-time student studying to be a teacher.
I was a full-time student studying Literary studies with one subject left to finish my degree.

We did not met again until I was 23 years old and he was 25 years old.
There were no sparks and no fireworks, just conversation.

He really was not my type.
I liked guys with dark hair and brown eyes.
He had blonde hair and blue-grey eyes.

Our conversation was polite and normal.
He seemed like a lovely guy, friendly and nice.
It was hard to tell with a conversation that only lasted 5 minutes.

I had no idea that in the future he was going to be the man of my dreams and sweep me off my feet.
That we would share a union of great love and have seven cherbus together!

Here is Part 2:

When I left off my story I was going overseas for 18 months and Matt was staying behind in Adelaide to continue his study at University to be a teacher.

Upon returning I found some work and settled into a new routine of life. I had left one semester at University to complete and began the schedule of work and study to keep me busy and happy. At this stage of my life I felt ready to get married. I knew clearly what type of guy I was looking for after having dated a lot and having learnt from bad experience what not to look for.

Matt was still studying at University and was at a stage where he too felt ready to get married. He had also dated a lot and was beginning to wonder if he really was going to find the right person for him.

Both of us were busy and did not know what the next step should be in trying to find and date others. Then something wonderful happened.

I attended a church fireside and was very impressed by the first speaker. It was Matt.
He spoke very well, he touched my heart and he looked handsome in his blue suit.
Still love it when he wears that suit!

After the meeting I was speaking to a friend and Matt came up and had a quick chat with me.
He asked how my service mission went when I was overseas and then simply said goodbye.

There still were no sparks. Just friendly chit chat.
But my heart had been pricked. I was impressed and I was interested.

During that same week I had promised to call a friend to chat. For the life of me, I could not find the right phone number to contact my friend on. Everyone I tried to call did not have it. Eventually, someone gave me Matt's phone number as they knew he would have it.

I had a difficult choice to make. To call him or not?
You see I am a big believer in guys asking girls out and not the other way around.
I know, very old fashioned but that is the way I am.

I decided to call, to get the number and then get off the phone as quick as possible.
Imagine my delight when he actually was home, answered the phone, had the number and in our brief conversation asked me to go out with him on a date!

I of course said 'Yes' and we organised to meet for a day out at the Zoo.
Can I just say here that if you ever want to go on a first date, that the Zoo is an excellent place. If you have a lull in conversation you just turn to the animals and say 'Look at that monkey, isn't it just gorgeous' etc. So easy and less pressure.

Well, Matt and I did not have that problem. We talked all day, pretty much non-stop.
Having just returned from overseas I had plenty to share and say and we both had a lovely time discussing the different service missions that we both served in different places. We had something in common immediately and it lead to feeling connected, united in helping others and respect and admiration for the experiences we each had.

After our day at the Zoo we made another time to meet.
We continued to do this for four weeks.

At the end of the four weeks I knew this was the guy for me.
He was kind, loving, funny, sweet and everything I was looking for.

Lucky for me, Matt felt the same.
At the end of the four weeks, Matt asked me to marry him.
I said Yes. It was the best decision of my life.

It was a bit of a shock for some people, especially my family. 
Four weeks is not a very long time. For us it was all the time we needed.
When you know, you just know!

Here is Part 3:

So when I left off with Part 2 Matt had just asked me to marry him.
I was happy, I was excited and I felt at peace because I had found the right man for me.

We faced a variety of reactions from different people and family members. Some people were delighted for us and some were too shocked to be happy about it. I did not blame them, it was pretty quick!

But, despite all this we knew. We knew we were right for each other and determined to keep planning and moving forward with our life together and started setting the wheels in motion to get married.

As we were both studying at University we decided to wait until the semester finished to get married. This meant that we had 3 months left until our wedding. Most people who know me, know that when I know and feel that something is right, I don't wait, I act immediately and make it happen.  The same applied to getting married. Why wait? My attitude was, let's make this happen and keep moving forward.

So we started planning our wedding. I wanted simple, I wanted easy and my focus was just going to be on my husband, that was all. As I am a Mormon we were married in a temple. The only temple at the time in Australia was in Sydney so made plans to travel from Adelaide to Sydney to be married.

This was a easy and difficult decision. Easy because I knew that was where I wanted to be married and difficult because I am the only Mormon in my family and it meant that I would have no family at my wedding.

The three months went by quickly and to our shock, Matt and I both passed our semester at University and I finished my degree. With my degree finished I felt ready to start a family and to be a stay at home mum. So we made plans to save some more money and to prepare for children to join us.

During this time Matt and I continued to talk and to plan and to share our hearts on how we wanted to be as husband and wife, as parents and as individuals. We grew closer together, our hearts became one as we shared our desires and we grew to love each other more and more.

By the time the day arrived to be married, our hearts we connected in a way we did not think possible and even though it had only been a few months we knew we were making the right decision and were about to embark on a life of joy and happiness together.

The day was beautiful and simple. I had no bridesmaids, I had no flowers, I did my own hair and I did my own makeup. I had no family there to support me but I was wearing the dress I wanted, I felt completely at ease and I was happy to be with Matt. I was happy with the decision I made and being married in the temple has been a great blessing to us.

As a married couple we have been determined to stick together, to work out whatever challenges came our way and to support each other in whatever we chose to do in life. From the day we were married we felt we were ready to face the world together and to love each other with all our hearts.

I am happy to say that after 14 years we still feel the same way and our love has continued to grow in ways we did not think possible during that time. Whenever challenges have come our way we have clung to each other and worked our way through it. It has not always been easy for us, seven children in nine years will do that to you, but we have worked hard to stick it out.

Now we are loving the opportunity to raise a large family and to work on it together as parents. We support each other in what we want to do in life and our lives are happy, full and fun. I am so thankful that I was blessed to find the right man for me and that we have a union of great love in our lives.