How we met (Emily's Version)

It was the end of my sophomore year in college when my best friends from college, Charmayne and Sandy, told me about a guy who was roommates with one of Charmayne’s friend, Josh Whetten. They couldn’t stop talking about him or how good-looking he was. I was thinking at the time like, wow, this guy must really be something. My roommates always tried to go over to his apartment just to see him, (I think Josh Whetten was privy to the reason why they kept going over) they would always ask where he was (he was always working as a waiter at Bacci’s). One day they finally dragged me along to go and meet him. We were all in the car finding a place to park when my friends saw Danny walking to his car to go to work. So they stopped him and talked to him a little bit, it was dark so Danny could not see me in the back seat. My friends were so excited to see him. After he left they asked me what I thought and I was like yeah he is cute (this will sound bad) but he was nothing like I was expecting since my roommates couldn’t stop talking about him and saying that he was the most gorgeous man they had ever seen! That was the first and last time I saw him until my junior year when we moved into the same apartment complex. I was actually two floors directly above him.

At the time I was exclusively dating, as Danny would say, “a big football player”, so I was not interested or looking for other guys. I would see him at church and talk with him occasionally when he would visit the apartment. In one conversation he stated that he had worked at Bacci’s, which at the time was one of my favorite restaurants, and he gave me an open invitation to take me there for dinner sometime, which I thought was very sweet. Then about September my boyfriend broke up with me. When that happened Danny started to come around a lot more. The whole time I thought he was just being social and visiting with me and my roommates. I did not catch on that he was coming to see me. One of my roommates actually had a talk with me and told me that he was only coming around for me. I didn’t believe her at first, but after that I started to notice that his visits were to come and see me and not my roommates. He would come during lunch time and I would be the only one there. His excuse for coming for lunch, just about every day, was that his microwave was broken so he needed to come use ours. I started to notice that he would heat up food in the microwave that you could warm up in the oven (like ready baked pizza). I was flattered by all his attention and that he was so persistent but I really wasn’t that interested in dating him because he was known as “The Player”. He was rarely exclusive with anyone and there were lots of stories about him only going on dates with girls just to get some action. I wanted nothing to do with that.

But, with all that persistence he started to win me over. I had never had anyone be so infatuated or interested with me like that before (without being a weirdo of course). It was very flattering. I really started to enjoy being around him and loved how happy, attentive, charismatic, energetic, good looking (I do think he is pretty hot), social and fun he was. He always made me laugh and brought a smile to my face every time I was around him. I was also very impressed that he was an accomplished swimmer with a really nice body.

I believe it was in January that I finally got the courage to actually take him up on his open invitation to take me to Bacci’s. I will never forget how nervous I was. I kept asking my friends, “Should I really do this?” I was sooooooo nervous. I am so shy and this is something that I would never consider doing, but I thought it would be fun to get to know him a little better and take the risk that I might be his next victim! So I went up to him right after Sacrament meeting in the foyer and told him that he could take me out on a date to Bacci’s. I could tell on his face he was surprised and excited. His answer was not what I expected though. He said that he couldn’t take me out for about another month and a half because he was really busy with swim season (January and February are prime season for swimming). So I had to take a rain check.

During that time, I did go to one of his swim meets (he had invited me all the time before). One funny incident that happened at the swim meet was that his most recent ex-girlfriend was there and she gave me such a dirty look – it was actually comical. She actually had one of her friends come over and ask me if I was there for Danny. She was sooo jealous. That was also the first time I met Kathy and Heidi (they were so cute). I could tell that they were very proud and protective of their brother.

During our relationship I had a number of girls that gave me dirty looks – he sure did have a harem of girls that wanted to be with him! I never felt jealous; it was almost comical to me how the girls tried so hard to win him over.

For Valentine’s Day he gave me a little box of Godiva truffles and a rose, I still have the Godiva truffles box. I thought it was so sweet. Finally, when swim season was over, about the middle to end of February, Danny did take me out on an official date. The ironic thing is that we did not go to Bacci’s for our first date; we went to The Red Butte Café. I picked it because it was close to our apartment complex and one of my favorite little restaurants to go to. We had a great time.

I did not let Danny kiss me for a while though, because I was still scared he was going to kiss and go and I was starting to like him. After a little while I did finally start to trust him and knew that he was sincere and liked me so I let my feelings go and started to fall in love with him. He did cheat on me once though. When he told me about it I could tell he felt really bad and that he didn’t enjoy it at all and that it made him realize that he loved me.

