As I've been reflecting over the past few months of how much my life has changed in the past year, it has hit me over and over and over again, how much our Heavenly Father is aware of us each individually in our lives and situations. He is mindful of even the tiny little details and knows of our struggles, trials, joys, desires, and our dreams. I don't believe in coincidences. I know that Heavenly Father does absolutely everything for a reason. Even the hardest times in my life, I can look and see the hand of God over different situations and blessing me through the smallest of miracles. He has control over absolutely everything and He knows exactly what He is doing. It is hard to understand sometimes, especially when we're in the middle of a difficult trial. We feel we have no idea what we're doing, where we're going, or even if there is a God listening. But I can promise, that God listens, He answers prayers, and He guides us, even when we don't recognize He is there.
Here is our story.
Well, let's go back to a stake activity in September of 2008. I was in charge of a group game at an Opening Social of about 300 Young Adults and Curtis just so happened to be in my group (coincidence... I think not!) We played a game called S.P.U.D. I didn't think much about my group at all and continued on with the activity, just trying to get through... I wasn't a huge fan of these social gatherings. It was awkward and I always felt silly. It's one of those things where you're surrounded by people, yet you still feel totally and completely alone. So I'm sure I was having an absolutely great time (I hope you can read the sarcasm). Well at the end of the activity we're cleaning up and Curtis comes over and gets my number before I leave. I'm sure he probably talked to me while we were playing the game, but to be honest, I just remember trying to get through the activity without looking like I was miserable.
He called me a day or two later and we went to a BYU choir concert with another couple and then got ice cream. A little bit after that date, he called and asked me out again. This time we went to a play at the Hale Center Theater. It was called "The Hasty Heart." Before the play, we went to a burger joint to get dinner. I apparently gave him my tomato. (I didn't remember this, but he wrote that in his journal...which I found out years later). He called me a week or so later and asked me to go to his sister's play ...yes... I met the family on the third date! We drove up to the play with his brother and sister and ate dinner at their house beforehand. As we're driving, they're all singing in the car and blaring the music. At this time in my life, this was totally and completely out of my box. (Yes, I would do this with my sisters...but anyone else that knows me, would say that it still is out of my box). Either way... this resulted in me thinking...I am not the type of girl he wants and I will never fit in with him or his family. I also was a bit intimidated by this all. So, when Curtis called again... I didn't answer and didn't call him back! Horrible, huh? I rarely ever did that, but I wasn't quite sure what to do with the situation. I wasn't at a place in my life that I wanted a relationship, so I tried to avoid it. When April came around (6 months later), I ran into Curtis after a devotional at the Marriott Center. I remember thinking, "Ooo...this is going to be completely awkward because I didn't call him back!" It turned out fine. He was going to Dental school in the fall and I was moving to DC to do my student teaching. Phew... things were on good terms.
I moved to DC to do my student teaching and grew sooo much in those 4 months. It honestly was one of those rough times where I struggled the most and spent more time on my knees in prayer than I had ever done in my entire life, but it was totally worth it. Little did I know, Curtis was going through some similar trials and difficulties in his life at this time also. I moved home in December of 2009 after graduating, and had absolutely NO idea what I was doing with my life. I wanted to move back to DC, but needed to wait a few months for a teaching license to go through and to save a little bit of money. In January, I decided that I needed to drive the hour to the Cornell branch in Ithaca for church. It was one of the best decisions I could have made while I was at home. I developed some great friendships and it was an incredible experience (Had I not been going to the Cornell branch, I would not have run into Curtis again). I then found a job working at a Daycare, and decided that it would have to do for a few months until I figured out where I was moving. Well that few months turned into 8 months, as my plans disintegrated one after another. In May I went with a few girls from the branch to a Conference in Kirtland, Ohio. The first night of the conference I said to one of the girls, "I knew a guy at BYU that is now at Ohio State. I wonder if he'll be here." (That was Curtis I was talking about, but he wasn't there). I still had his number and contemplated texting him...but decided that I wouldn't.
Two months later, I was with my Cornell group at the Hill Cumorah Pageant in Palmyra, NY. (For anyone that doesn't know what that is, it is an outdoor theater production of The Book of Mormon. For more info see:http://www.hillcumorah.org/Pageant/index.php) It was just about to start and I noticed Curtis two rows in front of me. I wasn't quite sure it was him, but I was pretty sure. I still had his number, so I texted him. I watched him the whole time, but he never moved to get his phone out of his pocket or anything. Right after the show, he turned around! He saw me right as it was beginning, but didn't have time to say hi. I was super excited to see him. We caught up a little bit and then I invited him to a dance that the Palmyra YSA group was having that night. Normally, I wouldn't have said anything about the dance, but it just popped out of my mouth without me even thinking. My text hadn't gone through before, so he got my number again and then said he'd let me know if they were going to the dance. I found out later that he talked a few of his friends into going with him so he could see me again, and I'm so glad he came. I remember thinking..."It feels like it's just me and him here on the dance floor with nobody else around". I was in awe with him that night. From the start of the evening, I could feel a different spark and chemistry between us that had not been there two years earlier. We parted our ways that night, and I went to bed with a huge smile on my face. I hadn't heard from him the next day, so I texted him around the time that they should have been getting home. We texted a few times back and forth and then he called me. We talked for a little over an hour that first night and I think we both realized how much we really had in common.
