As I'm typing this I'm still in like utter disbelief and shock, but I'm so so excited!!
I met Austin the second week of Fall semester 2015. We were put in the same FHE family in our ward and for the first FHE of the semester we invited them over just to get to know each other and discuss what we were going to do for activites. I thought he was cute, but since I was dating someone else at the time, I didn't give it a second thought, and we just became friends. A few weeks into the semester I was single again, but was also trying to put myself out there and get back into the dating pool again (which let's be honest, I sincerely hated, but I also didn't want to be utterly single forever). We had FHE every week and talked every once and a while, but nothing even slightly changed until mid October. For FHE one night we went to the straw maze. We tried to all stay together, but at one point Austin wandered off on his own and since I saw where he was going I followed him and tried to get him to rejoin the group. Instead, we ended up going through the whole maze together. He was a gentleman and we talked and laughed through the whole thing. My attraction to him grew a little more that day and I was surprised at how easy our conversation flowed. We finished going through the maze before anyone else and just hung outside for a little while before everyone joined us. Since I knew Alora was going to come into town that weekend I thought it would be fun to go to the haunted forest so we invited everyone, and I particularly invited Austin to come. He worked sometime that weekend and was spending the rest of the time with his parents so he didn't end up coming. Some of his roommates did though and that leads me to another story I'll come back to.
There were a few other guys that I was interested in and were trying to date around that time too, but they all kind of fizzled out towards the end of Oct. Halloween day though I had an eye appointment in Idaho Falls so Nicole and I decided that we would go to lunch, my appointment and then hit up the mall for a little bit. We invited our FHE brothers to come with us and Austin and his roommate Matt decided they were going to join us. When we were at the mall it seemed to me like the dynamics had changed a little bit. It felt like we were almost on a double date or something. Austin and I were flirting and the whole time I was thinking to myself, "What in the world is happening...what does this mean?" But the rest of the afternoon continued like that and when we were about ready to leave we invited them over for dinner and to watch some scary movies with us. Eventually they finally made it over to our apartment. Austin, Matt and I had homework to do so we ate and did that, but they finished before me and headed into the living room to watch the movies. I finished a little bit later, looked into the living room, saw how many people were there and wondered where in the world I should sit. I asked that out loud and Austin answered for me to come sit by him. Because we were so squished we ended up sitting really close to one another and just naturally ended up cuddling. And we've pretty much been inseperable since. We gradually started texting more I would invite him to things, he'd come, and then on Nov. 7th he brought me up to the family farm, we held hands, and I knew I was in for it.
The next few weeks everything just flew by so naturally. I kind of wanted to DTR (Determine the Relationship) and figure out where we stood because I wanted to call him my boyfriend, but the talk never came. Instead he just referred to me as his girlfriend one day and I ran with it. I was so excited and giddy when it happened. I found out some funny things on the way like the fact that he called dibs on me our first FHE, tracked my relationship status as best as he could through his roommates, and even had his roommates spy on me when they were around and he wasn't. This resulted in a few crazy things when they thought I was engaged to one of best friends, Spencer, and at the same time apparently dating one of my other best friends, Garrett! Thankfully he was smart about it and didn't believe those things, because our relationship just kept progressing as time went on. As crazy as it sounds though, I knew I was falling for him, and I was falling for him quick. The week of Thanksgiving I met basically his mom's whole side of the family, and his entire immediate family as well. They accepted me with open arms, I felt like I belonged and I was right where I was supposed to be. That week I knew that I was in love with Austin and realized that we were in it for the long run and I was going to marry him. I felt like I was crazy and I couldn't believe that I could ever know something that fast, but that weekend he said he loved me, and I knew we were both feeling the same thing.
The next little while flew by and before we knew it, we had made plans for him to fly out to Arizona after Christmas to meet my family. It was around that same time in December that we started to talk about getting married. Because of timing and everything with the farm and with him transferring to BSU to get into the nursing program we talked about April 9th, and that's the date that's always seemed right. We also talked about his plan before we could get engaged. It included 4 parts. He had to first, ask my dad for permission. Second, we would go ring shopping where I would pick out my top 3 favorite rings. Then third, out of those 3 he would pick his favorite, before four, finally proposing.
