Garth and Amy's story- but now told by Garth!

Garth wrote out his side of the story. I hope you recognize his sarcasm, and feel free to make fun of the big words he decided to use...like "enthralling"..., he thinks he's clever. [: But here goes nothing. 

For me it all started about 2 ½ years ago.  As a missionary in the Ghana Cape Coast mission, I had the wonderful opportunity of going on exchanges with someone from my MTC Group;  Elder Kyle Woodhouse.  On that fateful night, was the first time I laid eyes upon a picture of Kyle’s family; and one picture in particular being his sister Amy.  Rumor had spread that all three of Kyle’s companions had already written her, and although her gorgeous appearance was enthralling, I withheld for the time being.  As destiny would have it I was sent on transfer within a few weeks and didn’t see Elder Woodhouse for a number of months.  I received a letter from him one fine P-Day afternoon.  The only contents of this letter was a picture, the very one I had seen of a beautiful young lady named Amy Woodhouse, with the message inscribed on the back.  The first word of the message was, “Eternity!” (yes underlined and all)

    Months later Kyle eventually became my companion.  Yes, we did tear it up as the Lord’s servants, and yes I did succumb to the same fate as each of Kyle’s previous companions and write Amy Lynn Woodhouse.  (Although it was originally my idea it was played off very well as though it was Kyle’s the entire time.  To this day I’m not sure if Amy knows that. HA!)  Months later came a surprising reply, written on graph paper, and much of it seemed as though it was a forced response. (Kyle had a little something to do with that).  As an organized missionary and specific time set aside for writing to daughters of God, I responded in a timely manner…never to hear from her again as a full time missionary.  
    As MTC mates Kyle and I were scheduled to fly out the same day, at the same time from Ghana to London.  However then I was scheduled to fly to Chicago and have an 8 hour layover.  With a little help my flight was changed to fly to Denver with Kyle and only have a 4 hour layover before returning home to the great state of Iowa!  So it was on Wednesday February 24th 2010 that I first met Amy.  Everything I had previously seen in pictures was more than true; she looked gorgeous (although she was wearing boots, which at the time and previous I was not a fan of at ALL.  Since then, I’ve grown to accept them on certain individuals)  The whole experience in Denver was pretty awkward for me, and Amy’s feeble attempt to make me feel more comfortable amounted to her saying that I “had black hands” as we were eating.  Cool.  Now I’m sure every missionary has those daydreams about girls back, and it’s possible that each of Kyle’s companion at least had the split second idea of “what if” in reference to Amy, but it usually never amounts to anything more than that.  So I left Denver certainly knowing I would see Amy and the rest of Kyle’s family again, but only for the mere fact that I would visit Kyle, and nothing more.
    Time went by, and after a few attempts of contacting Amy through Facebook, and being more or less completely blown off I eventually ended up telling Kyle that she was pretty shady.  She’ll say it was a week or so, I say it was a matter of hours before she messaged me.  I finally asked for her number and took our relationship to the next level: Texting!
    We texted off and on over the next few months, and I always joked about how I could come visit her.  Eventually we again progressed to another level when she presented the challenge that she didn’t think I would ever call her on the phone.  Challenges are made to be met, so I did!  We ended up talking for about 2 hours on the phone, with me trying to be the least awkward as possible, although probably not succeeding.  But we continued to stay in touch.  One night I specifically remember sitting on my friend Chris’ couch again talking about how I could come visit her anytime.  Her bold response was, “Notice how you haven’t?”  That was like a shot to the heart!  I felt crazy wanting to go and visit a girl whom I had met once, and never dated, but I honestly asked her if she wanted me to come before I decided.  She said yes, and I booked a flight.  I felt like her entire family was going to think I was crazy, because it was obvious I was only coming to visit her (Kyle was at school).  Eventually it worked out that Kyle came home that weekend and made things a lot less awkward.  Our first date was rough: Rockies game.  Kyle and Kelsey accompanied us and… it was just awkward, especially since we had previously talked so much that we couldn’t ask questions like “so what do you like to do?” etc etc.  That night I was sure everything had crashed and burned and decided I might as well make the best of the rest of the weekend.  Sunday night was an intense game of Cranium, and that was when a mild connection as finally made.  I ended up postponing my flight an extra day, and Amy and I went on our second date to Elitch Gardens.  It was not only one of the best dates, but one of the most fun evenings I have ever had.  I ended up stepping out of my shell big time by not only playing piano for her downtown, but singing too!  After wanting to the entire night, I even mustered the courage to hold her hand!  That night I knew that Amy was someone I wanted to date and be with as much as possible.  
    I flew out to visit a few more times over the summer but we never became anything official.  We both decided we should date other people while we started school (her in Idaho, me in Iowa), although I never wanted to hear about when she went on a date or who she went with.  Our plan was to continue dating others until December and then see what happened; we lasted until October.  I drove to Rexburg to visit over fall break, and on October 15th Amy officially became my girlfriend!  We didn’t see each other for the next two months until her semester ended and I moved to Utah.  The Holidays were a blast being around her, and she even came and surprised me for New Years which was a total shock.  Eventually however it felt like our relationship became really heavy.  We had both had doubts, worries, and fears about whether the Lord would say it was right, or whether we should be so serious.   Each of us took time to take space and try and figure things out when these doubts and worries came, and for me whenever either of us took these days to ourselves they were the longest days ever!  I never wanted to be alone when I couldn’t talk to her.  But we finally decided to just relax and go back to having fun like we did during my summer visits to Colorado.  As soon we did that everything fell into place.  It was when I relaxed that I more or less got my answer that she was the girl I wanted to marry.  
    I may have known before she did, but I’m really glad things worked out they way that they did, although I won’t lie, they day she told me she got her answer I originally thought she was telling me “No” because she said “Don’t look at my face.”  (WHO DOES THAT?!)
    Talking to her Dad was the most nerve racking thing ever.  Even though Kyle completely blew it by telling him it was coming, I’m sure he knew anyway when I came upstairs to watch golf with him, like I would ever spend my day watching golf.  But her parents didn’t think I was too bad of a dude and said we were good to go!  So my mind started stirring with proposal ideas.  
    I eventually decided I was going to do something with piano and the song I had written for her during the summer.  But I wanted it to be a surprise so I knew I had to do it in a way when she would think she was in the know (relating back to her New Years surprise on me when I was completely thrown off).  I had Ariana and Jonathan explain that for my birthday I was going to be “kidnapped” at dinner and taken to an audition on campus.  I told Ana to tell Amy to text her when we had paid for dinner, and then go to the bathroom where Jonathan would pick her up and Ana would then come and take me to my “surprise.”  It was the funniest thing watching Amy try and act normal, and get up and go to the bathroom twice trying to figure out the timing of everything haha.  So while Amy was stressing with Jonathan after finally being picked up, I was changing into my suit in the backseat of my car while Ariana and Kjersta drove me to campus.  I reserved the Kent Concert Hall which seats around 2,000 people and had everything set up for me to be sitting in the dark on stage, at a black baby grand piano for Amy to be totally surprised.  With a little help from Kjersta and Ariana, as soon as Jonathan led her through the pitch black theatre to the front row, the lights came on and I started playing her song dressed in a black suit at the piano on stage.  She saw the video camera recording me playing and singing on stage, but did not see the camera back stage recording all of her reactions by Ariana.  It all turned out pretty perfectly and after I finished I had Amy come onstage where I proposed.  I was little shocked when she hugged and kissed me before even letting me put the ring on!  But it was perfect!  Thus I became engaged to the most beautiful and amazing girl in the world, and all those day dreams from Ghana became a reality!