Neither of us got married early in life. I was home two years from my mission before I met Natalie. I was getting tired of dating and not finding compatibility. I met Natalie in an institute class. I noticed her from across the room, because she was so pretty, but she stood out from the other girls, because she wasn’t trying to be obvious about it. As the class went on, I liked that she had insightful things to say about the spiritual topics that were discussed. She even became emotional during spiritual videos. It took a couple of weeks before I could even get her to talk to me, but I found the challenge enjoyable. Our first date was great, because it felt natural. It was easy to talk to her. She was so down-to-earth and genuine. She was so spiritual. She had served a mission and taught the gospel. She was confident and independent, and I valued all of these things. It was not until after I married Natalie, that I realized that I was luckiest man in the world. She has a great talent for befriending the people who really need friends. I don’t know how she knows who they are. She just does and is great at building them up. She is a really hard worker, almost too much so, because sometimes she can not put things down until she finishes them. She is ultra organized. You should see our house…”a place for everything and everything in its place”. It balances me out very well. She is great with youth and infants. She went to school to be a Montessori teacher for ages 0-3. Her ability to use developmental play to help infants and toddlers progress physically and mentally is astounding. The parents of her students from school and the class she had in our home love her to death and are long-term friends now. I guess my favorite thing about Natalie is her sensitivity to the Spirit and her capacity to love. She is a great compass for this family. I do not know what else I can say about her that will adequately explain what a wonderful woman she is. I love her with all of my heart.
Wow, after reading something like that you can already see how wonderful my husband is, and how he loves to make me cry…(but in a good way). As Stephen said we met at institute. I was very aware that institute was a place where young adults tried to ‘hook-up’ so in turn I felt the need NOT to get all dressed up because I was there to learn and to try and understand the scriptures and my life. Thankfully Stephen is persistent and very good looking, I did notice him the first day he came to class and he approached me a few weeks later. Our first date was fun and easy, I like not having to ‘try’ but just being able to be myself with someone and they understand you and want to get to know you. We were both in the right time in our life where marriage and love was easy, with the right person, and I had found that person in him. He is a true romantic (very spontaneous) and proposed to me in the most unusual way, after our first kiss he pulled me out onto the front lawn with the sprinklers on, all with my eyes closed, knelt down and told me to think of the most beautiful place on earth (the celestial room in the temple) and when I opened my eyes he proposed, I have never felt so happy and so loved. So many thought it was awfully fast but I felt I’d known Stephen for so long; he brought out the best in me. I have always been amazed at how Stephen isn’t upset by anything; he can look at things rationally and without judgment. He studies and comes to understand a situation or problem before making a decision. He is reliable but takes great fun in being spontaneous. He has a great ability to befriend others to serve and love them. I know every time he gets out the lawnmower he won’t just mow our lawn but the neighbors who are too old to get outside. His work habits are wonderful, often sacrificing his time off work to help in family projects or church related projects. He is focused and driven in his education, he relies on the spirit to guide him in decisions, has a wonderful outlook on life, and an eternal optimist. When I look at my husband I see a man of God, someone who loves me despite my short comings, a man I can depend on for anything, a loving man who cares for so many, and who is my balance in all things. I am so grateful to have him in my life, to be my partner in work and play!
