I'd watch every M.A.S.H. episode ever made, for you Adam!

The next week I practically lived on the phone.  Adam called me every night and we talked for hours.  During the day, we texted back and forth like crazy.  All my siblings were coming into town for Christmas and I was very excited about that.  We went back and forth to the airport, made multiple excursions to the mall, and just hung out at home visiting.  One of my sisters even got married!  Plus, we hadn't all been together in years so there was a lot of catching up to do.  It did help to occupy my time but sometimes things got crazy and I just wished I could curl up next to Adam on the couch and watch a boring episode of MASH.  (That's what happens when Adam gets ahold of the remote...).

Meanwhile, back in Sutton, Adam was actually pretty busy shopping for an engagement ring!  I knew this because the boy couldn't keep a secret from me to save his life.  Even when he thought he had me fooled, I usually knew what he was up to, though I didn't let him know it.  ;)  But he didn't try to hide the fact that he was shopping from me.  In fact, I got a text message letting me know he had finally found the right ring.  It was rather exciting to know he was spending that time searching for my ring and thinking of me.  He had told his mom his intentions before he got the ring, but I don't think he told his dad until after he bought it.  (Correct me if I'm wrong, k?).  I don't think anybody in my family really suspected he had a ring already, though there was lots of speculation, as I recall. 

Leavin' On a Jet Plane

That Friday night was our last night together before Adam had to leave for Massachusetts.  My good friends, Matt and Raquel, were having their wedding reception that night so Adam and I drove down to Springville to attend.  It was a very nice evening.

Afterwards, Adam insisted that we find one of those instant photo booths to get our picture taken together before he left.  We tried two malls before we gave up and just went back to Adam's apartment.  While we were there, Adam modeled for me his sweet tux that he inherited from his grandfather.  He loves that tux.  And I must say, he looks pretty sharp in it.  

Finally, before he drove me home, Adam gave me a Christmas present.  It was a beautiful silver locket.  I absolutely love it.  It has our initials, M&A, engraved on it.  Now I knew why it was so important we find a photo booth!  He had wanted to give it to me with his picture inside to symbolize that he was giving me his heart.  It didn't take me too long to get a photo small enough to fit.  (With Marmee's help, of course.) 

Once we got back to my house I was able to give him his Christmas present.  It was an engine for his model train set he  had received a few years earlier for Christmas.  I also got him a copy of The Polar Express.  

I was very unhappy when the time came for Adam to go home.  He had tried very hard to get his ticket changed so he could stay a couple extra days in Utah, but it had been too expensive.  The next morning, Marmee and I took him to the airport.  My consolation was that all my family would be in Utah for Christmas and that would help distract me.  Plus, it was only going to be two weeks before I'd be traveling to Massachusetts to join him.  But at that moment, two weeks felt like forever! 

**Note: Unfortunately, I've found I don't have a good picture of my locket to include with this post.  It's really quite shocking.  I'll try to take one in the next few days and add it.  

Happy 25th Birthday, my Love!

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend

Contrary to popular belief, Adam and I didn't start talking marriage on our first date.  It was on our second date.  It just kinda came up and we both expressed the hope that our new relationship might eventually make it there.  Well, by now Adam had decided he needed to take me ring shopping.  Just so he could get an idea of what I wanted.  I told him the only detail I had set in my mind was that I wanted a sapphire instead of a diamond.  Sapphire is my birthstone, you know. But even with that, if he had his heart set on a diamond, I was open to negotiation.  Adam replied that he wanted to get me a sapphire so my ring would match my eyes. :)

We only had a week before Adam left for Mass for Christmas break.  One afternoon we borrowed my mom's car to go shopping for a wedding gift for one of my friends and since we were already out we stopped at a few jewelers.  Ring shopping was very difficult for me.  I HATE expressing opinions.  And to make matters worse, you have to talk to the salesperson!  Good thing I had Adam with me so I could make him do all the talking.  I tried on lots of different rings, but ultimately I came home with no better idea of what I wanted.  I told Adam I wanted the ring he picked out for me.  

