Valentine's Date 2011
February 25, 2011
It was my year to be in charge of Valentine's Day. (Dave and I take turns every year, one has Valentine's Day and the other has our anniversary.) Right around Valentines Day we went out for a very simple dinner and movie date night. Not the most epic of Valentine's dates, but it was a date night which doesn't happen too often so it was lovely. But then something got me thinking and I realized that it was on Valentine's day 10 years previous that I first realized I loved Dave and wanted to marry him. So I decided to make a much bigger deal out of it and plan something way better to take place a couple weekends later.
It was my year to be in charge of Valentine's Day. (Dave and I take turns every year, one has Valentine's Day and the other has our anniversary.) Right around Valentines Day we went out for a very simple dinner and movie date night. Not the most epic of Valentine's dates, but it was a date night which doesn't happen too often so it was lovely. But then something got me thinking and I realized that it was on Valentine's day 10 years previous that I first realized I loved Dave and wanted to marry him. So I decided to make a much bigger deal out of it and plan something way better to take place a couple weekends later.
I started the planning by getting out my journal from way back then, through our dating days, and reading through all the helplessly romantic journal entries written by a very young and naive girl. It was incredibly interesting to read through those entries. It was a fun and exciting time, and it was fun to read about all that, but I also found myself so incredibly happy that I am not in that stage of my life anymore, and that I am living life 10 years later with him and we have our own family and life together.
So I typed up bits and pieces of some journal entries and sent him on a guided scavenger hunt, of our dating days. We conveniently live back in the place we met, so that worked out perfectly. Each place he needed to find was given to him as an envelope with a clue on the outside. (I have my super witty friend, Joni, to thank for the clues. She is super quick, I was needing them fast and she came up with all of these basically on the spot. Thank you, thank you, thank you! They were all perfect!) Once he found the place, he could open the envelope and read the piece of paper that had a small part of my journal entry about that place and time. And then we had to take a picture, of course, before he could get the next clue.
So, here is the scavenger hunt in picture form. And allow me to reminisce and write a little (or a lot of) detail about it all.
It started with some flowers (10 fire & ice roses, significance noted at the end) sent to his office before his lunch break with a card and a little ditty to introduce the scavenger hunt . . .
"I have in store for you quite a treat
finding the clues will be no small feat.
A scavenger hunt full of old memories
of the days you and I turned into a 'we.'
Follow the clues, with me by your side
to share all my stories and act as your guide.
This night will bring many memories back,
and will become another bright one in our stack."
And the first clue that led him here . . .
1. Go to the 'TOOT', to the place we first met:
you got hit with a purse, or did you forget?
This was to lead him to the institute outside the East chapel where we met. And the envelope had a journal entry from August 30, 2000. This is not the journal entry, but here's the story...
you got hit with a purse, or did you forget?
This was to lead him to the institute outside the East chapel where we met. And the envelope had a journal entry from August 30, 2000. This is not the journal entry, but here's the story...
He was the president of the New Horizons show choir (which we all lovingly refer to as Nu Hoz) and I was one of the many people in the chapel at the meeting to recruit people to try out. He spoke at it and I remember thinking he was cute, of course, and also thinking that I'd probably never meet him because of all the people that would tryout and that I didn't stand a chance at even making the choir let alone getting to know him. After the meeting, while I was standing in line to sign up for an audition time I was fidgeting and swinging my purse around and he happened to walk right into the path of my swinging purse and I hit him with it. I was SO embarrassed. He later came up to me and asked me if I was Jacki Feller's sister. (she was in the choir the year before me with him.) I've always been happy that people think I look like my sister because she's gorgeous, but never more so than that moment when my resemblance to her made for a conversation starter with him in that huge crowd of people.
* I'm sad the picture is blurry, it was one of the only ones we had someone else take and for some reason it didn't work out. We had better luck when we held it and did the self portrait thing. But still it's where we met so I had to include it, blurry and all.
