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Saturday, September 6, 2008

16 years!!

Our engagement photo :) This is the Washington D.C. Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. This is where I married my best friend, and eternal companion 16 years ago. Scott and I celebrated our 16th anniversary on the 29th of August. It doesn't seem that long, unless he is snoring or passing kidney stones, or passing certain noises. :) Scott and I met while he was serving a church mission in California. I met him while I was shopping at a nearby Walgreens (or something like that). He was there with his companion and they were up to "no good". They lived with their zone leaders and apparently wanted to play a trick on them. The zone leaders would be playing in a golf outing the following day, and Scott (Elder Tippets) thought it would be funny to make EX-LAX browies before the event. The only problem was that they needed someone to do their dirty work. I happed it be at the right place at just the right time. Recognizing these "elders" (this is what we call our missionaries) from my ward, I said, "Hey Elders, what are you doing here?" Before I knew what was going on, I was on my way home to make EX-LAX brownies. A few hours later, I took the evil brownies by, and the "zonies" loved them! They were hating life while out on the green the next day. Poor guys, having to run to the port-a-potty every 20 minutes. Scott and I corresponded (that's what we did back then -correspond -it means letter writing with a stamp, or a phone call) a few times after he went home, but life circumstances weren't right. Two and a half years after he was home (in his last semester at BYU actually), a piece of paper with his phone number came popping out from a drawer. I guess I saved it for all that time, and somehow it ended up in my "junk" drawer(even after a couple of moves). One day, I noticed the paper, had an overwhelming feeling that I should call, then shoved it to the back of the drawer. Somehow, it would make its way to the front again. After a few months of repeating the process, I finally got the nerve to call LATE one night. I got off work at 11 pm (my time), and being the clueless 22-year-old that I was, and filled with some nerve that came from somewhere else, I called that phone number -only it was 2 A.M EASTERN TIME!! In Delaware, where Scott is from, his parents were sound asleep. They were so nice when I called. After explaining who I was, Marie (Scott's mom) told me that he was at BYU (Utah), and that she would let their son know that I (psycho-girl) had called, then she graciously hung up. Personally, I would have hung-up on me! Anyway, I did finally get ahold of him (obviously) from BYU information. We had a long-distance relationship for about 4 months before we actually "met" again. This was before email, text messaging and all the other ways to communicate electronically. We would talk on the phone a few times a week, but after GI-NORM-IC phone bills, we decided to only talk once a week. We wrote letters though, LOTS of letters. I think this really helped us learn to communicate with each other. Scott came out for a week-end during Christmas break (we looked at engagement rings, and played tourists in San Fransisco), then it was back to long-distance again. I came out to see him for graduation, met his family, then I was off to Californina again, with NO ring! He had many opportunities. What happened? Why didn't he ask? I was somewhat heartbroken. Afraid that the stranger sitting next to me on the plane would see the tears streaming down my face, as we lifted off the ground I looked out the window. The Oakland, California Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I was sad because we had looked at rings, talked about family and our future together, and with his family all there for the graduation, in my mind it was the perfect opportunity to announce our engagement. There was no ring, no proposal and no announcement that weekend. He sure didn't use his time wisely. As I recall though, it was less than 48 hours and he was on the phone. He was trying to propose OVER THE PHONE! "Ang", he said. "I have a question for you..." Before I let him fall on his face, I told him that if he was going to ask me what I thought he was going to ask me, he better get on a plane. Scott was on his way less than 48 hours after that phone call. He could have saved some time, and some of my tears, had he asked while I was in Utah less than a week before. It's all good though. While he was out, we went to the Oakland Temple and walked around for a while. I kind of hobbled because I had just had some screws removed from my bunion surgery, I was on crutches. We went up to the second level area of the temple where there is a GORGOUS view of the San Fansisco Bay, when it's not overcast. Anyway, it was a beautiful evening. After spending some time up there, Scott did get down on one knee and proposed. I still have to give him a hard time every once in a while though for trying to ask over the phone. Do you know that Scott brings me flowers almost every month, just because? He does, and I love that about him.

4 comments:

Bridges Family said...

Who are these kids? You both look so young and innocent! Love the story... I'm not sure I knew all those details! Happy Anniversary!

Cari said...

RIT ROO- Angela, you are a hottie!!! Congrats, and it's nice to share my anniversary with you guys. Sweet 16 for us too. We corresponded via snail mail too, and pay phone. $200 phone bills caused me to get a second job.

Anonymous said...

Our anniversity was August 31st - 17 years....not a happy one this year but, love your story!! Michael and I dated for about 9 months, some of the time he was staying with me at my house (well, my parents house, but they were in Hanaford Washington - my dad was at the nuclear plant.) Anyway, we started dating in May and by the next March I just said to him, you gonna marry me?? He said yes and we went together and picked out rings and had them sized. Picked them up a week later and I just put my engagement ring on my finger and on a street in downtown Cincinnati he says, I didn't ask you to marry me! So on the street I give him the ring and then he put it on my finger. Well, we went to my house and my mom was there and my sister and herh husband. Since my parents were spending so much time out of town, (and still do...lol) I finally flashed my hand and my mom got excited and my jerk husband says, since you are moving away and leaving we had to do something, Teresa would be alone. My mom then went in the bathroom and cried. Not a good night! Course could tell you stories, like when my parents were in Tennessee for my dad's job and Michael and I were dating and we were all down there...Mercy! We hung out on Curtis Crossroads in Hendersonville, TN at Hank Williams Jr's recording studio. (I can tell you a story about going to TN years before that with my girlfriend, lets just say good thing we got back home!! Nothing bad but a fun time!) That was 18 years ago. Check the internet....we were on TV! Went to Opryland and we were on Nashville Now....and years before that, we were at Opryland like 3 years in a row for a Gospel Music Festival.......have video and I am sure if you look hard enough you can find it on the internet!!

Stockpiling Mom said...

Love your story! Thanks for sharing it with us!