The year of LOVE, deep LOVE.

Last year, for my New Year's goals, I decided to make a list entitled: My hopes for 2009. It included things like: go on a trip to DC, NYC, So Cal and Florida, figure out where to live after April, save $, begin taking vitamins, decorate room and read more books. All excellent things and all but a few things were completed. The incompletes will, of course, go on this years list. The very last item on my list was one in which I felt that I had very little control over and yet I decided that it would be the words to encourage me not to lose hope in the whole dating process. The last item on my list was....

Fall in LOVE, deep LOVE.

Of course I told my closest friends about it and it was often the brunt of our jokes. It made for some good laughs. When setting up our internet account, I named our network "deep love". I thought it was hilarious. After all the laughs and jokes, I have to tell you how 2009 ended and how it came true....

I met Jon in May, after moving to a new apartment. My first impression of him was that he was very attractive and very quiet. I even thought he was a little stand offish. Usually quiet people kind of scare me because I don't know what they're thinking and it makes me nervous. I didn't think much more about him until he started coming to the game nights I hosted at my house on Sunday nights. After moving to a new apartment, I had hoped to start over in regards to dating, so I hosted a game night to get to know some of the cute boys from my ward. I was intrigued by Jon, he was quiet and cute and came faithfully to my game nights. He started staying after to talk which intrigued me even more. Through those conversations, I learned that he did not have a girlfriend, nor had he dated anyone in a really long time. All pluses for me:).

At this point, I really wanted him to ask me out and I it made it very easy for him to do so:) I knew that his brother had a motorcycle that he was storing at his place and asked if his brother would let him ride it. I told him that I loved going on motorcycle rides and then just smiled and waited. Okay, I can't quite remember exactly how that went down but there was no guessing that I wanted go with him on the bike. He picked up on the cues and we set a date for later on in the week. I WAS ELATED!!! I screamed after he closed the door.

He called me the day of the date as I was getting ready and told me that he had bad new. Uh oh. He said that he could not get the keys to the bike and therefore we couldn't go. There was a long pause and then he asked, "So, what are you doing tonight?". Holly's thoughts: What am I doing tonight?!?!? Going out with you, I could have cared less what the plans were, it wasn't about the bike it was about going out with him!! I said, "Well, I thought I was going out with you, so I didn't make other plans." Pause. Pause. More pause. Holly's thoughts: He didn't really want to go out with me. Dang it, I thought this was a no fail situation. Jon said, "So do you still want to do something?" Holly said, "Yeah, I think it would be fun, if you don't have other plans." I don't quite remember how it happened after that but we ended up hiking Stewart Falls. It was the best first date I had had in a while. I won't give you all the details but it ended like this. Jon said, "Well, when I get the keys for the bike I'll call ya and let you know when we can go on a ride."

SUCCESS!! A guaranteed second date. I was so happy!!!

Again, I will spare you all of the details, but after not too many dates, I told my friend Emily that I could fall in love with this boy. Well, it happened. I fell in LOVE, deep LOVE. It happened over time, I can't tell you exactly how it happened, but it just did.

Now, I just want to share a few reasons why I love hime. Not to embarass Jon, but to tell you why I am so very happy.

I love Jon because he: treats me like a lady always, is kind and gentle, is a protector, loves the outdoors and is active, loves his job and seems to have found his life mission, is confident about his beliefs in God, listens and makes sure he understands me, cheers me up when I am sad, waves goodbye every time he leaves my house, makes me feel like he is the luckiest guy alive because he has me, is patient with me and my weaknesses, doesn't judge me, loves his parents and brothers, wants to be successful and be a good provider, is a strong Priesthood holder, respects his parents and likes to be around them, wants to have a family, says that his kids will love him and that he will an amazing dad, is stable and consistent, doesn't loose his temper (unless he is on the road), is appreciative, values hard work and because being around him makes me calm and very, very, very HAPPY.