* I'm sad the picture is blurry, it was one of the only ones we had someone else take and for some reason it didn't work out. We had better luck when we held it and did the self portrait thing. But still it's where we met so I had to include it, blurry and all.
Then I handed him clue #2
2. How many songs have been heard by these walls?
Go to the room where we once learned them all.
This was to lead him to the New Hoz room, 114, we're standing outside of it. The envelope had an entry from September 5, 2000. The day I found out that I made New Horizons. I didn't know if I'd made dancers yet but on my way out I saw "David Gordon". I'm not going to share all of my journal entries verbatim, but the parts that I do share, lets cut me some slack because I was 18 years old (and just barely). With that disclaimer, exact words from this entry...
"I don't mean to sound all weird but every time I see him or think about him I get this funny feeling in my stomach. Kind of like a roller coaster and I don't know why."
This is also the room where we played eye tag. You know, when you're looking at him, and then he catches you looking at him and you turn away real fast hoping that he didn't see you, knowing that he really did. And then you catch him doing the very same thing a few minutes later. And that basically happened all choir rehearsal long.
Go to the room where we once learned them all.
This was to lead him to the New Hoz room, 114, we're standing outside of it. The envelope had an entry from September 5, 2000. The day I found out that I made New Horizons. I didn't know if I'd made dancers yet but on my way out I saw "David Gordon". I'm not going to share all of my journal entries verbatim, but the parts that I do share, lets cut me some slack because I was 18 years old (and just barely). With that disclaimer, exact words from this entry...
"I don't mean to sound all weird but every time I see him or think about him I get this funny feeling in my stomach. Kind of like a roller coaster and I don't know why."
This is also the room where we played eye tag. You know, when you're looking at him, and then he catches you looking at him and you turn away real fast hoping that he didn't see you, knowing that he really did. And then you catch him doing the very same thing a few minutes later. And that basically happened all choir rehearsal long.
Then I handed him clue #3
3. Institute dances and those old Nu Hoz risers,
Find the basketball hoops for another suprisers.
This was to lead him to the Institute gym. That's where I had all my dancer rehearsals, and where we went to some dances, and where Chorduroy, Dave's acapella group, practiced often. I typed up two different journal entries for this one. The first one was from September 13, 2000. That was the day that I found out I had made the dancers for the choir, so that was a happy day in and of itself. But then I had called my sister, Jacki, to tell her and her husband, Brian, told me that Dave called him the previous night. Jacki met Brian in New Horizons the year before so they were all friends.
"Brian told me that the first thing Dave said to him was, 'You never told me you had such a good-looking sister-in-law.' I totally couldn't believe it, I actually didn't believe it. Then Brian told him that he should ask me out and he said that he was planning on it. I'm so excited. I seriously can't stop thinking about him."
Yes, that was a good day.
The other entry was from September 15, 2000 and was all about an institute activity that a lot of us went to. We made cars or something out of cardboard boxes, I can't remember exactly what but cardboard was involved. We took the contraption to the institute to watch Tarzan at the Totally Tarzan Night. Then we went to someone's house to play games and I was being flirty with some other guy because I was too nervous to flirt with Dave and he ended up letting the other guy walk me to my car which I was super sad about and incredibly worried about how to remedy.
We didn't actually go out to his parents' house in Mendon, but that is where our Choir's opening social was. And the journal entry from that day was on September 8, 2000. I wrote about how we ate and played games and gushy stuff like how I thought his eyes were amazing. I wrote about how the only time he had heard my name up to this point was at the try outs and when he saw me he said "hi" using my name specifically. I thought that it wasn't a big deal because he was the president and probably trying to memorize as many names as he could. Later that evening. . .
"we were in a little circle and he said to a girl, 'What's your name again?' She told him and then he said, 'Sorry, there are so many people that try out and it's really hard to keep all the names straight.' So that was fun."
I felt pretty happy that he remembered my name.
Find the basketball hoops for another suprisers.
