We drove up to Temple Square that day. Now, we were both obviously very anxious about the impending proposal. Every time we sat down or Chris looked at me I expected him to pop the question. The funny thing was we were surrounded by brides. It was spring break and wedding parties were EVERYWHERE. The temple grounds were dotted with big white dresses. There were brides in sneakers and brides in bare feet. There were brides kissing and brides laughing and brides being photographed and nervous parents fussing over details and photographers everywhere you looked. It intimidated the heck out of my man. You see, every time we sat down or he looked at me he was about to propose, but then the second he opened his mouth a bride would come around the corner and steal out spotlight. We went the entire day with no proposal.
We were meeting another friend of mine at Temple Square that day and the plan was for me to go home with her for the next few days. She picked me up and when she asked me how I was I said, “I think I’m engaged.” The time passed in a haze because that was all I could think about.
When I got back to my dorm on Saturday night Chris picked me up and we drove over to his grandparent’s house to catch a late movie. As soon as we opened the door, Grandpa came running with arms wide open and crowed, “Welcome to the family!”
He gave me a big hug while Chris hissed through clenched teeth, “I haven’t asked her yet!”
“You two can’t pull the wool over my eyes! I know what’s going on here!”
Chris looked totally defeated. I just about fell down the stairs from laughing so hard.
The next day Chris was bringing me over for Sunday dinner. I had an inkling that he would propose (I wonder why). We drove past the main entrance to the Manti temple, the place where we both wanted to get married. I expected him to drive up and stop, but he didn’t. The poor guy was trying very hard to be suave and everyone was spoiling his romantic plans. As he passed the main entrance I figured he would drive up the back way, which is exactly what he did. He took me out of the car, sat me on a boulder and proposed asking if I would honor him and his family name and be his wife. Of course I said yes.
He then told me that he knew he better do it before he brought me home for a family dinner or he’d be forced to do it right there in front of everyone, which was true. As soon as we arrived we were bombarded on every side, and the wedding plans began.
Posted by Lou on November 28, 2007 @ 1:18 pm | 10 Comments
Parts 1, 2, 3. . .
The following week marked spring break, a season in Utah marked by blooming flowers, no classes and people getting engaged so fast it’ll make your head spin. Being an out of state student in a tiny town who had never set foot in Utah before being dropped off there for college, I had nothing to do and no car to do it with. So Chris proposed that he take me up to Temple Square to see the sites and that we spend a few days there.
Because we are very goodie two shoes, straightlaced Mormons, we arranged to have me stay at a friend’s house in Provo while Chris stayed with his friends. The next morning my friend dropped me off at Tyler and Amber’s place where Chris was. Tyler was in class at the time and Chris was in the shower. Amber practically jumped me. She immediately began to assess the depth and future of our then three week old relationship. She asked me if Chris and I had talked about marriage, and I said that we had but not seriously. The conversation then turned to less threatening topics, which was a relief.
The second my husband to be stepped out of the bathroom Amber pounced and giddily said, “Let’s go ring shopping!” Chris and I were shocked. He was wondering what the heck I had told Amber. You see, his ultimate plan had been to ditch me with Amber and go ring shopping with Tyler, but he hadn’t shared that with anyone. It was supposed to be a surprise. I was in shock, but trying not to look like I cared too much either way because I didn’t want to scare him off, but I didn’t want him to think that I was opposed to the idea. Amber gleefully dragged us out the door.
She took us to what is probably the fanciest, most expensive ring store in all of Utah. There wasn’t a ring there that wasn’t set in platinum and I don’t recall seeing anything less than a carat on display. I watched Chris go white reading the $20,000 price tags and I kept thinking, “Isn’t that like a down payment on a house?” Thankfully, it was time to go pick up Tyler from his class, and so we left the ridiculously posh jewelry store.
When we picked up Tyler and explained, much to his surprise, what we were doing, he suggested that he take us to the jewelry shop that he had purchased Amber’s ring in. He drove us to the Orem mall.
