...to YOU!"

And the saga continues....

**A few things I forgot to mention: 1) I was enrolled in school for that fall semester, but in September, as I was closing a fast {which had nothing to do with school} I had a strong and sure prompting that I needed to drop my classes.  It didn't make any sense and I wrestled with it for a while, but I eventually dropped them.  The significance of this will make sense later. 2) Some funny {smart} things my family did during all of this. My dad, a man of few words, cut out and placed an article on the refrigerator about a woman who had been abducted when she met a man in person that she'd previously met online.  I saw it and said, "Da-ad!"  My baby brother, Mak, checked online with BYU to make sure that Tyler really was a student there, was studying what he said he was studying, and hadn't been lying to me.  After we found out that Tyler's family was from Littleton, Colorado, where my Aunt Sheri also lived, my mom called her to see if she could find out more about the family.  My Aunt made a few phone calls and was put in contact with Eileen Larson, who was a good friend of the Fosters and vouched for them and for Tyler.  I didn't find out about these things until after we were engaged, I think**

It was time to move beyond e-mails and phone calls and meet in person {a whole week and a half after first contact}.  Aaaack!  I got off of work early and Tyler would be driving from Provo to Las Vegas, getting there around lunchtime.  I put a lot of thought into where we should go. We planned to spend the whole day together and then he would spend the night at my parent's house {where I was living} and leave early the next morning.  He had to get back to school because he was a TA for one of the professors.

So what should we do for a whole day?  Hmmm.  I knew that right off I wanted to be someplace where we could easily and freely talk.  Not a lot of people around. I didn't want him to pick me up at my parent's house and meet my mom at the same time he met me.  I didn't really want to be in a restaurant, even, where we had to deal with a waitress interrupting us.  So I came up with the brilliant plan to meet in the Port of Subs parking lot, get some sandwiches, then drive up to Red Rock {a very beautiful, secluded area of Vegas with tons of hiking trails and gorgeous red rock formations} where we could talk to our hearts' content and not feel rushed or bothered by anyone.  It was the perfect idea!

We talked on our cell phones several times during his drive.  Then, I was at Port of Subs, in the parking lot, guiding him there {get off on the Rainbow Exit, take a left...keep going...go through the light at Alta...it's on your right-hand side...that's me in the green shirt!} It was time to meet! I still get butterflies just writing about it.  I was SO excited and SO nervous.  But it was cool because we were both talking about how nervous/excited we were to actually meet.  I think that there was a little worry on both sides that we wouldn't be as interested in person.  I mean, it really is bizarre to meet someone online.  Weirdest thing either of us had ever done. My heart was in my throat.  He jumped out, walked over to me, and I was so relieved, I blurted out, "Hi! You're even cuter in person!"  I'm soooo smooth. We hugged, exchanged some rushed and excited greetings, and then went inside to get our sandwiches.  I just wanted to get through Port of Subs quickly and get over any awkwardness.  I also wanted to shout to the other people in line, "We met on the internet and just met in person for the first time!  This is big, people!"  But I refrained, thankfully.

It was a 20-minute drive to Red Rock {I drove} and we talked just as easily as we had in e-mails and on the phone.  We stopped at the only spot I'd really been at Red Rock before, climbed some rocks, and sat ourselves down to eat and talk...and talk, and talk, and talk.  I think we were there a little over two hours.  Toward the end of our time at Red Rock we....kissed.  But this wasn't just any kiss, this was THE kiss.  I had never, ever, ever felt like that when I had kissed someone.  Remember how my mom had told me when I was dating A that my toes should curl?  I finally understood what she meant.  This wasn't just hormones and an attraction...this kiss was on a different planet than the other {several} guys I had kissed.  {Tyler will tell you now that I put the kiss in motion when I put my hand on the inside of his knee.  Whatever!  We were sitting side-by-side on a rock, I talk with my hands and always touch people when I am talking...his knee was right there.  I may dispute that motive, but I will not complain about the result.}

After {a lot} more kissing and some talking, it was time to go.  I think we floated back to the car because I don't remember walking after that.  All of the attraction toward one another's personalities, brains, humor, thoughts, feelings, ideals, and goals now culminated in bona fide chemistry.  It was incredible. And I know that kissing on the first date is a no-no...but we had basically gotten to date #7 or #8 with all that we knew about each other.  I bet there are people walking around engaged to be married who know less about their spouse than I did about Tyler on our first date.