Around the summer time we were getting pretty serious. Danny started getting cold feet and began to pull away a little and started to compare me to other girls. Of course it had to be athletes because that is who he would see all the time. In particular the gymnasts with their hard rockin’ bodies. He told me that I had fat knees and thighs and I was so hurt. I told one of my HUGE football friends and I thought he was going to kill him (probably the wrong one to tell); he got really mad and told me not to see Danny anymore. But, deep down inside I just knew that that is not who Danny really is and that he was scared and was trying to find a way out. I didn’t dump him, against what my friends all thought I should do. He felt bad and said he was sorry, probably because he was going to get beat up by a big football player! When he couldn’t get rid of me for that comment, Danny started telling me that I needed to go on a mission. So, we fasted and prayed together one Sunday and Danny got the complete opposite answer, the answer he didn’t want to hear, the answer that we should get married. After that confirmation we were engaged in August and were married in the Salt Lake City temple on December 20, 1997.

I am so happy and grateful to my Heavenly Father that I met and married the greatest guy in the world for me! We have always had such a fun time together. He has changed my life in ways that words cannot express. He has given me more confidence in myself and a greater self-esteem. I was pretty low on myself before I met Danny, and he has helped me be able to accomplish anything I put my mind to and believe in myself. He has helped me be a better me and I could never thank him enough for that. I always hoped and dreamed of marrying a guy that would be a wonderful father and husband and all my dreams have come true!!!! I couldn’t have asked for a better guy. I love you Danny!!!!!

Mom

I walked into mom's house the other day and saw this on the counter. It was so funny to me I grabbed my phone and took a picture. A little bit later mom came down and said "oh I must have left something on". I LOVE IT! Mom totally left the stove on with this on it - it totally burned and dad just took it off and put it on the counter without saying a word. Classic.

I have so many funny memories of things like this happening in the kitchen. Burning pots of beans from leaving them on high all day and having to air out the house (and our clothes) completely. All of the spatulas missing the end that ended up getting eaten by the blender (and eventually us I'm sure).

So many good memories...

How we met (by Brandon)

I met Sherry while attending BYU in January of 1994. I had just returned from my mission one year earlier and had begun my second semester at BYU since returning. At the time, I had already “decided” that I would get serious about dating and marriage in the fall semester of 1994. But that was before I met Sherry, the girl of my dreams.

I was staying in a condo called Chatsworth on the south side of campus. One of my roommates announced that he had a date coming up, and that the girl (Sherry) was really smart and talented and that he needed a good date idea. I was working the night of the date at Magleby’s (a nice restaurant in Provo) and could not make use of a basketball game ticket. One of my other roommates, Kurtis Parker, could not use his ticket either, and since both tickets were for adjacent seats, we gave our roommate our tickets to the BYU basketball game (vs. Air Force). Our apartment had also just acquired a big screen TV (a big deal at the time), so we also suggested to our roommate that after the game he bring his date back to the apartment and watch a movie together.

I went to work and came home tired. When I arrived, the movie was underway and that is when I first saw Sherry. I went upstairs to change and shower and then sat down to watch the movie with everyone (no one invited me, but it was a communal TV). After the movie ended the light came up and we all began to talk. I became very interested in Sherry. It wasn’t long before Sherry and I were talking with each other exclusively, leaving my roommate, Sherry’s date, out of the conversation. He eventually left the room and went into the kitchen to do the dishes. Finally he came back out and offered to drive Sherry home. I went to bed that night very impressed with Sherry and wanting to see her again.

The next morning I asked my roommate if he planned to ask Sherry out again. He said no, citing that Sherry and I clearly had more in common. He gave me Sherry’s phone number. I called Sherry and asked her out on a date. We dated for about a month or two and things were going great. I knew I loved Sherry, but I started to get cold feet. One night I told Sherry that maybe we should date other people for a while. That began what we now call “The Two Week Lull.” We did date other people, but Sherry did more dating than me, which of course made me jealous and helped me realize how much she meant to me (during that time I was the recipient of a delicious mint chocolate ice cream pie from a girl in my ward that Sherry and I still laugh about).

After two weeks of dating other people, I came to my senses and realized that Sherry was the girl for me. One weekend evening I tried to call Sherry, only to learn that she was on a date. I waited for her to come home, then went over to her house. We talked late that evening, and it was then that I told Sherry that I was thinking about marriage. We began to date each other exclusively. One of our dates was to the Provo temple. We were asked to be the witness couple. We told the officiator that we were not married, and he responded that “The Lord wants you to be a couple.” That was a sign to both of us that we were meant for each other. In the celestial room Sherry told me that she loved me for the first time.