A few months earlier I had been at this mall with a guy I dated casually when I had been stopped dead in my tracks by a beautiful wedding dress in a display window. I had no serious relationship at the time and no intention of wedding any time in the near future, but when I saw that dress my heart skipped a beat. I have never been the kind of girl who read through bride magazines and planned lavish fairy tale weddings; I had never had my head turn over a cake or a ring or a dress, but this dress was perfection. It was modest and simple in design, but with intricate details that resembled vintage trim. I was absolutely breathless, and I said, “I hope that dress is around when I get married.” The ring shop Tyler took us to was directly across the hall from this dress shop.
Chris and I began to look at rings. He gravitated toward thicker bands and massive rocks, while I favored much more delicate settings. However, in both of the ring stores we had visited, I didn’t see a single ring that made me want to wear it for the rest of my life. Chris and Tyler were sitting down to talk to the jeweler and he shooed me down to the other end of the store. I sat down in front of a ring display and there it was, the most lovely, delicate setting for a ring that I had ever seen. The engagement and wedding bands intertwined gracefully and the wedding band held four smaller stones around the center engagement stone. The edges twisted between smooth and brushed gold. I asked the sales girl to show the ring to Chris and tell him that I wanted something along these lines. Apparently she knew the look on my face because when she quietly brought the ring to my almost-fiancé she said, “This is it. This is the ring. If it isn’t this ring, she’s not going to say yes.” I didn’t hear what she said, but needless to say, Chris was taken aback! He leaned over toward me and said, “I thought you wanted white gold,” which I did. The jeweler immediately confirmed that he had the same set in white gold, and it was done.
Chris then handed me a five dollar bill and told me to go look around and get something to drink. He did not want the entire surprise spoiled, and I know after what the salesgirl said he didn’t want me there telling him to get a huge diamond!
Kicked out of the store with Amber I decided that I might as well go over to the dress shop and see if that gorgeous wedding gown was still there. It was, and it fit like it was made for me. It really was perfect. I took down the information on the dress for later. How many women can say they tried on their wedding dress while their boyfriend was buying their engagement ring?
Well, we caught up with the guys about a half an hour later. Chris was in shock. He had just emptied his bank account, and his surprise was pretty much ruined. I was very much on edge.
Part 5 Tomorrow! 
Posted by Lou on November 27, 2007 @ 3:18 pm | 5 Comments
(2 out of 3 doctors recommend reading parts 1 and 2 first).
So we were official. And something was very wrong with me. I could not stop smiling. People were commenting left and right about this sudden beaming grin on my face, a face that prior to falling in love usually wore a more refined and serious expression.
Four days later Chris and I had still not had our first kiss. We were sitting in the car outside my dorm late at night and Chris turned to me and said, “I hope this doesn’t freak you out- but I really hope I marry you.” This should have freaked me out, really it should have, but it didn’t, not at all. I said, “I hope I marry you too.” I really, really like this guy, I thought as I said goodnight.
Two nights later we were watching a movie in front of a roaring fire at Chris’ grandparent’s house when one thing led to another and he kissed me. You would think that this would be some monumental romantic oh-we-are-so-made-for-each-other moment, but it wasn’t. It was tainted. The moment our lips locked one, and only one, thought ran through my mind in boldfaced type. Chris’ kissing conversation frm a few weeks prior was at the front of my brain and all I could hear was him saying: I’M NOT KISSING ANYONE UNTIL I KNOW SHE’S GOING TO BE AROUND FOR AWHILE. Here I am, locked in a passionate embrace and all I can think is, “I’m going to be around for awhile? WHOA! This is serious!”
The next week followed in a bit of a daze. I knew this was it. I was totally overwhelmed by the fact that this was it and here I was at the ripe old age of nineteen, with plans and goals and suddenly, they just weren’t quite as important because This was the THIS that was IT.
Chris’ mother was coming into town. Now this is a woman who in my adult life is one of the people who I treasure most. I had no idea that we would become such close friends at the time. I just knew that I was about to meet my future mother in-law and it scared the pants off me. Her parents had filled her in on her son and his new girlfriend and also the seriousness of the matter. (Remember, they had already had us married the first time we met- at this point visions of 2.5 kids and a cocker spaniel were probably going through their heads). So she had flown out from California to meet me.
