I'm getting married. [:

Just thought I'd remind you guys, I AM GETTING MARRIED. haha. Pretty exciting.

Anyhow, really I figure because I have an hour before the next class I have time to blog! Its been a fairly busy week. I leave for Iowa tomorrow right after class. And I'll finally get to pick up my ever so perfect fitting ring!

Its perfect. [:

I was doing a lot of thinking yesterday, mostly because I simply can't stop thinking about the wedding and plans because I'm a girl. And also because we were talking about different tentative dates. (which made me super excited) But also because I was talking to a lot of my friends from High school yesterday. Most of which tell me I'm crazy, but that because they know me so well they know its legitimate. I don't mind being called crazy at all.. I probably am a little crazy! Anyone has to be to love someone. -We all have a little bit of crazy in us.

But I was thinking a lot about how grateful I am for all that I've been taught that brought me to this point. Not only do I like to think I understand the importance and difference of eternal marriage vs. temporal marriage but the gospel has provided so many little things for me. Of course I still have a lot to learn but I'm grateful for the foundation and perspective it has provided me. I've thought a lot about how selfless you have to learn to become, and how you have to work together to keep the romantic feeling of love, because without effort, that doesn't stick around. Its just interesting to hear people talk about future plans and it always involves, being rich, not having children, or simply not thinking about the future for a long time. I am just starting to see the huge difference in my line of thinking, and realizing all the blessings that are coming from it. And I think about in Leviticus about the "Strange Fire". And how they were performing a sacrifice, just not in the way the Lord had intended it to be done. I think this pattern is reflected a lot in the world today-- we tend to bend things and do things in a way which was not necessarily intended by the Lord.
You can see that a lot with marriages and how the idea of what a marriage is, is changing.
But. I'm just rambling.

I was going through some old things on my computer and I found a lot of pictures from me at younger times so I wanted to share them because all the memories associated are kind of funny and some tender. So here goes [: 

 Sophomore Year... Maybe

 Sophomore Year

 Sophomore Church Dance

 Homecoming Game

 Pete's Apartment right after Kyle Left

 My best friends while kyle was Away

 One of our many Junior year Lunch Dates

 Right before she almost killed us driving.

(An everyday occurrence [;)

 Christmas while Kyle was Gone

 Pete's Birthday

 My buddy for Junior Year

 Just waking from a nap. haha

 Vacation with Kelsey

 Kerouac. This kid gets me. lol. Oh and My dog Toby

 My Momma before homecoming!

 Senior Prom

 My favorite

 First EFY

 Our High Five

 We tried to go to a lot of football games together. We didn't care who played.

 Girls Camp

 Hiking

 YCL

 Junior Homecoming

 Jason

 Football game!

 Getting ready for homecoming game

 Senior Homecoming

 Tyler!!!!

 RO RO!!

 Last Girls Camp

 Last EFY

 camping

 Cousin

 First DECA conference

 First homecoming game

 New years eve my freshman year. It was worth it.

 ETHAN! Big brother. [:

 Brandon and Adam

 Brandon Adam Dillon.

 Just turned 18.

And now just some of the senior photos [:

Pretty much sums up my life up to now. [:

Back to always packing and unpacking!

So I'm coming up on some more eventful weeks again. Back to traveling! The 2 weekends in a row not traveling was nice, but now its time to get packing! I have a lot of homework and studying to cram into these next two days. This Thursday right after Psychology I head to Idaho Falls to pick up my ring (its being fitted) and then head to the airport. I then fly to Iowa! Which is partially underwater so, probably a terrible time to go, but I am attending a wedding. I have so many people to meet its going to be interesting. I also live in Rexburg where the sun doesn't shine very hot, so I don't have a ton of summer-y clothes to take there. Should be interesting!Then the following weekend we fly to Denver where some of the guys from the mission will be staying at our house to hear their president speak.

This weekend Garth came up on Thursday, and took Friday off. Thursday we went on his birthday date, Dinner and a Jon Schmidt concert. Was funny to watch Garths fingers sort of play along with the song that Jon was playing. Over all it was a really good concert! My only regret is that we only got one picture, and it was on a cell phone.


However, on Saturday we went hiking! I've been wanting to go for soo long and so my fiance found a spot! [: The 45 minute drive turned into about 2 hours when we got lost but it was worth it. It was up at mesa falls so we got to see the water falls as well. 

 I told you we got lost..

 Upper falls

 After hiking to lower falls

And. The traditional piggy back ride. [:

This weekend was a good one. Filled with some outdoor activities (hiking and soccer game) A birthday date, homework help, a movie night, church, and a big birthday dinner for my roommate. 

I learned a lot about communication this weekend as well. I guess thats a good lesson to learn before getting married huh? I saw just a little bit more of how important it is to be completely selfless and completely open in a relationship. It was also reconfirmed to me that I do have the best fiance in the world, and that he would do anything for me, and that the reason I know he's going to be a wonderful husband is because he cares so endlessly about me and about us as a unit. He understands so much about me sometimes its a little scary. 

And I know some of you are hoping to get away from this mushy moment so..

This semester is ALMOST OVER [:
Super excited about that. Definitely going to miss seeing Garth every weekend but I'm ready to be home around my family. And I'm ready to not have any homework for just a little bit. The 7 week break better be filled with pool time! And Its when I get to plan my wedding! Go shopping for the dress with my momma! Super exciting. Can't wait!
Ready to get this show on the road. [:

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!