We were at the point in our hearts that we attended each other's ward and family Christmas celebrations. I say that we were there in our hearts because we really hadn't been dating that long. In fact, it wasn't until January 20, 2013 that I really started to believe he was going to be the love of my life. (I remember weird dates like this but this one was significant. Perhaps that date will be my bonus info at the end of this post.)

Taylor asked me what I wanted to do for valentine's day. I honestly didn't have an opinion. My sweet love broke it down to deciding what I felt like eating and doing as an activity. Much easier. 

Sushi, obviously. 

Then I challenged him to beat me at racquetball. I used to play every week with my dad so I was pretty confident. Let's call this a momentary lapse of judgement because Taylor is good at every game/sport. That's all. 

I had to work right up until our date. I literally ran home, changed in record time in order to be ready when Taylor came to my house to pick me up for our racquetball court reservation. 

On our way in, Taylor handed me the bag with our rackets, goggle and other equipment and directed me to court 15. He'd be there in a minute. 

He had to use the facilities. (Otherwise known as lie #1) 

I am trusting to a fault. NOT gullible. Why would I assume everyone is lying to me or manipulating me? I can't. It goes against who I am.

So while Taylor was in the 'little boy's room', I walked down the hall to the mini sized door to court 15. The light was off (not unusual) so I grabbed a PURPLE ball and my racket as I flipped on the switch and ducked inside. 

What??? I only knew it was mine because 'Z' is Taylor's nickname for me. (And yes, I know. BYU really needs to spruce up the floors in those courts...)

The ball looks kinda blue in the picture but I promise it's purple. My all-time favorites color. 

Along with tons of chocolate, including those hearts that were literally one pound of caramel and chocolate each, I got a huge laugh out of Tay's creativity. The hat. 

A trucker hat. For my bus driving time in Alaska :) too cute. Good thing I was already sitting on the floor when I opened the box because I found it hilarious and I rolled around on the yucky floor happily for a while. 

Taylor had been setting up this surprise while I was at work. He absolutely destroyed me at racquetball but I was enjoying myself so much, I didn't even care. 

We went to our separate apartments to shower and get ready for the rest of the date. I don't think he realized it takes me a long, long time to get ready if I have to wash my hair. Whoops. 

He was getting antsy that we'd be late for our reservation and kept yelling questions up the stairs to me. He actually asked me what I was choosing to wear. Weirdo. Or so I thought. 

When I walked downstairs, he was wearing a purple sweater. I thought he might have wanted us to be matchy purple guys but I was wrong. He wanted me to match something else...

We went to a little sushi place I'd never been to before. Taylor had me try all sorts of things and I ate them without complaint. I even discovered that I really love unagi! Yay for eel! 

After trying a few different things, Taylor became extremely distracted. I thought it was because of the basketball game on TV. When were through with the meal, he had a hard time trying to catch the server's attention. I was still enjoying the last bit of sushi (slowest eater ever) when the server out down a small silver plate on my right. I barely glanced at it while saying 'thank you' because I thought it was the check. I did a double take when I saw a small black box sitting on the platter. 

For what seemed like 10 long minutes, I stared. Not understanding or refusing to think of possibilities (valentines day? Most romantic holiday...he wouldn't propose now....would he?) I just kept staring until he spoke. 

"Well, are you going to open it?"

Phew! It was bigger than a ring box but a girl just can't be sure. A beautiful pandora bracelet with all these purple charms. (This is what he had wanted me to match. Purple? Get it?) 

He gave it to me saying that it was his bracelet to put charms on. Charms that would serve as symbols of events together. 

The picture above has two significant charms, one for our first date at the University of Utah football game and the other is a Z. 

(As I'm thinking about it, I realize that our love story video at our wedding dinner might not have made ANY sense if you didn't know our first date was in the Rice-Eccles stadium.) 

We took this picture after dinner. It was meant to show off my new bracelet but thanks to my CTR ring, it looks like we're engaged. Whoops. (PS I had already warned him that if he proposed on valentines day I would say no. Way too cheesy.) 

The reason Taylor was so distracted during dinner: he had dropped off the bracelet with a different server than the one we had! He hadn't seen the same girl the whole time we were eating and he was silently freaking out! (If you know Taylor, he doesn't do silence.) It all worked out in the end. 

I should upload a recent picture of my bracelet that carries new charms for our engagement, our reunion after a long summer apart and the most recent addition of a Big Ben charm. London. Our next great adventure. 

Except school feels like it will never end...

Until next time.