Being without him for the first 10 days of Christmas Break was harder than I ever imagined it would be. He kept busy and I was bored out of my mind. All I wanted to do was talk to him constantly and facetime every day, but the way it would out we were only able to do that a few times. I missed him more than I thought I would and was surprised one night when I just cried myself to sleep. I had never had such strong feelings for someone before. I always prided myself on being a strong, independent woman, and it shocked met that I couldn't control my emotions that night. I think that helped me recognize how real this was and how much I really needed him. It was two days after that we were finally reunited. After a 2 hour delay and what seemed like forever waiting for him, at 1:30 am I finally saw him. My heart was whole again. We spent a wonderful 5 days with my family, just hanging out, playing games, and being together. Austin fit right in and I was so pleased to see how well he meshed with everyone. We were also able to attend the Gilbert temple together which is where we had discussed getting married. It was an indescribable feeling sitting in the Celestial Room with him knowing we would be back there in a few months right before we were to be sealed to one another for eternity. I simply cannot express how much love I felt for him in that moment, and most especially how much appreciation and gratitude I felt that he was worthy and ready to take me there. The rest of our time in AZ was wonderful, but after a while it was time to return back to school and reality and head back to Rexburg.
Apparently over Christmas break when Austin came to meet my family he asked my dad for permission. He was so sneaky I had no idea until my mom accidently gave it away shortly before we went ring shopping. I only found out recently what actually happened and he was shocked that I didn't know or pick up any hints! When we got back to Rexburg after break it took a couple of weeks, and mainly a weekend of him working doubles to be able to put a down payment down for a ring, before anything engagement wise came up. We knew that we were getting married and that if we waited to get engaged to plan everything we wouldn't have much time so we started planning and looking into things shortly after we talked about getting married the first time, but as far as the engagement was concerned, it was still a while coming. After he got home from that last shift of doubles a couple weekends ago though he said we were going ring shopping. The next day we went to Jensen Jewelers here in Rexburg and I found the most beautiful ring I have ever seen that fit exactly what I wanted. It was out of our desired price range though so I figured I wouldn't get it and we found other ones that were simpler at some other places that I liked too. That was the only day we did that and then we didn't talk about it again though. I was trying to be patient and I wanted him to be able to surprise me so I tried to keep my curiosity and observations to a minimum. Sometimes it was was really hard though and I was anxious. I kept feeling like I had to look good all the time and make sure that my nails were always painted. Goodness gracious, you would have thought I was being followed by paparazzi or something. But it was all in good fun and worth it so that I could actually look good when the time came.
Earlier in January we scheduled a time my mom and sisters could fly up here to go dress shopping whether or not I was engaged. That time was the weekend of January 29th and when Tuesday of that week came and I was still not engaged I wondered when he was ever going to do it. I could've sworn all of the signs pointed to it being that night. I was a little disappointed and frustrated when we just hung out and nothing happened, but I tried to not let on. Then on Wednesday, January 27th, we went to the 4:30 session at the temple like normal and when we came out, to my complete and utter surprise, he had all of our friends and my sister, and his dad and sister waiting with signs that said, "Will you marry me?" I immediately enveloped him in a hug and then after we hugged he told me how much he loved me, that I was his best friend, and that he wanted to spend his whole life with me. He was crying, I was crying, and in that moment of shock and surprise, I had never felt so loved. He then got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! My personality really showed through at that moment when the only response that left my mouth was, "Duh," but I couldn't help myself. I knew I wanted to marry him more than anything. I knew it was coming, he actually managed to surprise me and I'm still on cloud nine. Oh, and that perfect ring? Yeah, it's currently sitting on my left hand just gorgeous and stunning. I seriously can't believe this is my life!! Haha 
I also bought my dream dress that weekend that my mom and sisters were here, another miracle! It was originally $950 but because they're discontinuing it we got it for an amazing price. I seriously can't believe how everything is falling together. I am so excited to marry Austin and be sealed to him for eternity. He is the love of my life, my best friend, and seriously the most hard working and amazing man I have ever met. My heart has never felt so full. I have never felt this much before in my whole life. Sometimes I really don't believe that this is my life. I can't wrap my mind around the fact that everything I have ever hoped and dreamed for has not only come true, but is so much better than I ever thought possible. My testimony of the Lord's plan has grown so much too. Our Father in Heaven really does have something so much better than we could've ever hoped and dreamed for in store for us. We need only trust Him and remain worthy and ready when the time comes. I love Austin more than I've ever loved anyone in my whole life. I love him more each and every day, and am shocked realizing that my capacity to love him grows each day too. I have truly, "...found the one whom my soul loveth." (Songs of Solomon 3:4) We are by no means perfect. Both of us have a lot to learn, but we're so excited and ready to do those things together. Now the real countdown begins! 62 days until I'm married and sealed to the man who has changed everything and made me realize that true love does exist. 
