To Infinity and Beyond

Landon returned from his mission on February 1, 2012. He invited me to meet him at the airport with his family, for any LDS girl out there, this was a big deal! We hadn'tseen each other for two years, and had honestly not left each other on good terms. It was a little nerve racking. I decided to take on the roll of filming the occasion, so I didn't get in the way, or make it awkward when he couldn't give me hug (him still being ordained as an Elder).

There were lots of family there, most of them I knew, but a lot of them seemed surprised I was there.  Landon came down the escalator and I could already tell his countenance had changed. He was definitely a few inches taller and a bit broader too, but not only that, he was a changed man, molded by the hand of the Lord. The moment I knew he had changed was the fact that he had a frown on his face, he didn't want to be home. Interacting with him the next couple of days and weeks confirmed that he wasn't the same boy from high school, he really had become a man.

Once he hugged his mother, his mood seemed to change and he was excited to be home. His original mission president was there and got permission from him to give me a hug. It was brief, not awkward, but almost natural.

Everything happened pretty quick after that. Landon came home on a Wednesday (February 1, 2012), he bought an engagement ring on Friday. On February 27, 2012 he took me to dinner at Bucca de Beppo where we had our very first date in high school.  From there he took me on a hike to Ensign Peak. It started snowing and was a really muddy climb. I noticed some crazy people scaling the sides of the hill and it got me really curious as to what they were doing (later to find out it was our photographers Logan and Billy).

When we got to the top the wind had blown away all of Landon's decorations, but from his back pack he pulled out, not one, but two ring boxes. Lucky girl right? He then said I had to choose a box and the other he was going to throw off the mountain. I chose one and gasped as he really did throw the other off the mountain with what sounded like a necklace chain inside (later to find out it was just some little rocks).

Landon then pulled out a third box and said something along the lines of, "I would never leave our future up to chance." He knelt on one knee and asked me to be his wife. Of course, I said YES! The entire time I wasn't scared or nervous, I knew this was supposed to happen, that Landon was to be my husband for time and all eternity. That he was the man to take me to the Temple. Logan and Billy then came out of the bushes throwing flower petals in the air, and informed us the camera was dead so they didn't get any pictures (some photographers ;)).  They walked with us back to the cars, this time staying on the path.

We didn't hesitate in getting to the Temple. On April 27, 2012 we were sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple.  I had always dreamed of a summer wedding with the warm air and flowers everywhere. The week of our wedding was gorgeous weather, although the day before rained and snowed, so the following day, our wedding, was extremely cold.  Still, it was the best day ever!

We honeymooned in Park City, Utah. Before we knew it we had started our journey together!

Just Around The Riverbend

The summer Landon and I graduated from high school we went in two different directions. Landon didn't have many plans. He didn't want to start college and wasn't sure about a mission yet. I had taken a scholarship opportunity in Taft California to play volleyball for Taft College. It was a crazy decision but one that I wouldn't change for anything! We were in contact throughout the summer and on August 1st I reported to Taft, California for summer training.

Landon eventually decided to go on a mission and left for Louisville, Kentucky at the end of January of 2010.

Our paths had taken us far from each other. The next two years went by faster than either of us wanted. We wrote, Landon worked hard in the mission, I played volleyball and dated other people. I was also busy with Student Body President duties and maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

In 2011 I graduated from Taft College with plans to return to Utah. I started at BYU that summer and started working at Kneaders. I was attending a singles ward and it wasn't till about six months before Landon returned from his mission that we decided to write more serious. Time could only tell what would happen next.

Tale As Old As Time

 Landon and I were high school sweethearts! We met at the start of our junior year. I was attending West High and Landon was at Copperhills High School.  I had moved into his neighborhood a year before, but we were too caught up in our own lives to really notice each other in sunday school or the Tuesday night activities.  Landon was my home teacher at the start of that school year and that's when he finally noticed me! Sheesh! Took him long enough!  When we tell our story now and add the part about Landon being my home teacher, the audience automatically assumes we met in a singles ward, it's always fun to add that he was my home teacher in high school.

Our first date was my Homecoming dance! We ate at Bucca de Peppo with our group which becomes significant later in our lives.  Since then we dated on and off throughout high school. We had our ups and downs, the good and the bad. But through it all we ended up together, just how it was supposed to be. But we still had a long journey in front of us.