I proposed to Sherry at a park in Provo near the end of the semester (the muffler fell off my car on the way to the park and after the proposal I pointed out to Sherry a dead duck floating in the nearby pond). We were married in the Portland temple on June 17, 1994, just about 5 months after we met. We are still happily married and Sherry is still the girl of my dreams more than ever. I love you Sherry!!!!

How Emily and Danny met (Danny's Version)

Danny and Emily-Danny’s point of view

I was pretty much trollin’ for all the hotties I could find at work, school and just walking down the street. I even remember asking a girl out that I met at Wendy’s. Needless to say, nothing really went past a few dates and steamy car windows. Then one day I walked in church, and I saw Emily. It was an epiphany, like sweet manna from heaven! She looked so beautiful. Indescribably gorgeous! My world stopped. Of course, she was seated between huge college football players. My greatest challenge lay before, my Odyssey.

It was months later that I finally found my Juliet. Shockingly, she moved in two floors directly above me. I got her roommates to fall madly in love with me, but her unprecedented loyalty for her running back boyfriend, blinded her to my constant, not so subtle, advances. Her boyfriend happened to live with three other gargantuan football players. Persuading her with my awesome athleticism was not a viable option, nor was brute force. In fact, they almost beat me up once, but that is a different story…

Not long after I charmed her roommates, they introduced us. She wasn’t impressed with me at all! Actually, she was a little disappointed. I desperately searched for a ray of hope, some minuscule change, my David and Goliath moment had arrived! Luckily, I was working at an upscale Italian restaurant, Bacci’s Trattoria. She mentioned that she kind of liked it, so I sold it like a starving used car salesman and left her with an open invitation to a spectacular, all expense paid, romantic ( I didn’t say that one) dreamy dinner to Bacci’s (it means kisses!!! Awe yea).

I continued my not so subtle stalking for the following months. It was obvious to her roommates and the entire world that I was head over heels for her. I was blinded by her beauty, and my love grew exponentially every time I could be around her! It was as if time stopped and I was transfigured in her angelic presence. I would lie and tell her my microwave was broken and eat lunch with her every possible chance. I continued to make up other lies to be around her every waking hour.

It was an extremely hard and arduous lesson in patience, but the day finally came that her buff boyfriend made the mistake of his life and broke things off with my aphrodisiacal Aphrodite. Ironically, he started dating a girl that I was seeing while I was secretly stalking Emily. My long awaited day had come! Could my dreams be fulfilled?

The rest is ancient history! I am the luckiest guy on Earth to find, stalk, and marry the girl of my dreams in the temple forever! I love you Emily!!!

How We Met By Sherry

Brandon and I met in January 1994.I was on a first date with his roommate Eric after a BYU basketball game. We were watching a movie at his place when Brandon came home from work. Brandon and I immediately recognized that we had a few things in common as we casually talked about engineering, Philadelphia, and running track. Brandon asked me out on a date the following week because his roommate and I didn’t click. Brandon and I went to Magelby’s restaurant for dinner. He was really fun to talk to and I admired his good looks and broad shoulders. Our friendship continued to develop as we found time to run, study, and hang out. By February, I was ready to date exclusively. But, Brandon dumped me claiming he wasn’t ready for a commitment because he “hadn’t tasted all the flavors of ice cream yet.”Fine - I moved on. Brandon continued to drive by my apartment and call. But, I wasn’t there because I was dating other people. A few weeks later we went on a date to the temple and had an amazing spiritual experience. It was like the Lord was hitting us both on the head with a frying pan and saying “you are meant for one another!!” After that spiritual confirmation we both had to decide if we were ready to abandon my opportunity to attend Northwestern for graduate school and his opportunity for an internship in Japan. As we spent more time together it became very obvious that were in madly in love. So, we made a commitment to put our relationship before our interests and got married in the Portland, Oregon temple in June 1994. Sixteen years and three kids later, I can still say with absolute surety that falling in love with Brandon is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

David and Kami - Kami's point of view

David and I met in October 2004. I had just broken off a relationship with someone else, and my sister Mindy asked me if she could set me up with someone. She had this friend Sherry who was really cute, and Sherry had a brother in my area. All she knew about him was that he was a computer science major, he played volleyball, and he came from a big family. I agreed, thinking that this guy must be a total nerd if his sister was setting him up from two states away. I was dating A LOT at the time (three different David’s at one time actually), but I figured one date wouldn’t hurt and it would make my sister happy…

Apparently David had tried my home phone a few times, but I never answered it and he wouldn’t leave a message. So Mindy gave him my work number, and he finally got a hold of me there. I had him call me back on my cell that night. I was at the hospital with my friend and her grandma, but I went into the waiting room to coordinate details of the date for that Saturday night.

