A Year Ago

For the Spring term of last year (2016), I studied abroad in Spain. This was a big thing for me - a great chance to travel to Europe as I had wanted to, to learn more about the world, and to improve my fluency in Spanish. It was an investment, and an incredible experience. It was something that helped me show myself that I could truly do whatever I wanted to do.

It was also a time that Andrew and I knew that we wanted to get married. We decided to be "unofficially engaged" throughout my trip in Spain and the 88 days we would be apart for my study abroad and the summer afterward. Andrew "unofficially" proposed to me in the place that we met with a string ring like the one from The Count of Monte Cristo (a movie we had watched together and loved), and I wore that string ring while traveling in Ireland and London and throughout my study abroad in Spain.

Exploring Blarney Castle in Ireland, and thinking of Andrew (:

Spain was amazing, but I sure did miss my Andrew. When I returned to the states, my family picked me up from the airport and I spent most of the summer with my family and volunteering at a hospital while Andrew was with his in Virginia, working building a website for a company, and at the Hill Cumorah Pageant. Andrew bought tickets for me to fly out to pageant (and I may or may not have known that he planned to propose during my visit there) on July 14, which was also our 9 month anniversary of dating, and suffice it to say, I was ready to see my best friend again.

Andrew surprised me with having flowers sent to me in Washington while we were apart (:

One of many, many Skype calls with Andrew while we were apart. There was no 7 hour time difference anymore at this point, and that was a plus! Featuring a picture drawn by Miss Molly.

July 14th came, and I flew from Washington state to Rochester, New York. Andrew said he would pick me up outside the airport, which was fine because we all know how fun it is to pay for parking, but while I was looking for him outside, he came up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder. It's a good thing he wasn't a stranger, because I turned around pretty fast and hugged him really tight. It felt right to be together again.

Andrew being put into costume for the Hill Cumorah Pageant.

It was really neat to be at Pageant and see a place that meant so much to Andrew and his family. It was their constant home away from home as they moved every few years as a military family. The next day, July 15, Andrew and I went up to the top of the hill in the morning to read the last chapter of the Book of Mormon together, Moroni 10, a tradition of Andrew's family. We walked up and around the top of the hill and a bunch of youth that were there, found a bench, and read the last chapter together. In the last verse, Andrew had circled letters that spelled out "Will you marry me". You'd think I would have expected it, but I really hadn't. He had me walk along a path and pick up some letters he had written as he walked to the bottom of the path to a cement area where his sisters had put rose petals (best sidekicks ever. Their side of this story is awesome, if you get the chance to ask them). And he proposed with his great-grandmother's ring, that we have since gotten a wedding band to accompany and that I still wear today.

Celebrating with the back-stage crew.

Sitting in class this week (:

And now we're here, and I am so grateful for all that time in between. Here are some of my favorite moments between the above two pictures, from July 15, 2016 to July 15, 2017.

Enjoying pageant with the boy I could officially call my fiance. If you can't tell from my eye in this picture, I was pretty happy (:

Exploring D.C. after driving home with the Jacobsons after pageant.

Andrew bought my plane tickets to pageant, and I bought him tickets to my hometown. This picture was taken after washing sheep for the fair (: Andrew really enjoyed Prosser, and the evil eye is only for taking the picture when we were tired. We were walking around outside when he said, "I like it here. It's kinda like a dream."

 Taking Engagement pictures <3

Flying back to D.C. for Bryan (Andrew's twin) and Emily's wedding! Don't be fooled, I love flying.

 Bryan and Emily's wedding. Fun fact - the heat index was 113 degrees this day!!

The Ft. Bridger Rendezvous with the Peters family :) Piled in the car to go to church.

 My bachelorette party (with Martinelli's)! Don't worry about Andrew, he went with roommates to Disneyland and a beach house without me ;)

 This guy.

Of these fabulous people who were part of our wedding day, 4 have since gotten married, 2 have gone on missions, one went on a study abroad for anatomy in Italy, two had a baby (our favorite nephew!), and one went to dance for Disneyworld. Not to mention the good food and fun game nights since this day <3

Andrew's surprise for my dad at our reception at Wadley Farms. 

We finished our Fall semester married, working 20 hours a week, moved into a beautiful apartment, 

and with all As. It's still a miracle to me.

 Together with the Jacobsons for Christmas and making playing games look gooooood.

Our official honeymoon to Virginia Beach. 

Playing in the snow with a little girl we mentor.

Happily letting rain and colored chalk ruin our clothes. 

 Camping in great places with great friends.

Brealynn and Zach's wedding. The third Jacobson to be wed within 9 months!

Becoming an aunt and uncle, and lovin' on the Brodster.

 Still finding adventures.

The Oakley Rodeo for the 4th of July.

People say "and I love them more every day", but it's a real thing. There have been good days and bad days, and we've miscommunicated and disagreed, like everyone does with their best friends and families. There have been a lot of hugs in exciting times and sad times, and a lot of I love yous and laughs and "it's okay"s. There have been a lot of big adventures, a lot of full days, and a lot of forgiveness before judgement. I'm extremely full of gratitude for all that we have shared since we've met, and since we've been engaged and then married. For some reason it feels a lot more real to me now that we're passing times in the year that were such important milestones to us at this time just a year ago. We don't just get to be married, we get to be married every year, forever. I love my Andrew and always will.