I love hearing how couples met. Something about it intrigues me. I never feel like I really know a couple well until I know this about them. Maybe it’s Valentine’s Day (which I love by the way) bringing this out, but I’m in the mood for stories.
Now, if you’ve been reading my blog for awhile you’ve actually seen our “story” unfold. But in case you haven’t here’s the story of us…so far. (Please feel free to write your stories on your blog and leave me a link!)
August 2002
I move to Rexburg, ID to attend BYU Idaho. Jacob has been for a few semesters already, having graduated high school early. We are in the same FHE group but never really speak. Both of us are dating other people at this time.
December 2002
My roommate Kirsten and I go to the bookstore to sell back our textbooks. I don’t know if this process has improved any recently but 6 years ago it was a several hour ordeal. We got into line to sell back our books just as Jacob walked by, to check out the length of the line I think. We called out to him and he joined us in line for what turned out to be about a 2 hour wait. It was the first time he and I had ever had a real conversation and I was really intrigued. In fact, I’d say this is where it “started” for me. Later that night I told my roommates that I thought I might like him.
During our conversation he had mentioned he was looking for a ride to Utah at the end of the semester. My friend Brett was giving me a ride so later that day or the next day I worked it out for him to get a ride down with us. I told him the condition was that he had to help me move my stuff to my new apartment downstairs. I don’t know if he was into me yet because he likes to tell people I was bossy during the move. But let me tell you, Jacob tends to get annoyed easily when he first meets someone so don’t listen to him. I’m very polite.
Brett was a couple of hours late to pick us up so after moving everything we didn’t have much of anything left to do. We couldn’t be alone in my apartment (strictest honor code ever) so we walked around campus for awhile and then sat in the lobby of my dorm. My RA’s little daughter came out in the lobby to play with us. Jacob says watching me play with her was when it “started” for him.
January 2003
We wrote a few short e-mails over the break. The day I got back to Rexburg he came to my apartment and invited me to play wallyball with him and his roommates. Now if you know anything about me you should know that the fact I said yes tells you how into Jacob I was. I’m the worst sports player. Be sure it was the only time he ever asked me. But I suspect it was just an excuse to hang out.
From there it just sort of took off. We were both super poor and didn’t have cars so nothing fancy. Lots of homemade dinners and movies at the cheap theater.
I’m sad that this is one of our only pictures from before his mission. We hardly took any!
April 2003
Jacob graduated from BYUI with his associates degree. I stayed in Rexburg a couple of days later because he wanted me to attend his graduation. The day he graduated we both came back to Utah (separately). I picked him up from his sister Heather’s house and we went out for a little date to say goodbye for the summer. We ended up at this Ghetto mexican restaurant in SLC. I cried the whole way home after dropping him off.
ETA: I was coming back to add this and Janssen already asked! Jacob and I transferred to BYU at the end of this semester. I started at BYU in the fall of 2003 (though technically I was in Nauvoo and didn’t start until winter) and he deferred until after his mission. He was at BYUI from Jan 02-April 03 and graduated with an Associates, I just did one school year there Sept 02-April 03.
May 2003
I moved to Des Moines, IA to live with some of my roommates to work for the summer.
June 2003
Jacob came with my roommate Julie’s boyfriend from WI where they both lived to visit us. We spent a few days having fun in IA.
September 2003
I moved to Nauvoo, IL for a semester abroad. Jacob came to visit me with his brothers Pete and Luke one of the first weekends I was there.
October 2003
Jacob came with Pete for another weekend visit right before leaving on his mission. The last night he was there we went with some of my friends to a Chinese restaurant in Keokuk. In my fortune cookie I got a fortune that read: “Stop searching everywhere. Happiness is sitting next to you.” I still have that fortune. We bid a sad goodbye in front of the Nauvoo Temple.
Taken in Nauvoo the afternoon he left
He left a couple of weeks later for his mission. You can read about our tearful phone goodbye here as I wrote it a few days before he returned from his mission.
October 2003-October 2005
Jacob is on his mission in Fresno, CA. We write mostly every week for the 2 years. I date a few other guys but it never got too extremely serious (some of you remember reading about CB….) because I could never get past my feelings for Jacob enough to feel too strongly about another guy.
He returned home to WI on October 27th 2005. You can read about that here.
December 2005
Jacob comes to visit me in Utah. You can read about it here. Amazingly seeing each other was like no time had passed. I can’t even explain how awesome it is to still have a spark after 2 years and know that that long wait actually paid off!
January 2006
Jacob moved back to Provo. We started spending virtually every moment we weren’t at work or in class together. We cooked dinner together all the time (my how things have changed.) To be honest we started talking marriage this month, though not too seriously.
March 2006
2 days after Jacob’s birthday he proposed! You can read about it here.
(Have I mentioned how much I miss my long hair??)
May 2006
We got married!!! Best. Day. Ever. Read all about it here and here.
August 2006- May 2008
I teach 2nd grade. Jacob finishes school early and gets a full time job.
July 2008 – now
We move to Harlem, NYC for Jacob to attend medical school and now here we are.
I would love to hear your own stories! If you blog about it (or already have) link it here.
P.S. This is the first time I’ve changed my banner EVER. So enjoy it.
Aww, I love your story, Emily! It totally made me cry, but my boyfriend and I just broke up so everything makes me cry right now. But on a less sad note, your new banner is totally cutesy.
How sweet! I read a lot of your archives a year or two ago, but it was fun to hear the whole thing in chronological order.
Also, when did you switch from BYU-I to BYU?
okay, lots of comments . . .
*I love your long hair! It is gorgeous!
