{6 Years}

"I love being married.
It's so great to find that one special person
you want to annoy for the rest of your life."
-Rita Rudner

Dean would probably agree that in the last 6 years, I have had my annoying moments (more than not), but nonetheless they have been a good six years. I am lucky to have him. He is a very patient husband and a wonderful dad.

It almost didn't happen you know. I told Dean "No" a couple times. Luckily he didn't give up on me. Here's the short version of how it happened:

Dean and I met at FHE for Young Single Adults in August 2002. That night we both walked out of a movie we had gone to see with a friend. He felt bad, so he asked me out to make up for it. After that, we dated through December. On December 18, 2002 (Dean's Birthday), I handed Dean his birthday present, then broke up with him. Well tried at least. He told me no, and that he wanted to marry me instead. I basically told him to get lost, but for some reason he still wanted to marry me! (go figure) He told me to think about it. Instead, I cried, prayed, cried, prayed and cried some more! (You see, I had this whole plan and he was ruining it. I was going to finish school, enjoy being single for a few years and maybe start "considering" getting married around 25. Instead Dean was proposing now...I was only 19!) After I told him no the first time, Dean went to Phoenix for a couple days and came back right before Christmas. Christmas Eve he gave me my Christmas present and asked me again to marry him. Again, I told him my answer was still no, but I would think/pray/cry about it again. By this point my family was telling him to run! Amazingly he still hung in there. In January, he asked me again, and I finally said yes, but I told him he still had to ask my dad! He called my parents and they got together on January 27, 2003. I am not sure who was more terrified, Dean or my Dad! In the end, my Dad said yes, with one condition: "If you take her, you can't bring her back!" (Yes, those were his words exactly!) Five months later, on June 27, 2003, we were married in the San Diego Temple. My family tells Dean all the time that he should have run when he had the chance, but I am glad he didn't. I wouldn't trade him for the world!