During my dating years, in the back of my journal I wrote down qualities that attracted me to people I dated & qualities that I wanted in a eternal mate. I will tell you that I had 76 qualities-& Jon had EVERY SINGLE ONE of those 76 qualities-NO JOKE. They were everything from the "usual" to the "very specific" just for me. I love that I did that! I will be teaching my girls to do the very same thing.
I remember my grandma in a church meeting. She had just heard Jon share his testimony of the Gospel and she thought to herself "Wow, I hope that someday one of my grand girls could marry someone like that!" NEVER did she think I would actually marry him! She was beyond excited to hear that I was engaged to "thee Jon Hales!" too cute.
Jon & I started dating in mid September. Our first date was to a church fireside on Faith. Every since that night we were together every single night from then on. He always called me "Babe" and still does. Love that.
To this day I remember first being around Jon in the Singles Ward, his knee was touching my knee and HELLLLOOO--I can still feel the butterflies in my tummy when I think back to that time. He ALWAYS opened my car door no matter WHERE or WHAT time it was. True gentleman. He always had me go through doorways first with his hand on the small of my back. He always sat in the correct seat at restaurants. It was all those little things that I had taken notice about him.
When it was time for our "first kiss" after a few dates mind you (again true gentleman!)-he leaned in....and...suddenly...kissed...MY HAND!?!??!? Seriously--like a Prince would kiss a Princess!! I thought to myself "what in the world!??!"---I LOVE THAT HE DID THAT. I had never dated anyone quite like him. This "gentleman" stuff was all new to me-& I LOVED every morsel of it!
He proposed to me Nov. 5th at 1030pm. Honestly I thought he was joking around with me. He was being his usual sentimental sensitive self while I was trying to hold back laughter. I am SO NOT mushy gushy & Jon is very mushy gushy!!! Which I do love, except when I am watching tv-that is not the time to ask me what "my hopes & dreams are!" Haha just kidding--little inside joke there.
Jon had all these big ideas about "proposing"--like the "event" of it all. But I LOVE that he did it by the Spirit. He felt prompted to ask me right then & there-and so there we were in the middle of his living room at 1030pm, he knelt down and said some of the most precious things ever girl wants to hear...& asked me.
I remember telling my Dad about how I felt about Jon. I remember my Dad asking me "Do you love him?" Still to this day I remember the tears rolling down my Dad's face as he told me how proud and happy he was for me. Such a tender moment for the both of us I will always treasure.
We then got married just SIX weeks after we were engaged--Ya I know HELLO right!? We had our "rehearsal dinner" the night before at Claim Jumpers on 17th street. SO GRUB! The next day we realized that NEITHER of us had a RIDE TO THE TEMPLE to get married!!!!! Everyone was going at different times and taking all the cars--thankfully our friend Wendy said "use my car!" So together Jon & I drove to the temple to get married. I remember we cranked up Aerosmith as we drove (probably not the most spiritual thing to be listening to on the way to the temple!!-but that's us!).
After we were sealed in the temple for life here on Earth and life in Heaven, I remember TONS OF PHOTOS being taken outside. I paid a HUGE price tag for my photography-because at the end of the day, you dont walk away with the "decor" you walk away with your PHOTOS!! It was NOT CHEAP-but worth EVERY single penny.
The reception was amazing. I wanted it in the house I grew up in. So happy I made the choice to do it there. My friend Wendy helped my mom transform it to look even more beautiful. Our house was 9000 sq ft. I helped my mom EVERY SINGLE Saturday to clean it. Figured we should put it to good use right!
We didnt want to do the usual "sandwich, fruit & veggies" for the reception-so we opted for a "desserts only" style! We had all these gorgeous cheesecakes, and POUNDS & POUNDS of See's chocolate! It was off the hook.
I remember the "first dance"--I danced with my Dad. Love this man. He is a BIG MAN (6'6.5--football size man)--something about a Big Daddy with his little girl dancing that just makes you tear up!
I remember Jon whipping out his guitar to play "our song" I Cross My Heart by George Strait. He had learned it on his own. I had ALWAYS hoped that whoever I married would do that-I never mentioned this to Jon before. I was in Heaven when he brought out his guitar-I kept thinking GET OUT NO WAY!!
I remember when it came time to do the cake, his mother had told him "Jon be nice & respectful-do NOT get it all over her dress or her face-Christina will NOT be happy about that!" Really she was drilling him about it. So naturally he was very nice about feeding me my piece.
I on the other hand-are you kidding me?! I was all in--I switched my piece so that frosting was towards him, then gave it to him gently-then SMEARED IT ALL OVER HIS FACE!!!!!!!!!!! The crowd went wild-it was hilarious. He was in shock.
When it was time for the garter belt removal (So not his favorite thing)-- I gave him one leg (which did NOT have the garter belt) on purpose, so he kept going up and up and up my leg LOOKING frantically for the dumb belt-It was SO FUNNY!! Then I told him "Oh oops-sorry its on the OTHER leg, my bad!" Good times.
As we left our reception-gave our hug goodbyes and headed out the door
-we realized we were STARVING and on our way to the honeymoon suite-we stopped at Del Taco for some GRUB-seriously we did! Too funny huh.
We have a wedding video of that day-it's so fun to watch it and remember all those good warm fuzzy feelings from that day. I've always ALWAYS felt it important to REMEMBER that day, how we felt when we dated, got engaged, got married etc. It's important.
Here we are 14 years later. MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR life changes & challenges-yet our love for eachother remains steady & strong as ever before. I love that Jon loves me despite my very UNPrincess like ways--I am sure he'd love for me to be way more mushy gushy--I am learning!
Happy 14th Anniversary BABE--Love ur guts like no other!!! (see not very princess like huh-sigh-but like they say "Marriage is not about changing, but loving and accepting"-so I'm good).