*I started reading your blog off & on while Jacob was on his mission (found you through 2Peas). Anyways, I remember just loving reading your posts about college life and how much you missed him, etc. If was fun to read this post about how it all began.
*Boy, you guys have some great “reach-your-arm-out-and-snap-a-picture” pictures. I think you’ve mentioned before that Jacob has really long arms.
*fun banner!
*I may do a “how we met” blog post. Tomorrow is our 10th anniversary (holy cow) and I’ve already got something planned for that. But I just might have to turn it into a weekend of sappy love entries.
I love that I personally witnessed part of your story. I love your new banner too. Want to join me in my goal to grow my hair out for the next ten years?!:)
I loved this! I remember the last part of it, of course!
You may have inspired to do a detailed account of our strange relationship too… i’ll let you know. By the way, I LOVE your new banner! 
That’s such an awesome story. I’m going to have to go and read all the other entries you mentioned.
I love a good love story.
And great long hair!
*gasp! I LOOOOOVE your new header! I haven’t even read your post yet — I just signed onto your blog — and HAD to comment on the amazing header. Its INCREDIBLE!
Okay. Now I will read your post:)
oh my gosh!
I already knew your story, but couldn’t stop reading it, nonetheless! (Yes, I just said “nonetheless”).
I love your story and I really love your long hair too! Of course, I love it short too! I’m pretty sure I just love you. Yep. Its you!
I love your new banner. And I love the story. Thanks! Those first pictures of you guys in Rexburg you look so young and the pictures look like they were taken a long time ago. It’s very cool. It is weird to think you guys have been together as long as James has been alive! Way to go! And I really do wish we were moving to NYC too!
That was so fun to read about, especially since I didn’t “meet” you until after you were married. And I love your long hair too – so pretty! (You look really cute with short hair too, don’t get me wrong, but wow! Your long hair was so goreous!)
PS. I loved your fortune cookie! It reminded me of one I got when I was on a date with Scott, Kevin’s brother (and Shannon’s husband). It was a double date and Kevin was there with a different girl. My fortune said, “Your judgement is a little off at this time.” Pretty funny
. I was with the wrong brother.
Great story! I’ve read a lot of your archives too, but it was fun to get a brief overview of the whole story
Love the new banner! Loved reading the whole story at once. You two are so photogenic!! And I forgot to tell you – CB and wife + baby bump were at the Sealing last Saturday!!
I love your recap! I’ve actually been following your blog since the days of the 2peas Teen/College thread and remember reading everything when it was “new”. I’ve got a blog now too and posted a story of how I met my husband if you’re interested in reading it. Not many people read it so I’d love to get some new readers.
Megan
http://onecraftycupcake.blogspot.com/
Wow I got the impression that when I met you in Jan 2003 that you and Jacob were already dating. I also remember playing wally ball and watching you there it was so fun!!
Come check out my blog I wrote about Mikel and I.
http://nuttylindygal.blogspot.com/
yes! i made the post!
very cute story deary-do.
Hi emily, i got your letter today, thx so much.
i love your long hair too. i always get mine cut into a bob, and then really like it for awhile. i start to look at old pictures though and all of a sudden i’m like a bob? seriously? what was i thinking? and then i start wishing for my hair back.
i can’t believe it was 05 when jacob came back from his mission! i remember talking to you on aim about his upcoming return! wow, i can’t believe how long ago that was!
oh em. i remember this so well. i loved reading the story. it gave me the chills.
anyway, i will do a post on this next week.
Your NEW banner rocks. i need long hair, we all need long hair.
awwww I love a good love story
I remember reading your blog throughout the engagement excitement — fun to share those times in the blog world.
Your new banner is terrific! That doesn’t happen to be a picture that you took from the Belvedere castle does it? You did a great job summing up your love story.
I loved reading your story – I definitely feel like I know you better now! Your long hair was gorgeous – I’m jealous! I would have loved to have seen you guys in Utah but that week and a half sure flew by. But we’re planning another NYC trip this fall I believe. Hope your enjoying that amazing city. Only a few more (short) years left.. it’ll go by fast!
I adore your love story! I think I started reading your blog in late 2004, so while Jacob was still on the mish. It’s been fun reading ever since, and the new banner is cute- I might miss the gerber daisy though!
hey there-
thanks for commenting on my blog. i am getting a lot of traffic lately so i’m having a hard time on keeping up on the comments. i wanted to let you know that i lost the weight by working. just getting up and doing something that was different than my normal routine. i also saw my OBGYN because i have women’s health issues that relate to my weight so i was directed to a nutritionist that put me on a strict 1500 calorie diet. i need to hop back on the strict bandwagon but that’s where i started.
awww! how cuteeee
i was thinking of blogging mine soon because we’ll be a year soon. plus, the point where i started being smitten for him was MLK weekend, and well, that’s this weekend!
You are my muse.
I posted our story on our bloggity blog:)
Check it out if you’re in the mood for a soap opera style walk down memory lane!
Em, I loved reading this story!! So adorable. It makes me think about when we were roommates, and you’d tell me about Jacob, and wonder what you should do.
I may have to copy you (and Emily) and do this. Super cute idea.
You two are so darling! Somehow I had never heard how you met. I assumed for some reason that you had know each other since high school. I’m glad you posted your story. It’s really sweet. I had forgotten your hair was so long.
I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVED reading your story!!! Loooooooooooooooooooooooooooved it!!!!
And I can’t believe you changed your banner. Fun fun fun!!!
And you are so absolutely beautiful!!!!! I’m envious of your dark hair and cute freckles! I love freckles!!!