Wednesday, October 29, 2008

How we met

A lot of people have shared their story and for some reason I really like my story of how Skeet and I met. So I have decided to share.

I actually didn't get to meet Skeet when our "matchmakers" had wanted us to meet. You see, my older brother and Skeet's sister met and married in 2002. A month or two after they were married (Fall 2002) I drove home with my current boyfriend, Boots (don't ask), to attend a wedding in Las Vegas. We spent a couple of days in Cedar City before making the long drive back to Dallas. My brother and sister-in-law were upset that I was there with someone because they had wanted to set me up with her brother, Skeet.

I don't remember when I finally heard about their plan but my relationship with Boots didn't last much longer and I was single by the time I came home for Christmas. When I did hear of their plans to set me up I was not exactly excited. You see my younger brother and Skeet's other sister were already dating. I thought it was just too weird and was slightly relieved that I had dodged that set-up. However, when I returned home for Christmas I reluctantly agreed to go on a triple date with them and my sister and her (now ex) husband.

When I would come home to visit I would try to see as many of my old friends as possible so I had already set up dates for the 10 or so days I would be there. The day they decided we should go out on December 23. I had a day date to go snowboarding earlier that day and a date for Christmas Eve the next day, but in the moment I saw Skeet my desire to hang out with anyone else seemed to dwindle. We had a great meal at Rusty's and drove around to look at Christmas lights. All the while I was just trying to figure out why I was so attracted to this guy. Yes he was hot, very hot, and we seemed to talk easily but I have never been so emotionally attached to someone so quickly. When he put his arm around my shoulders later that evening as we were watching TV, I felt the tingle throughout my body. Then, when he kissed me goodnight I thought my knees were going to buckle. (Yes I kissed him on the first date, so what)

The whole next day I was in suspense. I didn't know if he was going to call. I didn't know if he had felt the same chemistry. All I knew is that he was all I could think about at the moment. By the time my date for that evening showed up I had convinced myself that Skeet could never feel the same and probably wasn't looking for anything serious. I mean come on, I did live in Dallas, he was probably just doing his sister a favor. So I tried to enjoy my time with my date and attempted to forget about Skeet.

Christmas Day came and went just as it always did. Much to my surprise Skeet called that afternoon to ask if I wanted to hang out after he got off work. I was planning on seeing a movie with my friend, my little brother and his friends and I invited Skeet to come along. That evening, before the movie, some of Skeet's family (he has 6 siblings and some where not in town) joined my family for Christmas dinner. Skeet was working that day at Brian Head (our local ski resort). I loved his family (still do) and found myself wishing that Skeet were there so I could see how he interacted with them.

We met up later and went to see "Catch Me If You Can". We didn't pay much attention to the movie and I knew then that Skeet had felt the same chemistry as I had. We almost acted as though we had known each other for months. We were very comfortable with each other. We spent most of the rest of my time home together, when he wasn't working that is. The day I left to go back to Dallas was terrible! I missed him before I even left. I couldn't believe that after only a few days it was so hard to say goodbye. I didn't know what the future was going to bring but we promised to call and email and we kissed goodbye. On my way out of town I silently made a decision... I would move back to Cedar.

In the next few weeks we spoke on the phone everyday. We emailed back and forth and sent each other pictures. Eventually we made plans to have Skeet fly to Dallas and drive back to Utah with me. In November I had moved out of my apartment, back in with my sister while I waited for a friend's lease to be up so we could get a house together. So I didn't have a lease to get out of and all of my stuff was in storage. My friend was more than understanding and my parents agreed to bring my things home when they visited my sister that spring. So it was decided, Skeet would fly out in February. We would spend Valentines together in Dallas and I would move back home to Utah. So the 6 or so weeks that we were apart we got to know each other over the phone. By the time he came to Dallas we were already talking marriage and had said "I love you" to each other.

Most of my friends in Dallas thought I was crazy. They didn't believe that it could happen that quickly, but being from Utah I knew that it happened all the time and wouldn't seem so strange to the people back home.

I moved back in mid-February 2003 and on May 10, 2003 we were engaged. We were married on September 27, 2003. I had one friend in Texas that stopped speaking to me because she thought I was making a huge mistake. She had dated her fiance for 5 years before they got engaged and I was planning on getting married just a few months after her. She told me my marriage would never last, we probably wouldn't even last a year. I know it's wrong but I smiled when I heard that she had gotten divorced a little over a year after she was married. Skeet and I are still going strong. Yea we have our problems, like any other married couple, and the fertility issues and death of our daughter have been tough on us, but I am still a strong believer that it's not about quantity it's about quality! I knew after our first date that we were meant to be together, and I still believe that with all my heart.

** I just have to add that my little brother and Skeet's other sister were married a couple of years later. It's a good thing we all get along so well! I love you guys!**

8 comments:

Mari Burgess said...

K wait...did I read that right? Three siblings married three other siblings? That is so cool!!

Jennifer said...

What a great story! Cat's dad and I met on a blind date and were engaged three weeks later. We married after 9 months of knowing each other. Still married after 34 yrs! Sometimes you just know!

Jan Scholl said...

met my hub in a college bar where I waitressed and he was just back from being drafted (I was still in HS). we had one date, he went out of town for 6 weeks (I did not hear from him during those weeks) came home, had another date got married. 36 + years later-and he just retired today. Heaven help me-I will kill him. I like him better when he is away and busy. He is carving a pumpkin and cursing cause I wanted it to look like Johnny Depp.

Tina said...

What a cute story. I'm telling you, when it's meant to be...it's meant to be!

Unknown said...

I love this story! So romantic...thanks for sharing with us!

Amy said...

Hi Candi,
Thanks for sharing your story...so cute.
re: your cabbage comment...In retrospect it was pretty funny. Not the situation, but the wearing of cabbage leaves. Who thinks up these things?
We are doing ok...as you know it is rough. Losing Leah isn't getting any easier, but getting up in the morning and going about my day is, and that helps.

NEILANDSHALON said...

I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU MET SKEET AND MOVED BACK HOME!! I MISSED YOU LIKE CRAZY!! DON'T GET ME WRONG - VISITING YOU IN DALLAS WAS A RIOT, BUT THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME!!!

Lane said...

i love this story! ;)