Like I said, I was scared silly. During the time that Chris and I had been dating I hadn’t made a lot of efforts in the hair and make-up department, and he loved me anyway. But this was different. The day that Chris was supposed to pick me up to go meet his mother I think I went through every article of clothing in my closet. I remember the exact pair of black pants and burgundy sweater I ended up wearing (not too causal, not too formal). I can distinctly recall the moment in the car when Chris took a good look at me and my make up and busted up laughing and said, “You got dressed up to meet my mom!” Yes, dear, I did. The shaking knees are for her too.
So I met the mother. I remember very little about this, except that Grandpa had one of those obnoxious parrots with a microphone that repeated whatever you said, and he made me talk to the bird, in German, and I had no choice but to play along. Then, because that wasn’t embarrassing enough, I tripped over my own glass of cranberry juice and spilled it on the white carpet. Aside from that I stumbled through a few pleasantries and just stared at this woman who I knew was going to be my mother in-law while a voice in my head screamed, “Does she have any idea? Does she know I kissed her son? Is she going to be one of the scary mother in-laws who might try to kill me? Do I look like a complete idiot?”
Because I didn’t say any of those things, and Chris’ mom is actually very kind and welcoming, it went reasonably well. She had a very good idea what was going on between her son and this girl he had dated for all of two weeks, but handled things with grace and finesse. We only visited for a short while and then I was able to go home and drive Chris crazy with endless inquiries as to what he thought his mother thought of me. Then he was able to drive his already neurotic girlfriend crazy by answering with words like “fine”and “ok” rather than detailed information.
But, I had passed the test. I met the mother and things continued to snowball.
Posted by Lou on November 14, 2007 @ 11:31 am | 7 Comments
Today: I pack for a trip to Utah to visit the hubby’s relatives- in-laws, outlaws and the like. Many of whom I love dearly and a few who - well not so much I’m sure, heh. Such is life. Such is family. You love them, they love you, they get on your nerves, they judge you with the harshness and hypocrisy of a thousand burning suns and commentate on your lifestyle, parenting style, clothing style, hairstyle, lack of style. And through it all, you attempt to smile and remember that really, behind any family crap that can be thrown at you ( I HAVE FOUR SISTER IN-LAWS- there is always PMS going on in this family), you do love these people, and you love your hubby, who is a product of these good people. . .even when sometimes you fail to see the resemblance. . .see I’m totally psyching myself up. Family. WOOOOO! Bring it on. I always have a good time in Manti (after the fifteen freaking hour drive through the wasteland that is Nevada). I fell in love in Manti and I always feel GOOD in Manti. That’s just how that town is. It makes me happy. Plus there is the gorgeous Manti temple there, where Chris and I were married. And the family cabin, which is completely wonderful and so very, very Grandpa that you just have to smile and feel all gooey and sticky inside because people, don’t singing, plastic deer heads mounted on the wall do that for everyone? No? Just the Tibbs clan? Well. . .I guess that is why I fit in.
Didja follow any of that?
Today: I am restraining myself from diving headfirst into the next two books in the Twilight series. I keep telling myself that packing is important. Clean underware: IMPORTANT. Having a thousand pages to read on a fifteen hour car ride: IMPORTANT. But I so want to know what happens next!
Today: My baby brother enters the MTC (Missionary Training Center). After three weeks there he will be off to Melbourne Australia to do missionary work for the next two years. Last night, as we chatted on the phone for the last time for the next two years, he thanked me for beating him up when he needed it. I said you’re welcome. I cannot believe he is growing up. It is good. I am really excited to watch him do this and someday get married and bring home some girl who can feel the way I feel when he brings her home to meet her new sister in-laws, “Welcome to our alien planet- yes, we really are that weird!”
As soon as he gets to Australia, my siblings and I will all be on different continents. I have no idea how my parents raised such independent children. They both live in the state they were born in, married someone from a nearby small town, and live only an hour from their parents, which is beautiful and sometimes I’m extremely jealous, but seriously- why do their offspring feel the need to leave the country? I have no idea. I can say, with all honesty, that after college and marriage and babies, I am ready to move back home for awhile. Take a little reprieve from the moving. Only one year and eight months of the Air Force left for us, and then really, who knows? Chris is finishing up his degree, and in a little over a year he starts applying for jobs. Anyone want a really gifted computer networking guy working for you in that time frame? A hunky guy who enjoys long walks on the beach, good books. . .wait. . .that was the resume that won me over- he’ll need a new strategy for the civilian job market.