Over the next couple of weeks, we texted and talked on the phone a TON. Curtis tried to get me to skype...but I thought that was really awkward. (It took me until the end of October to even consider it.) I was incredibly impressed with him though the more I got to know him. I loved the way he would think about me, even when we weren't together. He also is an INCREDIBLE communicator, which was something at the top of my list, and that stuck out from the beginning. Many friends have told me that I would not be able to find a guy that communicates...but... he definitely does. He's by far a better communicator than I am. By the end of July, Curtis made a comment that he had three day weekends in the summer and that if I wanted, he could come out to visit that next weekend. I was super excited, but I knew either the weekend would be amazing or it would be horrible. Well it ended up being AMAZING. It was sooo fun to get to spend 3 days straight with him. Talk about a long date! The whole weekend I would ask, "Curtis, what are we doing?" or "Curtis, you're really complicating my life, ya know?" He would just reply back, "We're just having a great weekend together." or "Mindy, I could simplify your life too!" with a huge grin on his face.
Well about a week later, I decided that I wanted to go to my friend Scotty's wedding reception in California. I also had the feeling that I needed to move somewhere, so I quit my job and flew to Utah. I drove to California with Pam and spent a few days there. It was a great road trip and I solidified a couple of things in my mind that trip. I knew by the end of that trip, that even though I had only spent a few days with Curtis, there was definite potential there. Curtis was also coming out to Utah in September to visit his family for his break in between semesters, so I decided that instead of making any plans on moving somewhere, I would stay and see how things went with him. I lived at Chris and Kristine's house for a few weeks and then spent a few weeks with Curtis. Two hours after I got to Curtis's house the first day, I received a phone call asking if I wanted to take a 4th grade teaching position that I had interviewed for. I was totally and completely torn. For the previous 8 months, I had searched and searched for a teaching job. I took the weekend to decide what I wanted to do. Curtis and I both knew it was probably too early to make a decision for me to move to Columbus, although that was what we both wanted. I knew the decision I wanted to make, but the morning I had to call the school to tell them my decision, I felt really strong that I needed to take the teaching job instead of turning it down. Turns out that that job didn't end up going through anyways, but I had made the decision that if I got a teaching job I would take it. Well a few days later, another school called and I had another interview. The principal ended up calling me back the next day offering the job, and although it was only a half-time position, we both felt like it was what I was supposed to do. We knew that it would be difficult to do the long distance thing, but decided that Heavenly Father would help us make it work if it was what He wanted.
Since then, we've seen each other at least for a long weekend every month, but it still isn't enough! I got a whole 3 weeks with him during Christmas and when we said goodbye at the airport, I felt like I was leaving half of my heart there. I'll move out there in June and then we're getting married in August. I know... it seems absolutely crazy that we'll only live near each other for 2 months before getting married...but there is absolutely no doubt in my mind, that he is the man I'm supposed to marry! It is insane how everything has worked together, it can only be an act of God. Although it is hard to be apart, I have gained some much needed experience in teaching out here that I would not have had if I was in Ohio. I have been able to work with specific kids that have stretched my patience and at times made me cry. It has been one of the most frustrating, yet rewarding jobs I have ever had in my life. I pray and care about these kids more than I ever thought I would teaching. It has been an experience that I am grateful for, even at the tough and rough times.
Even though the distance thing can be difficult at times, it makes the time that we do have together, that much better! I have never been so in LOVE and I feel absolutely complete when I am with him! I know that Heavenly Father blessed us with the opportunity to meet up again for a reason. We both had experiences in the past two years that have prepared us to be ready for each other. We needed some time to grow up and learn to have faith that God knew what he was doing all along. He had a plan. Even though we will all have times that we struggle to understand why something is happening in our lives, Heavenly Father always knows what is the best for us and will guide us in a way that will eventually lead back to Him. I'm so incredibly grateful for that knowledge and for the peace and comfort that it brought me over the years and will continue to bring. I am also grateful for Curtis and for his love and commitment. We're sooo excited to be getting married August 20th and can't wait to spend our Eternal lives together!