This was to lead him to the Institute gym. That's where I had all my dancer rehearsals, and where we went to some dances, and where Chorduroy, Dave's acapella group, practiced often. I typed up two different journal entries for this one. The first one was from September 13, 2000. That was the day that I found out I had made the dancers for the choir, so that was a happy day in and of itself. But then I had called my sister, Jacki, to tell her and her husband, Brian, told me that Dave called him the previous night. Jacki met Brian in New Horizons the year before so they were all friends.
"Brian told me that the first thing Dave said to him was, 'You never told me you had such a good-looking sister-in-law.' I totally couldn't believe it, I actually didn't believe it. Then Brian told him that he should ask me out and he said that he was planning on it. I'm so excited. I seriously can't stop thinking about him."
Yes, that was a good day.
The other entry was from September 15, 2000 and was all about an institute activity that a lot of us went to. We made cars or something out of cardboard boxes, I can't remember exactly what but cardboard was involved. We took the contraption to the institute to watch Tarzan at the Totally Tarzan Night. Then we went to someone's house to play games and I was being flirty with some other guy because I was too nervous to flirt with Dave and he ended up letting the other guy walk me to my car which I was super sad about and incredibly worried about how to remedy.
Clue #
4. Driving all the way to Mendon would be too far
4. Driving all the way to Mendon would be too far
so think of the opening social on the way to the car
We didn't actually go out to his parents' house in Mendon, but that is where our Choir's opening social was. And the journal entry from that day was on September 8, 2000. I wrote about how we ate and played games and gushy stuff like how I thought his eyes were amazing. I wrote about how the only time he had heard my name up to this point was at the try outs and when he saw me he said "hi" using my name specifically. I thought that it wasn't a big deal because he was the president and probably trying to memorize as many names as he could. Later that evening. . .
"we were in a little circle and he said to a girl, 'What's your name again?' She told him and then he said, 'Sorry, there are so many people that try out and it's really hard to keep all the names straight.' So that was fun."
I felt pretty happy that he remembered my name.
5. Boy asks girl to create a First Date.
Go to the restaurant in which first we ate.
This clue was to lead him to good old Village Inn where we technically had our first date on September 14, 2000. I say technically because it's the first time he drove me and paid for me so I count that as our first date, although it was with a group of New Hoz friends. Everyone was talking about meeting at Village in after rehearsal at 9:15 and Dave asked me if I was going and I said that I didn't know how to get there. He asked me if I needed a ride and I happily answered yes. He said in the middle of dinner that if I didn't pay him back we could consider this a date . . . smooth. He also said since it was date he would walk me to my door. And we had an awkward moment as I introduced him to my roommates. They were not very welcoming so he left pretty quick. But dinner was nice and fun.
Go to the restaurant in which first we ate.
This clue was to lead him to good old Village Inn where we technically had our first date on September 14, 2000. I say technically because it's the first time he drove me and paid for me so I count that as our first date, although it was with a group of New Hoz friends. Everyone was talking about meeting at Village in after rehearsal at 9:15 and Dave asked me if I was going and I said that I didn't know how to get there. He asked me if I needed a ride and I happily answered yes. He said in the middle of dinner that if I didn't pay him back we could consider this a date . . . smooth. He also said since it was date he would walk me to my door. And we had an awkward moment as I introduced him to my roommates. They were not very welcoming so he left pretty quick. But dinner was nice and fun.
We did the first 5 clues during his lunch break, at the end of that series I handed him another little ditty that said
It's time for a break, get back to the grind
Get ready for tonight and more clues to find
After work I picked him up and handed him the clue with this on top...
So now work is done, take off your gloves
And we can continue our hunt of first love.
followed by clue #6.
