I had never really been in a relationship with anyone until my husband. I did have "boyfriends" in middle school and early high school but not anything real. I hadn't even had a first kiss before I went to college so I was not expecting to find the person I was going to marry so soon.
Above are three pictures of my husband and I at our wedding.
I met my husband on the first day of orientation at BYU-Idaho. His name is Ryan Blegen. He was in my group. I only remember things that I saw but every time we talk about how we met my mom and sister always bring up how after that first day I told them both that I was going to marry this guy even though I had been too scared to even say anything to him. The second day of orientation we ended up eating lunch in the same group of people, the group consisted of 4-5 girls and him and I had a feeling that I was not the only one there with a crush on him. After lunch he gave his number to us and that is when I became brave, or crazy. I started texting him and asking him about the dance that night and I was so excited to see him there and he had told me he was going to ask me to dance and I couldn't wait!
I went to i-night, a night full of fun activities on campus like laser tag, speed dating, sumo wrestling, and the dance! I did the listed activities and then made my way over to the dance with my new friend Chelsea. I couldn't wait to see Ryan! He was there and we joined the group he was in and I thought I had a really good chance at dancing with him. I waited through each slow song hoping he would ask and he didn't! He even asked Chelsea, my friend who he had just met, to dance but not me. Then he left early because he had to wake up for an early class in the morning. I was sad but I quickly cheered up when my counselor from those past 2 days asked me to dance for the last song, btw I had a little crush on him too.
I texted Ryan that night to see why he hadn't danced with me and he said he hadn't even seen me. I was sad but I knew I would meet other guys so I tried not to dwell over it too long. The next day I went to my classes. I think my science class was my second class of the day so I got there and sat down somewhere in the middle of the classroom and waited for it to start. Right before the teacher got up to start guess who walked in? Ryan! He was rushed because he was almost late so he hadn't seen me but I sure saw him. Right after class I made my way up to the front of classroom to where he was and we started talking and he walked me back to my apartment.
When we got to my apartment he kept telling me that he needed to get home because he had so much homework to do so I told him that was fine and I opened my door to go in and he changed his mind, he stayed until I had to go to my flute class, for another hour or two. This soon became a habit of his walking me home from science and I enjoyed it. Also he would come over all the time to just hang out.
Our first date was a double date. My roommate Amanda had been asked out on a date by a guy she didn't really know too well so she said yes under one stipulation, that it had to be a double date. Of course I jumped on that opportunity to ask Ryan out and of course help my friend out. He said yes! I was so excited! We went to Amanda's date's apartment and the boys made dinner for us and we made dessert for them, I think? and then we watched a movie. Ryan always makes fun of me for this and I am almost hesitant to write it out on the internet but what I did next is a crucial part of our story. During the movie the whole time all I could think about was how badly I wanted to hold his hand! So I did. I made the move. I looked over at him and said, "I bet your hand is bigger than mine" and snuck my fingers in between his! Cheesy I know but it worked! After this date the hand holding didn't stop though we would do it every time we hung out, but never in public only when we were in my apartment, my roommates were there with us of course.
I was falling in love with this boy and I had only known him for about a month. I felt crazy because only a few months before I had been saying how crazy it was that my cousin had met someone and fallen in love with him so fast and now the same thing was happening to me. This was also the point where I wanted to know if this was going anywhere so after I had cried to my roommates about how I wanted this thing between Ryan and me to be something more they convinced me that I needed to have the talk with him tonight! So I texted him and asked him if he would go on a walk with me and of course he was weary about the idea since it was snowing and freezing outside but he agreed.
I was terrified! I could not believe that my roommates talked me into doing this. We walked around in silence for a bit until his nose started to freeze off his face and that is when he suggested that we stopped by the Pineapple Grill for something to eat and so we could get out of the cold. We sat there some more talking but I was obviously avoiding the topic that I so desperately wanted to bring up. He kept pushing me though and I could not get the words out, I have not ever been someone that has been able to easily spill my feelings out to anyone. Finally I told him that I was worried about where out relationship was going and that I liked him a lot but I wanted to know how he felt and he told me that he liked me a lot too and I was satisfied, also we had been holding hands the whole time so that made things better too!