We were closer to town when my cell phone suddenly showed that I had tons of missed calls and messages {no reception at Red Rock}.  I start listening to them and cracking up.  My youngest brother had gotten home from work and asked where I was with this guy.  When my mom said we'd gone to Red Rock he started freaking out!  Mak thought that was a horrible idea {and really, it was, let's be honest} to go someplace so secluded with a guy I hardly knew; he couldn't believe my mom knew about it and let me do it.  "Dana, call home AS SOON as you get this message." "Dana, we're really worried.  We need you to call us AS SOON as you can." "Dana!  Call home!  What were you thinking taking that guy up to Red Rock?!"  I think I called home to assure them I was alive.  A few minutes later, we were pulling into the driveway and Tyler was going to meet most of the fam.  Talk about a high-pressure first date!

I don't remember much about being at my house other than it being a little weird.  Both of my married sisters were there.  Mak was still upset.  There were kind of awkward introductions.  I felt bad for Ty and so we didn't stay long.  I had to run something by a friend's house and as we were driving around town I thought of something Tyler told me a few days before - his parents were going to be in Provo that weekend to visit him and his brother.  I thought, based on how well things were going, that if he didn't invite me to meet them that weekend, then I was going to give him a strong hint that I would like to be invited {basically, I was going to invite myself}.  Before I could get to it, he asked me to come to Provo that weekend.  And now that I know Ty as well as I do, I know that was a pretty huge deal.  I readily agreed to go.

The day is kind of a kissing, wonderful blur from there...but we are sure of a few things {we were just talking about it the other day}: we ate at a restaurant {we think Applebees}, we went to the temple and walked around the grounds {kissed on a bench}, went to the Bellagio to watch the fountains {though neither of us remember watching the fountains, we just remember the romantic setting to us kissing; we went a few years ago with kids and Tyler was really seeing it for the first time}, we went back to my parent's house and looked through mission pictures and then talked some more before I settled him into my room {I slept upstairs} and said goodnight.  It was the PERFECT day.  I was so incredibly happy.  I woke up early to see Tyler off, but it wasn't such a sad goodbye because I would be leaving Friday {the following day} after work to drive to Provo.

On Thursday I got a call from a guy I'd gone to dinner with one time the week before, asking me out again.  I realized that, although we hadn't officially given a name to our relationship, things were pretty serious with Tyler and I probably shouldn't say yes.  I later asked Ty and he said, "Heck no you shouldn't go out with him!"  I thought it was fitting that the following day {Friday} I attended the sealing of my sweet friend, Shaela, who had met her husband on eHarmony, just before hitting the road for Provo.  I couldn't help thinking that I might also be marrying my eHarmony match someday, but I didn't want to get too ahead of myself.  As I was about to drive out of town, I got a call from a guy who had asked for my phone number that Sunday, asking me out for the weekend.  Remember, Ty was calling me for the first time on Sunday night so I didn't think that things would be serious so quickly...I was keeping my options open.  I told him that I had suddenly found myself in a serious relationship, but I would let him know if it didn't work out.  Kind of a weird conversation, but who really cares?  I didn't.  The whole thing was cuh-razy and I chuckled a lot on the way to Provo.

I would be getting into Provo late...I think 10:30-ish?  Ty was planning to surprise his parents and tell them while I was on my way {he told them that afternoon and they were a little shocked...maybe a lot...but they could tell Ty was really excited about it}.  The plan was to meet at Leatherby's.  I pulled into the parking lot, Ty rushed out of Leatherby's to say hello and walk me in.  I remember saying hi to everyone, giving hugs {'cause that's what I do}, and then sitting across from Mickey {Ty's dad} saying, "So what do you think about this crazy internet thing?" {He said that he was relieved after that because he was free to admit he thought it was kind of crazy}  The next day we went golfing, went to a field where Ty flew the RC airplane he'd built as part of his thesis, and that night we went to a BYU football game {neither of us remember much about the actual game...but we weren't kissing this time, just totally wrapped up in each other}.  I think we talked on the grass before the game about the L-word...didn't quite say it, just that that was the direction our hearts were both going.  The next day we all went to church with Ty.  His parents and sister left after church and Tyler and I went on a long drive through the beautiful mountains to see the beautiful fall leaves {okay, kind of sped around, said "so pretty" then parked and kissed and talked for a long time} before it was time for me to hit the road.  This time the goodbye was much more difficult because it would be several days before we would see each other again.  But worry not!  We had already made plans for the following weekend.

