June 13th 2003 Greatest day of my life: Songs "you are so beautiful to me" "lost in your eyes" "always" "This I promise you"

Our wedding day was perfect and the best day of my life. Ashlee was a truly gorgeous bride with and looked amazing in her wedding dress. I loved our wedding day. We were married in the Salt Lake Temple and celebrated later with an outdoor reception. The weather was nice and it was great to have so many of our friends and family members come.

Long distance relationship and Improvisational Proposal: Songs "leaving on a..." "can't get you out of..." "I love you always..." & "you are the..."

O.k. so I knew after just a short time that I wanted to marry Ashlee but there was just one small problem: I had no money. You see I was working at an after school program part time while attending Utah State University. I could barely afford my rent and food to eat at the time and didn't even own a car. So I took the following semester off and took a job with my friend and roommate Chris to sell home security systems in Santa Rosa, California. Ashlee and I wrote back and forth and talked on the phone daily. It wasn't easy to be apart though. I was highly motivated to make money though and was very successful selling the security systems. I made enough money in a few short weeks to buy a roundtrip plane ticket to Utah and buy a ring so that I could surprise Ashlee and propose to her. The proposal was supposed to take place at the Salt Lake Temple. Stephanie (Ashlee's sister) was going to bring Ashlee down to the temple were I would be hiding at designated location and hurry and ditch Ash while I came out and surprised her and proposed.
Instead Ashlee showed up early at her parents house just after I asked her dad's permission. She saw me and was very suprised and excited to see me although I still had to go and buy the ring and now I had no idea what to do next. I managed to get away with the help of Ashlee's dad and bought the ring. I was worried that she might be on to what was going to take place so instead of the origional plan I put the ring in my pocket and took Ash out for a date. We went out to dinner and bought tickets for a movie. I wanted her to think that it was just an ordinary date. We walked aroung the Layton Hills Mall while we awaited the time to go see the movie. I was nervous the whole time thinking that maybe I should postpone the proposal for the following day. The anxiety however was killing me. We were just enjoying eachothers company and went into Deseret Book Store and sat down in a quiet corner on some steps and read some kids books. I grabbed the book "Oh the places you'll go" Ashlee and I were reading it and when we got to the page where it talks about the waiting place, waiting for a yes or a no, I couldn't take it anymore. I got down on one knee and pulled out the ring and asked Ashlee to marry me. She was shocked and said yes. I feel a little embarrased when people ask how I proposed because so many have these great stories about setting up everything perfect. Ours was improvisation on my part. I am glad that it was a surprise though and more importantly that she said "YES!".

Besame: Song "kiss me"

Sorry but I have to skip doing a separate post for the first date and get to the good stuff the first kiss (third date).

Notable enough to mention about the first date: I guess I should admit that I was late picking up Ashlee for our first date and she responded by slamming the door in my face as a joke. I was late because I couldn't find her apartment. She lived on a half street hidden behind another apartment complex which she would have explained to me had I not rushed her on the phone because I called her last minute just before work.

Anyway lets get to the purpose of this post. Our first kiss took place while I was messing around speaking spanish to Ash. I would say something like "¿te gusta chocolate?" (do you like chocolate?) Ashlee begin to just answer "si" (yes) to everything and so I took advantage of the situation and asked "¿Quieres un beso?" (do you want a kiss) and of course when she said yes I kissed her.

Checking out more than my groceries: Song "Irresistable"

I came in a second time planning to ask Ashlee out. We sometimes joke around that Ashlee was checking out more than my groceries. The truth is that I was checking her out. I went in intentionally to see her and had planned to ask her if she would like to go out sometime. I had even tried to plan a dialogue in advance for how I would ask her out. I wasn't acustomed to asking girls out that I had only breifly met. However it didn't matter in this case, I guess Ashlee could read my body language because although I chickened out and walked off after purchasing my groceries she wrote her number down as I was coming back in anticipation that I would ask for it. I guess she probably was used to being hit on and was prepared to give me a chance.

Love at first sight: Song "love of a lifetime"

I first laid eyes on Ashlee one evening while my roommate Chris and I were heading out to see a movie. We stopped by Lee's grocery store near our apartment. I ran in to buy some treats for the movie and to get cash back to pay for the show. I walked up to Ashlee's check stand and made eye contact with her and made small talk. Only this wasn't any ordinary first acquaintance. In my mind I suddenly invisioned sitting down and talking with Ashlee as a married couple. It was crazy because I didn't even know her. My thoughts weren't the simple "she is really attractive" or maybe "I should get to know this girl", rather it was a strong impression that we are going to be married. It wasn't a "she is the one" thought it was a kind of vision of us together later on laughing and talking as though we had known eachother for years and were happily married.
Upon returning to the car I immediately told my roommate that I met my wife. He laughed as though I were joking. Well this all took place in November of 2002 and this coming June 13th Ashlee and I will be celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary.

I am creating this blog to record Ashlee and I's story according to my perspective in a journal style format and possible leave messages for Ash as well. I was listening to some old ballads and love songs from the 90's today and thought of the love of my life. I am not sure what I will eventually do with this blog but I want to put some music on it that I listened to today.