Today: I have a mountain of laundry. I have cereal to vacuum off of the carpet. I have luggage to locate and then pack. Today I’m procrastinating. Typical. Better get off my butt and start making things happen.
Posted by Lou on September 27, 2007 @ 12:11 pm | 7 Comments
Today, we had the most wonderful sushi lunch with my sister in law Kelly. Kelly is a pharmaceutical rep (or as I like to put it, a drug pusher), and she spends much of her time wooing doctors by taking them to fancy restaurants. She is paid to shovel huge mouthfuls of delicious food in her mouth while explaining the complex medical benefits of various dermatology drugs. Sounds like a good time to me!
All of this eating has made Kelly into a guru of all things good to eat in and around Salt Lake City. She took us all out to her favorite local sushi place and ordered some truly wonderful stuff. For the first time ever, I ate raw fish. And it was WONDERFUL! More sushi, I say!
While we were there the manager came over to woo Kelly a bit. Apparently he looks at her and sees dollar signs, and why shouldn’t he? Kelly routinely drops thousands of dollars catering to doctors. She deserves a little butt kissing from time to time I’d say, even if it is kind of weird.
Today, as we were about half way through the meal, Jonas threw up, in typical Jonas fashion. The child cannot cough, choke, gag, or apparently, take a drink of water, without vomiting. I seriously think something is physically wrong here, and I will be making a doctor appointment to have this checked out. I don’t think most children vomit two or three times per week.
What I don’t get about all of this puking is that it never seems to happen when we’re eating at some trashy McDonalds- it only happens at nicer restaurants- and I’ve noticed that the more upscale the place, the higher the likelihood that he’s gonna blow. I don’t get it.
Posted by Lou on April 3, 2007 @ 2:21 pm | 12 Comments
Our road trip to Utah, was, in many ways, successful and enjoyable. Maggie and Jonas were truly stellar travelers. Seeing family was wonderful. The cabin Chris’ grandparents built for everyone up on the mountain they own is fantastic and is seriously, just a really, really great idea to keep the family together for years to come.
The one thing that did an excellent job overshadowing a lot of these wonderful things was our dirty, rotten, good for nothing lemon of a car. We had barely crossed the state line in Nevada when the check engine light came on. I watched the light for about thirty seconds before a high pitched squealing sound began. Chris was watching a movie in the car, so I hoped the odd noise was part of his show, ane right when I was about to turn to him and say, “honey. . .” he turned to me and freaked out. The noise was not coming from the movie. It was the car. And not only was the check engine light on, but the rpms were redlining. I know, I know, I’m an idiot.
We pulled over (what choice did we have?) Chris examined things, and we decided to drive to the next town and get things checked out. To make a very long story short: we stopped in four towns, paid four different mechanics about sixty bucks a pop, and nothing they did made any difference at all. We were pretty sure it was the transmission, but we couldn’t find a shop that dealt with them. We had to drive all the way to Utah before we could find someone to fix the transmission, and he couldn’t get to it until the day we were planning on driving home.
Chris stayed in Utah for two days waiting for the car to be fixed while the kids and I hitched a ride with my in-laws. I spent the entire fourteen hour drive in the middle front seat of the truck with my feet on the dash, where I read a forensic crime novel over my mom in law’s shoulder. As soon as we crossed onto the air force base, the truck got a flat, which I am sure happened because of my family’s negative vehicle vibes.
So, eventually, we all got home. The ordeal returned us to financial ruin, which I am getting used to what with the broken computer, broken fridge, and our children having simultaneous two inch growth spurts and requiring complete new wardrobes. Apparently when it rains, it really does pour.
Since both of our most recent traveling attempts have turned into huge crises, I will no longer be traveling. It is everyone else’s turn to come see me.
Posted by Lou on August 20, 2006 @ 10:17 pm | 0 Comments
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