I got married when I was 18, so what? {Part 4}

I remember Clay and I having a conversation one day, a "Define the relationship" if you will. I said something like, "I don't want to be too serious, I just want to have fun. I'm not ready to get married or anything." and Clay of course said, "Yeah me too" (though he tells me later he didn't really agree with my whole have fun concept, he was already serious).



 My ward had a "Tacky Formal" that we went to. 

However...I fell hard and fast. By the end of the month I was falling inlove. Clay came with me and my sister to a cabin for conference weekend and I just knew- I LOVED THIS MAN! We cuddled on the couch late into the night and talked about life and enjoyed the comfiness of the cabin in the woods. I rushed to his room in the morning to wake him so I could kiss him and start the day together again. 

At the cabin.

The day after we got back Clay was helping me bring groceries into the house and I was fresh on my high of love and he turned to me and said, "I like you so much" and I was devastated. I don't think I even responded. I may have said, "Thanks". I was thinking- don't LIKE me you idiot! LOVE me! 

Not 24 hours later he was the grumpiest fool in school. He was so upset and nothing was right and he said he needed to talk to me. We went to his apartment's "clubhouse" common area so we could be away from his roommates and he clumsily and painfully got it out of him that yes, he loved me. After I told him I loved him too, boy he was turned around! Happiest boy in town! We both were. 

Within a few weeks we were talking marriage, and praying and receiving answers and by the end of the month we were engaged. 

 On our way to Oregon to meet my family.


At Hendrick's park with my sisters.

The engagement lasted only 6 weeks and we were married! 

Looking back, we both feel like we barely knew each other. And it's true. We were so clueless as to who each of us were. But that's kind of a cool thing about our relationship. We have both grown up...together. We have both learned so much...together. And 7 years later, we are still together even after we know each other :) 

We have been through so much together. So many ups and downs and so many struggles. But we always stick together and always fight through it and come out on top. 

When I got engaged, lots of people in my high school (cause you know, my class hadn't even graduated yet when I got married), thought I was insane. And rightly so! I look at teens who get married today and think they are insane. They seem like babies! So I don't blame anyone for thinking I was crazy. But the thing that makes me happy is that a lot of people didn't want me to get married because they thought my life would be over. I wouldn't get to experience life. 

Well, yeah...I may have missed some partying, some heartbreaks, and I may have missed wasting time and money. But I have graduated college, become a CPA, bought a house, and gone on lots of adventures and had tons of incredible experiences, all with my husband by my side supporting me. So...I'd say I showed them :)

That's the end of our beginning. Probably more than you ever bargained for. But I wanted to get it written down. And that's it!