6. The movie at Dav's with our friends was so dead-
Go to the spot where we chatted instead
This was from September 16, 2000 he had picked me up after his work, pretty late, and we went over to a friends house to watch a movie. I hadn't been watching PG13 movies for a while for a goal I started in high school. I wasn't opposed to watching PG13 movies anymore but I felt incredibly uncomfortable while I was watching this particular one they were playing. I think Dave sensed this because he knew about my previous goal, and that it had been a while since I'd seen anything vulgar at all, and we left. In the car after we left, he asked me what I wanted to do and I told him I didn't care so he suggested going to walk around the temple. We stopped in and visited some friends of his from high school that lived right across from the temple, Dan and Steph, who have been dear friends ever since. Then we walked around the temple and at about 11:30 pm we sat down right outside the gate and we talked until 2:30 am. It was a fun night and we talked about everything. And it was this day that I first admitted the thought that I could maybe marry him.
7. In this place we studied (Okay, there was kissing)
Merrill Hall 202 . . . 206 . . . Wait, what's missing?
This clue was to lead him to my dorm. I lived in Merrill Hall 204. We didn't spend much time in my actual dorm because of my awful roommates, but we spent a lot of time parked outside it "saying goodbye". There were 3 journal entries in this envelope.
One from September 17 when he asked me out to homecoming. There isn't much correlation between him asking me to homecoming and merrill hall except that he picked me up from there, but I had to throw it in because it is a funny story and I like to tell people, Dave doesn't like it so much, but I will share it anyway. His exact words when he asked me to homecoming were, "Would I be wasting my time if I took you?" Smooth, right? His defense is that he was tired of asking girls out that were not interested at all in developing the relationship. Meaning, he wanted to know if there was at least a chance of our relationship going somewhere, that it was worth investing some time into. Even with such an awkward invitation I still said yes.
The other entries were from times when he actually did come to my dorm and one was from September 27, 2000 when we first held hands. He was talking on his cell phone, and I went to shut a drawer that I thought was in his way and instead I shut the drawer on his leg so I touched his leg and said sorry and he grabbed my hand saying it was okay and held onto it.
Next clue
I'm not sure why I don't have a picture for this clue or if we even went to the place on campus where homecoming was. I actually think it was too cold so we didn't want to walk all the way there. But it was to lead him to where homecoming was.
I'm not sure why I don't have a picture for this clue or if we even went to the place on campus where homecoming was. I actually think it was too cold so we didn't want to walk all the way there. But it was to lead him to where homecoming was.
8. Slow dances, up-do's, sleek suits, shoes and gowns,
Go to the room where Homecomers get down.
The entry was from September 29, 2000 and I talked about homecoming. He picked me up and was in a brand new sharp looking suit. My friend Erin had been over doing my hair and helping me get ready and she took some pictures of us. He took me to The Cottage restaurant, that sadly is no longer. When we got there he said, "look who's here." I looked around for anyone familiar and I saw Jacki and Brian sitting waiting for us. He had been planning for weeks to have them come up for homecoming. He definitely gained some points for that one. I had a wonderful time with Jacki and Brian and obviously with Dave. We held hands at the dance which was exciting. After the dance Jacki and Brian had to head home, but we went to Dave's parents house in Mendon to meet Dan & Steph there for brownies. I don't know why, but either no one was home at his house, or everyone was asleep because it was completely empty and we were completely alone while we were waiting for Dan & Steph to arrive . . . and that was the night of our first kiss. We kissed in the tile entryway of his parents house. "It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!" When the night was through he drove me home and we sat in his car and talked until 6:00 am. I accurately described it as a "magical night."
9. USU's lovely campus, the classrooms, the Quad-
Let's go for a stroll and give memories a nod.
This was a clue for a few journal entries about a few things that happened on campus. The main one was from November 14, 2000. That's the day he told me he loved me. He was walking me to my nutrition class. It kind of came after a weird comment about him being uncomfortable with us being too close so it was a little weird and not as magical as I'd hoped for. I didn't say I love you back . . . awful I know. In my defense I was young and although excited about this relationship was also very nervous and I had never told anyone that I loved them before. And I was young, did I mention that?
10. I think I'm feeling quite hungry, aren't you?
Let's move this fun game to a table or two.