I didn’t really give the date much thought after that. I had ZERO expectations. When David picked me up, he was a little late. He had gone to the house next door by accident, but they pointed him in the right direction. My first impression was that he was a bit of a geek: old white tennis shoes, t-shirt, jeans. But he was nice and outgoing and had a cute smile. Then we walked to his car, and I was very impressed. (Side note: I wrote my version before I read David’s. And, I actually wore a solid black ¾ length sleeved shirt with a white camisole underneath, and grey jeans and black boots. I do know the red shirt that he was referring to, which I wore on later dates, but not that one. But nice try David!)

Then he admitted that we would have to go back to his apartment because he had left his wallet at home. He kept saying that he never does that (and looking back now I can appreciate how rare that really is), but I wasn’t bothered—I thought it was pretty funny. I met a few of his roommates and got to see where he lived. Then, he had me choose where to eat dinner, but he gave me three options: Red Robin, Hacientos, or some Italian restaurant (I can’t remember—Macaroni Grill?). I LOVED that—total bonus points. I picked Red Robin.

We had a bit of a wait, so we sat on a bench in the mall and talked. He told me how he just got a cell phone for the first time because the bishop in his ward made him get one for his calling (executive secretary). After dinner, he had me choose the activity—haunted house or ice skating. I picked the haunted house because it was something seasonal, but then he drove to the ice skating rink anyway and said we could do both. Fortunately I had taken an ice skating class at BYU, so I was pretty comfortable on the ice. I was also pretty impressed with David—he said he used to play hockey. We skated around, and I told him all about my upcoming Europe backpacking trip the next year and he told me about his accident and how bad his leg got hurt. It was funny to me because all these stories of stuff he did weren’t really adding up to the big geek I originally thought he was.

After skating, we drove up to SLC and went to a haunted house. I remember commenting to David how comfortable he looked in his car—the seat was as far back as it could go, and he had cruise control on so his legs were totally stretched out. When we pulled into the parking lot, someone directing traffic stopped David and told him he had a sweet car. It was awesome. It had been raining all night and the line to get in was out the door, but David walked us straight up the VIP line and paid extra to get us inside right away. Very smooth! The haunted house was really fun. The funny thing was that he kept holding my hand or putting his arm around me, like I was scared. I figured he was just using it as an excuse to touch me.

On the way home we talked pretty easily, but I was seriously tired and fighting sleep (he didn’t know that though). It had been a long night and a long date for that matter. I had had fun, but I’m not a night owl. He dropped me off at home and walked me to the door. We probably hugged or something—I actually can’t remember. But after I got to my room, I sent him a text thanking him for the date and saying I had a good time. Apparently, that sealed the deal for David.

We talked and texted a bit after that. He invited me to play volleyball with his friends a few days later, and we went out the next weekend (Halloween) and the next and the next. I spent Thanksgiving dinner with the Schultz family, and he held my hand that weekend for the first time. Then he kissed me a few weeks later, in December. I liked him, but I was still dating other guys as well. It wasn’t until just before I left for home over Christmas that I decided to buckle down and commit. We were skiing and I told him that I was going to be his girlfriend and just date him, or something along those lines. Anyhow, ever since that day I was hooked. We dated for almost a year when he proposed, and got married the following December.

How Steve and Christine met (Steve's Perspective)

In the spring of 1992 (like March or April) my roommates told me that they were going up to Bridal Veil Falls with another apartment of girls from our apartment complex. When we got up to Bridal Veil I found out that each of the guys that went were interested in a specific girl that went. So everyone was paired off except for Christine and me. We just sat in the car while everyone else went somewhere else to go and make out. I found out that she was from California. For the most part it was an awkward conversation. My first impression was that she was not my type and that I had no intentions of asking her out on a date and I just had to endure until we went back to the apartment complex.

Over the summer and the next semester I got to know Christine a little better because we played volleyball together at the sand volleyball court at Raintree Apartments. Over this time I had gotten to know her a lot better and found out that she was different than my first impression. I finally asked her out in December. It took me six months to realize that I really did like her a lot.

Our first date was a big group date that a friend of mine (David Moore) from school put together. (Yes, all of my friends were electrical engineers.) We went up to my friends house in Salt Lake City. We went sledding and then had a very interesting dinner. The dinner had no utensils. We had lunch worker gloves on and ate with our hands and our drinks were in zip lock bags. After dinner we watched a movie and then headed back to Provo. And I definitely didn’t kiss Christine on our first date. After our first date I didn’t date any other girls.