OUR STORY

FOR HER:

Thursday, March 22, 2012: 
   
      I arrive home in Las Vegas around 7 p.m. after a grueling week of stress and schoolwork.  Greet my family and praise being away from Provo for the weekend.  Says my mother: "Sierra, you know Kim Cook from our church?  Andy's mom.  Well, she's got a nephew that says he's sick of dating and fed up with froo-froo silly girls and wants to date fun, no-fuss girls.  She thought of you and so you're going on a blind date with him on Saturday night. Okay?"
  
        Me: "But Mom!  I don't want to go."

        My Mother: "Sorry Charley, it's all set.  He'll call you tomorrow to set up a time."

        Me: "This is stupid. I hate this. Grumble, grumble, grumble."


Friday, March 23, 2012

       I am playing with my little brother.  My phone rings.  It is from a number I do not know.  It is this stupid Michael Cook boy that I have to go on a stupid blind date with.  Yeah, tomorrow sounds great. 7? Sure. Hang up, hate life, dread tomorrow..


Saturday, March 24, 2012

      I hit the movies with my friends Sara and Ryan and I complain the crap out of this stupid date I have to go on.  

      Ryan: "Hey, Michael Cook?  Andy's cousin?  I know him!  He's cool!"

      Me: "I still don't want to go on this stupid date.  I hate dating, blah, blah, gripe gripe gripe."

                                 **INSERT TWO HOURS OF THE HUNGER GAMES**

Around 5:30 p.m.
     
       My phone rings and it is this Michael person again.  He got held up at work, so he asks to pick me up at nine.  Please, dude, just cancel.  No, he doesn't and I hang up with another three hours to dread the inevitable.

About 9:12 p.m.

        Doorbell rings.  I let my mom answer it and walk in from the family room when she calls me.  Shake his hand awkwardly.  Tell Mom and Dad goodbye, walk out the door, to his car.  All I can think is "At least he's wearing plaid.  Guess it can't be that bad."

9:12 p.m to 5:30 a.m.
   
       I proceed to have the greatest date of my life.  Go figure.  He drops me off and I tell him I'll go to his hockey game.  Fall asleep confused, jittery, and school-girl giddy.

Monday, March 25.
      
     I leave to Utah today.  Michael is the last person I see before I go.  And I think I just agreed to be his girlfriend.  I laugh to myself.  This will not last.


                                             **9 MONTHS LATER**

December 14, 2012

         Driving back to Vegas after finishing college.  Excited to be home and see my Michael because somewhere in those nine months I fell in love with him.  (I realized it when we were up in Logan with his mom visiting family.  As we were eating ice cream, Michael offers to take a picture for a complete stranger that I didn't even notice.  And again, as we're leaving someone's house at 11 p.m. and it is 35 degrees outside, Michael goes out to the car and warms it up while his mom waits in the house.  After the car is warmed up, he brings her his jacket to wear to the car so that she will not be cold at all.  It was then that I fell face-first at his feet, holding my heart up at him to take and do whatever he wanted with.)
         As I drive between Cedar City and St. George, an idiot tails me for about fifteen minutes.  I finally move out of the way so the idiot that doesn't know the rules of the road can pass.  Except he doesn't pass.  He pulls up right next to me and I turn, full stink-eye and annoyed face ready.  I turn and look, AND IT'S FREAKING MICHAEL.  Insert emotions and facial expressions that I have never before experienced, but include surprise, excitement, fear, what-the-heck, and how-in-the-world?  He pulls off the road and I follow him.  We get out of our cars and I go to ask him what he's doing here, but before I can he takes a knee and pulls out a ring.  Next thing I know I'm crying and saying yes.



      The thing I dreaded most became the most wonderful thing of my life.  Thank you, Michael, for loving me, for being there for me, for making me smile when I want to cry, and for making me dance because life is so wonderful.  Without you, I'd just be another girl on Planet Earth.  With you, I'm freaking ruler of the universe.  And for all time and eternity, I look forward to you and me.



FOR HIM:

On Thursday March 22nd my mom listened to me vent about how horrible dating was. It was my 23rd birthday and I had yet to have any sort of serious girlfriend. I wasn't having any success and it seemed pointless to go on a date at all. Earlier that day my Aunt Kim had sent me a text message saying happy birthday and here is Sierra Klemm's number. You know it's bad when your aunt is setting you up on blind dates. This text message along with a handful of other moments in my life are huge I.O.U's to my Aunt Kim. 

On Saturday March 24th after watching a game of Hockey with my Uncle Sam (seemed more important at the time) I rolled over to pick up my future bride to be. I was going to take her to dinner and then take her home. I would get home in time to play some Xbox and move on with life.  Honestly, I was expecting an ugly girl to show up to the door. When Sierra walked down the stairs my plans to play Xbox later were in jeopardy because she was gorgeous. I was immediately intrigued. I don't remember any awkward talk at all on our first date. She had heard great things from her friend about me and she was funny. I liked her.  

The next day she showed up to my Hockey game. She was the only one in the stands and there was a realization in my head that I wanted her to be my girlfriend. Unfortunately she would be going back to school in Utah the next day. I was torn because I wanted to ask her to be my girlfriend but I didn't know if she would be up for a long distance relationship. Long story short she was. We overcame many obstacles with a long distance relationship but somehow after however many tanks of gas and speeding tickets (me) we fell in love. 

I am grateful for that weekend. I am grateful for you Sierra. I can't believe 9 months has flown by like this because that weekend seems like just yesterday. You are the perfect celestial partner for me and for any guy. I am indeed lucky.