I didn't get a picture of clue # 10 because we didn't really go anywhere that was significant. It was just dinner time and we went to a yummy place that has no sentimental meaning, in fact, I don't even think it was around back then. He read the contents of the envelope as we sat down to eat. This journal entry is actually a very long, super sad one. It was from February 10, 2001 the day we broke up. It was awful. The journal entry was the manifestation in words of two aching, broken hearts. It was a recollection of the things we said to each other as we were braking up . . . he felt like he was more emotionally involved and that I wasn't in love with him like he was with me and he felt like he needed to give me space to figure things out and maybe date other people. At the same time he loved me so much and was so sad to let me go. I reluctantly agreed because I felt so unsure about marriage and everything.
I didn't mention this in the journal entry but for record keeping purposes I feel like my struggle with realizing that I loved him and wanted to marry him came from my passion for (and I guess my naive faith in) fairy tales/movies. I am a hopeless romantic and I wanted and expected my dating and courtship to my husband to be magical and perfect. And it was quite a rocky road for us. We both have very strong personalities and we clashed often and, dare I say it, fought and argued quite a bit and it just wasn't at all what I was expecting. We discussed this very thing at dinner tonight and Dave said it made him sad that it was like that. And for the longest time I would have agreed with him, but the more I've learned about us and how perfect we are together and for each other the more I realize it was a blessing. People talk of the honeymoon stage; where the one you love is perfect and could do no wrong and the two of you agree on everything and there is not even a possibility that you could ever be angry or upset with that person, ever. Time passes, that stage fades and love turns into a crash course on communication, patience and compromise. Dave and I have talked about the honeymoon stage and tried to figure out when ours ended. I can honestly say I think, to a degree, it ended while we were still dating and engaged. We kind of jumped right into learning how to communicate and compromise. We definitely saw each others flaws and thought we had none of our own from the get go. Which is why I think we struggled and broke up a couple of times. It kind of prepared us for the realistic road of marriage ahead. Marriage is fabulous, but it's not always easy peasy that is for sure. But I do think it's a testament to the love we have that it withstood the roller coaster beginning of "us" and still withstands the roller coaster of life we are on together.
Anyway, I tear up reading this entry it even now, because it brings back such vivid, painful, desperate feelings.
On that happy note . . . onto our next clue.
11. You've played this game well, so here is your last clue.
Let's go to God's House (Yes, again. I love you!)
This envelope had two entries. One from February 14, 2001. Which was the day I realized and said (to myself in my journal) that I loved Dave and that I wanted to marry him. I had gone on a date with a guy from my singles ward and he wasn't awful, but he wasn't Dave. It was very evident after the few days I had to myself to really figure things out that I needed and wanted to be with Dave and that date just brought to the surface and solidified those feelings. And the last entry was from February 16, 2001. I had asked Dave on a date. He came over at 6:30 we talked for a little bit and then went to El Torro, one of our favorite restaurants. Then I took him to the temple where we had sat and talked for hours one of those first nights of our relationships. It was cold so we didn't get to sit in the same spot, we had to get back into the car, but I told him to pretend that we were sitting out there. I read him my journal entries from the previous week, our week apart, of my realization of my love for him. I told him that I wanted to be with him forever and that I loved him. I gave him a fire and ice rose. I don't know what that type of rose really means, but back then I thought white meant forever and red meant love, so that's why I did that. Then we drove to a church parking lot where we danced to a tape I made of 3 songs - The theme song from Zorro, "I want to spend my lifetime loving you", "I knew I loved you before I met you" and "I wanna be with you". (Don't worry, I am aware of the major cheese factor here.) I ended that entry with . . .
"It was perfect. I love him and it's so fun to say that."
After he read the final envelope I gave him one last envelope with a card and a long love letter I'd been working on for quite sometime and the key to the anniversary inn room we stayed in on our wedding night.
It was a fun night strolling down memory lane with my love. I am indescribably grateful to be here on this end of 10 years together. Don't get me wrong, dating and all that new relationship stuff has it's perks and is exciting and fun, but I could never have even imagined how good life would be with him all these years later.