He walked me back home after we ate and I wanted to kiss him so badly but chickened out. I had already been through so much that I couldn't convince myself to go over that milestone too. BTW at this point I k still had not kissed anyone yet!
The big day finally arrived! He kissed me! I had always dreamed about my first kiss, who it would be with, what it would be like. My best friend and I would even watch how to videos when we were in middle school because we were so desperate to experience that moment. My first kiss was amazing and not amazing. At the time I was elated. Now that I look back at it though I am still so happy that it happened but it makes me laugh and Ryan and I laugh about it all the time. We were watching a movie with some of my roommates and their boyfriends at the time and of course the other couples were kissing... ALOT and I was getting nervous because I was hoping I would get some "action"... lip "action" that is.... too. Ryan and I were cuddling on one of the couches and I guess he had been thinking about it too and he had decided to make the move and so he leaned over which then caused me to sink further into the couch which to him looked like I was backing away from him and he went in for a kiss. It was not very graceful but it was good enough for me because as soon as he left I started freaking out to my roommates and went to my room and wrote the time and day down in my journal so I would always remember my first kiss!
Things started to progress from there and we would kiss all the time but never in public only when he would say goodbye at my apartment or say hello but I was worried that I was becoming someone I didn't want to become, a makeout buddy. Eventually we did start kissing in public and it made me so happy but I still wasn't sure what we were. I think he could tell that I was worried because one day after science class after he had walked me home he asked me to be his girlfriend! Of course I said yes. Then three days later we told each other we loved each other. Then for the next few months we talked about how we wanted to get married and things started to progress in that direction from that time forward.
In march I went to Washington state with him and met his parents who I love so much now but was terrified of meeting them that weekend but who isn't afraid of meeting their in-laws to be for the first time? Then in April he came home with me for the break. I had a feeling this would be the time that he would propose. I already knew the ring I wanted, we had gone ring shopping and he told me to pick out my favorite ones and he would choose one from those choices and then he would surprise me with one, if it happened ;). I waited all week! Then finally it was Thursday and he had talked to my dad alone the night before and we were going on a hike to Craig's castle in Meriden,CT and I knew it was the day! Then we got there and he told me he and my dad had talked about how he should wait to ask me to marry him because things were going too fast. I was furious at him for the rest of the day! How dare he make this decision with my dad! Without me!
The next day I was still pretty mad but I decided I would try to enjoy the day since we would be taking Ryan to New York City and it would be his first time. We took him all around showing him all our favorite sites. My parents even paid for a carriage ride around central park. We took him to times square and to FAO Schwartz. When we were in FAO Schwartz we went to the first floor first where they keep all the candy. We were looking at everything and as most people who know me know I love candy so my mom kept asking me if I wanted some and for some reason that day I was feeling extra self conscious so I kept refusing so she got a bag and I picked out a couple candies but told myself I just wouldn't eat any. That didn't happen!
As we walked around the store I had the bag of candy for the majority of the time but my mom would occasionally ask if she could have some. Then when we got to the lego section of the store my mom asked for the bag one more time and when she gave it back there was a diamond ring on top, MY diamond ring. I put it on as soon as I saw it, which is always something Ryan laughs at, and turned around to see Ryan on one knee. I said yes! Oh so apparently the ring had been in the bag the whole time but I kept missing it because there was rock candy in the bag and I was trying to avoid the rock candy so my mom kept putting it at the top every time she took the bag. Also I had been very distracted all day and Ryan had tried to propose a few times before FAO Schwartz but I am so happy the way that it happened.
After he proposed we went to my favorite restaurant, Olive Garden, and ate lunch or dinner and then headed home. Then there were many months of wedding planning, which I cannot take credit for the majority of it, my mom helped out a lot, I like to stay stress free because even a little stress can push me over the edge!
We got married on October 14, 2011 in the LDS Boston temple. We had a reception that night in CT and then an open house the next day at my parents house. Then we enjoyed an amazing honeymoon from Darrell and Kris Blegen! A Carnival cruise that went to 5? islands in the Caribbean. Everything was such a dream come true. Ryan was my dream guy and still is!
We now live in Connecticut in our own apartment. He is working with Macy's in one of their distribution warehouses. We have a 6 month old daughter named Savannah who we both love so much. I am so happy that I have my husband and I could not ask for anyone better because he is the best! He is the one I love and will always love!
