Happily Ever After

I got tagged by my friend Amber to write a post about how Mr. M and I met.  Oh boy!  Does anyone even want to hear that story?  I feel like I've told it a million times, but here goes anyway....

It was April, and I was a senior in high school.  I was so young, so naive, and so dating a sophomore named Matt.

My sister, Terra, was lusting after a guy by the name of Martin, whom she had met at a singles ward at Salt Lake Community College.  It was a Monday night and she wanted me to go with her over to the single ward's FHE at the college so that I could meet this mysterious Martin.

After a little searching, we found him, surrounded by many admiring girls.  He came over and we visited for a minute or two before someone came around the corner looking for him.  It was Erik, his younger brother, telling him it was time to go.

My heart stopped.  He was so cute!  He had such lovely bangs!  Such a nice smile!  And he was NOT in high school!  :)  Martin introduced us to his brother, who he mentioned had just returned from his mission- even better!

We visited for a few minutes and before parting ways, Erik mentioned, oh so casually, that we should go out some time.  I agreed and we exchanged phone numbers.

I hesitate to put this next part in, but I will, for it truly happened.  I went to school the next day and told my friend Erin that I had just met the man that I was going to marry.  I just knew it.  I don't know how, but I did.  Oh and I broke up with Matt.

The next weekend, Terra and I found out that the singles ward was attending a conference at BYU.  It was too late for us to sign up, but our grandparents lived in Provo by the campus, so we made arrangements to sleep over and met up with the ward at Ivey Towers to do some dancing.  

Erik was there, I think we danced together once, and then we found out that their group had decided to leave and go back to the hotel, where they were all staying, to play some games.  We were invited to tag along, and Erik hopped in Terra's car so that he could help us find the hotel.  My heart was pounding the whole time!  Did I mention how cute he was?!

As fate would have it, Erik and I ended up as partners in the board game that they were playing, but we didn't last long.  We were talking so much that we stopped paying attention to what everyone else was doing.  It was just us.  

I don't remember exactly what we talked about, but I do know that at one point, I mentioned to him that I had put his name on the fake wedding invitations we had to make for an assignment in the Parent Ed class I was taking in high school.  You know, Mr. and Mrs. West are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter Rebecca Ann to Erik Melde, son of Mr. and Mrs. Melde.  Yah.  I actually did that, and I actually admitted that to him.  I am still shocked that he didn't get up and run away that very minute.  I think it was my legs that kept him there.  He was a leg man and mine were particularly tan and freshly shaved, and well, I'll just say it.  They were hot.  And I was wearing shorts.

Anyway, we talked and talked until like 3 in the morning, and then Terra and I carefully snuck back into grandma and grandpas house.

Erik and I talked as often as we could the following week and had our first official date that weekend.  We went to King Kwong for dinner and saw Dances With Wolves.  :)

Two weeks into our relationship, Erik asked me when I wanted to get hitched.  Seriously.  We were sitting on the top of the restaurant at Bridal Veil Falls.  I was thrilled!  I was ecstatic!  I was still in high school. 

I graduated, and we continued to talk about marriage.  I mentioned this to my parents.  They probably had figured as much, but encouraged me to continue on with my plans to attend college at Weber State.  I got the same thing from my grandparents and pretty much everyone else that I talked to.  We were encouraged to 'court' for a year and then see what happened.

But I just knew he was the one, and that there was no reason to wait.  We got engaged in November of '91 and married the following February.

  We were just babies.  I realize that now.  But we were in love and everything just happened the way that it was meant to happen.   Of that I am sure.  

  And now 17 years and 3 kids later, he is still so cute, still has great hair, a great smile, and he still loves my legs!