He languished over this decision, it seemed.  Did I want a solitaire?  Did I want a sapphire with diamonds or a diamond with sapphires?  What cut did I want? What about the band?  Etc.  Poor man!  I was no help to him at all.  But I really didn't care.  I was more excited about getting a ring that Adam had picked out just for me than in getting a ring that looked a particular way.  (And just wait 'til you see the ring he picked out.  Perfect!!!)

You Owe Me M&Ms.... And Ice Cream!!!

A couple weeks later, we decided it was time I meet some of Adam's family. He had already met my mom, two sisters, brother in law, two nephews and a niece. So, one Sunday in December, Adam and I went to Jon and Becca's for dinner. They were the only family Adam had in town at the time.

Adam and I brought dinner and dessert with us. We made chicken pot pie with a twist. While on his mission, Adam had discovered that using corn meal for the crust was rather tasty. (He couldn't get any bisquick in France.) For dessert, we brought M&Ms and ice cream, since Adam owed them anyway. :)

I was super nervous to be meeting some of Adam's family. I was so shy, I think I hardly spoke the whole time we were there! Becca was especially nice, trying to make me feel more comfortable. And Jon was extremely entertaining as he told us some of his crazy dreams. Adam had told me that Jon had taken Latin before and I was so afraid he would start speaking it fluently at me and make me look dumb. Luckily for me, nobody can speak Latin fluently anymore! (Ok, there might be some super geek out there who can, but he/she is the only one.) After dinner we played some games before Adam and I had to leave to catch a fireside that Nathaniel and Bradley (nephews) were singing at. All in all in was a very nice evening, despite my extreme nervousness. I'm sure all Becca could say about me when she reported to Adam's parents (which I'm sure she did) was that I was especially quiet.

The More I See You

Considering Friday was a holiday, I'm sure Adam and I were together, but I don't remember what we did then or on Saturday. (If anybody remembers, let me know!) By Sunday afternoon, the family was still eating Thanksgiving leftovers and Adam was invited to join us. This was the first time we had gotten together on a Sunday. It certainly wasn't the last.

After dinner, Chris decided he wanted to practice using his nice, new, fancy camera. And he needed subjects. So Adam and I posed for a few shots. It was a little early for us to be having portraits made together. A little foreshadowing, perhaps?



Adam had this one turned into his instant messaging picture. Crazy boy!




That's one lucky girl with that handsome man.



Personally, I prefer the ones of just Adam.

Hey Adam, wanna play the bean game??

The following week was excellent. It was Thanksgiving, so we only had two days of class! Woo hoo! On Tuesday night, Adam borrowed Jon and Becca's car and took me to see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. This was the first time he met some of my family, besides Chris. He met Marmee, Becca (Bearden), and Lindsey. Lindsey didn't really take to him at first. She's kinda shy. (It wasn't too long, though, before she was in love with him and thought he was HER boyfriend! Hmph.)



We had a great time at the movies. We even ran into one of my friends from a previous ward and I was very happy to show off my handsome beau. I don't remember what we did afterwards. I believe it was kinda late and Adam had to return the car, so we probably just came back to my house and visited some more. Actually, I think we went to see Julie and Chris.

Thursday was Thanksgiving and I was so excited Adam was coming over. We went totally overboard! We even added some things we don't usually have, like fried okra. I was quite perturbed when Adam didn't fall down in ecstasies over it like I do. :) Adam came over first thing in the morning so he could watch the parade while my mom and I cooked dinner. Marmee and I lived upstairs from Julie and Chris in the same house, and they were downstairs cooking lots of food, too. We all met in the upstairs kitchen for the delicious feast. Afterwards we subjected Adam to the Bearden tradition of playing crazy games. We had a lot of fun.

Later that afternoon, Adam and I both went to work in the dispatch center. I really don't know why we were there, because holidays are usually really slow and only one person would work. Well, there was another dispatcher there, me and Adam. And there was nothing happening on campus! I think we just wanted holiday pay and if one of us was going to be there, the other couldn't stand to be away. During our down time at work, we continued shopping for a ticket to Mass for me. I found a good price and made the decision to go. I was to leave on December 29 and return on January 6. I was so happy and excited to be going, I don't think I even felt nervous.

**Note: This post was created at the expense of my homework. It was a sacrifice I had to make for the blog. You're welcome.