The next couple of weekends were back and forth.  My family took a trip to Utah to see my grandparents and we stopped and got Tyler on the way; he got to meet a lot of my extended family that weekend. He came to Vegas another weekend.  And things were SO right.  We both felt it.  We talked about the future, but Ty said that he was a little hesitant to talk about it too much because he knew that once we did, that would be all we would talk about.  At first I thought that might mean he wasn't feeling what I was feeling, but he assured me {and now I know that's his style}.

Now, the thing is that Tyler was finishing his thesis to obtain a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering.  He would be defending his thesis early in December and had taken a job {in upstate New York!} that would start January 3rd.  There was a sort of we're-only-on-the-same-coast-for-a-few-more-months deadline looming to decide if we would make it, break it off, or do things long distance.  I had known from early on that this was T-H-E man for me.  No diggity, no doubt.

We talked on the phone a TON in between visits and work and school {I exceeded minutes on my phone a few times and so did he} and decided that we needed reality...we needed to be able to see each other every day instead of these really fun whirlwind weekends. We decided that I would quit my job and move to Provo.  Aaack!  This was a pretty big deal. He would have been the one to move, but you know, the whole finishing school thing. I thought of trying to move in with one of the girls I had met from his ward who was dating his friend, but then I thought of an even better option: a wonderful family I knew on my mission in Hawai'i, the Huish Ohana, had recently moved to Orem, Utah.  I contacted them to see if they had a basement or a floor I could crash on for a month and a half.  They very generously responded that they actually had a room I could stay in!  We were a go.  And remember how I had been prompted to drop my college courses for the semester? Moving to Utah would have been a no-go {or at least a much harder, more costly decision, if I hadn't followed that prompting to drop them when I did.}

The week that I would be moving to Utah, I had a few freak-out moments.  I called one of my best friends, Janet, to talk it out.  I blubbered "what do I think I'm doing, quitting my job and leaving my family and all without us having really talked about getting married...what if it doesn't work out and then I am left with nothing?!" She said exactly what I needed to hear "So what?! If it doesn't work out then you move back to Vegas, you get a new job, and you move on with your life. What do you have to lose?"  Perfect advice and it calmed me right down.

Tyler flew into Vegas on Friday.  On Saturday we went to see Les Miserables {I'd bought tickets several months prior, thinking that I would I'd likely be dating someone by then (I'm so humble), and if not I would take my mom :)}.  Saturday night I was freaking out a little.  I cried to Ty and told him that it kind of overwhelmed me to be leaving everything behind for something that wasn't totally sure.  I was sure I wanted to marry him, but we hadn't made any firm plans.  He got the smile on his face that I have come to know so well, took me in his arms, and said, "Let's reassure you, then."  That night we decided for sure to get married.  We decided that we wanted to be married before New York and move there as husband and wife. I hadn't been happier at any time I could remember. I went to bed that night a very happy, secure, giddy woman.

The next day, we packed my car and started our drive to Utah.  There wasn't an official proposal yet, but I was engaged and my whole soul knew that this was right; this was the man that God intended for me to be with.  There are many people who say that they don't believe in one right person, and I guess I agree that I could have married a number of people and been happy.  BUT...Tyler is my perfect match, we could not have come together if not for divine intervention {literally}, and I know that he is the man I want to - and am meant to - spend eternity with.  And the "counterfeits" mentioned in my patriarchal blessing weren't shady dudes who lead lives of crime; they were good men who were worthy priesthood holders and treated me well...they just weren't the exact right match for me.

We talked ALL about our future on the drive to Provo.  It was SO fun.  Turns out, Mr. Didn't Want to Talk About Marriage Yet had already looked at dates that the Vegas Temple was open and had some idea of when we should do this thing.  And I would find out the very next day *just* how much planning he'd already done.

I asked Tyler at one point if he had prayed about us getting married and he said, "Well, yeah, I've prayed about it, but it's like asking God if the sky is blue.  Am I supposed to marry Dana?  The answer is obvious!  Yes!"  He also told me that he had almost given up on the lightning/electric kind of feeling, thinking that maybe that wasn't something he was going to feel or that it didn't really exist.  He was 26 {turned 27 when we were engaged} and had dated many, many women.  Both of us are so glad that we held out for one another. It was just so obviously right.

**Proposal story to follow....**