Time went by and on a dullfull Friday evening I found myself scrounging around and playing in a pile of oatmeal playdough. I was wearing my service activities shirt and BYUI shorts. I hadn't showered for the day, so consequently I looked dreadful. However, I didn't care because I only cared to impress one boy who I knew I would not be seeing that night.
We heard a knock on the door and my roommate and I simultaneously roared, "come in!"
A tall red head with a black and white vertical striped shirt, that was a size too big on him, entered the door. He immediately invited us over to his place for pizza and a movie (later Sean revealed to me that he came over that night to ask me on a date but didn't want to be mean to my roommate). My roommate and I didn't want to go, but we also didn't want to be rude. We invited him in to come play with our oatdough. Sean remembered both of our names and I had absolutely no idea who he was. After pushing and prodding and saving my roomate from having to go alone, I agreed to join in the fun. I showered and got ready to look my best. When I returned, I believe I stunned Sean with my ability to clean-up. Aka, he kept looking at me.
Sean and I naturally flirted that night. The flirting was just for fun for me and nothing else. I had no interest in this tall balding red-head. I saw how my roommate kind of eyed him and I decided to back down on the flirting. However, I couldn't do it! For some strange reason, I was attracted to this goofy looking kid. I tackled him for his ipod to start my investigation of his life. On his ipod I saw his number one most played song was "Kiss Me." I taunted him looking for a number of how many girls he had kissed. He proudly stated, "zero." I was shocked.
When curfew was drawing nearer, my roommate and I noticed the mess that we and all the other people had left. We raced to the sink and began washing dishes. Sean and his roommate rushed to help. They were embarrassed that we were cleaning their apartment. After we were done washing the dishes we needed a towel to dry our hands on. Sean ran out and grabbed his bathroom towel and draped it over his arms. My roommate and I glanced at each other and hesitatingly dried our hands. I lingered while saying goodbye because I secretly wanted one thing. A hug from Sean Willardson. And I got one on that warm summer night.
The following day, Sean came over to my apartment to ask me on a date. I was completely oblivious to the fact because I had a date with my crush. So, naturally, I thought he was there to ask my roommate on a date. When she briefly left the room I said to him, "ask her out all ready! She isn't going to wait all day." Sean looked at me and said, "what are you doing tonight?" I reminded him of the date I was going on and that I wouldn't be available to double. Due to my joy and excitment of my blossoming love, I wanted the same thing for my roommate. So I threw Sean my car keys and said, "take her out for a nice date. I think she likes you."
It had been several weeks since our pizza night and once again Sean was forgotten while I continued dating my crush. During this time, I encouraged Sean and my roommate to date each other. Sean was around the apartment all the time trying to woo my roommate. She told me on the day of his birthday June 15, that she wasn't interested anymore. I said, "well tell the guy so he stops fawning over you." She replied, "it's his birthday." I said, "trust me, he wants to know." Apparently in hindsight he wished she would have waited another day.
Our first official date was on a Wednesday, June 18th, 2008. I was slowly walking home in despair, my very first love was engaged to another girl. My crush and I had dated on and off for two semesters and he still hadn't asked me to be his girlfriend. I felt lonely. Sean saw me and began walking my slow pace. I was rather irritated since he was working on making me happy, and really all I wanted to do was sulk. Sean finally asked me if I wanted to join him at that moment for dinner. I knew my apartment would be messy and I didn't want to pass up a free dinner so I took the offer. We walked to Frontier Pies and I felt like it was THE most awkward date of my life. However, I also felt I found it easy to talk to him.
During the date, Sean said, "I was actually on my way to your apartment to ask you on a date for Friday. Stumped with no excuses, I replied, "sure!" I thought he was asking me on another date when in fact he was actually just trying to make conversation. Sean didn't explain himself, he just said "great, I'll call you!" He walked me home, poked, and tried to cheer me up. With all his poking and teasing, I was already thinking of excuses to get out of our upcoming date. After all, he was too tall for me, had red hair, and was an accounting major. Those three things didn't fit into my "plan" of who I needed.
Friday approached and I decided I didn't feel "well enough" to go on the date. I texted Sean and explained my recent illness. My roommate made me feel guility so I texted Sean again only a half hour before the show to tell him I had a recent full recovery! He fortunately sold the tickets, but then unfortunately offered to bring a movie over. We watched Stardust that night and I found myself rather uncomfortable. I thought, "if I could just put my feet up on the couch then I'd be much more comfortable. However, there was one problem, Sean was in the way. I finally gave into my comfortable desire and placed my legs on Sean's lap. After some time, Sean began massaging my feet. This shocked me. I wasn't expecting this on a second date. Especially on a second date that I didn't even like! I nearly cuddled with Sean that night. I was very confused with my feelings and my intentions.
Feeling kind of lonely the next day, I texted Sean. We went to Porter park and talked and gazed at the stars on a blanket provided by Sean. We began wrestling and Sean pinned me and asked, "penny for your thoughts?" I laughed and pushed him off me. I replied, "give me a nickel and I'll tell you my thoughts." Sean searched and searched his pockets and backpack for a nickel. He was unable to find one and he was devastated.
Laughing, I said, "I'll tell you if you pay me back later." He promptly agreed. "Sean", I whispered with slight hesitation, "I don't know how I feel about you. Honestly I am confused. I thought I was not attracted to you and that you weren't my type, but I am ambivalent with this thought, and I'm not sure how to approach this. So, I think we should continue going on dates and see where it leads us." He grinned. I looked at his childish face and courageously asked, "what are you thinking?"
He smiled and said, "that I like you and I would love to date you. I also wanted to kiss you when I had you pinned." That was no suprise to me. I put on a fake smile and thought, "what am I doing?!"
We began walking home and Sean grabbed my hand. I glanced up and looked at his proud chisled face. I went along with it at first until Sean asked, "is this okay?" I turned away and said, "holding hands means commitment, and I'm not ready to be committed to you." I promptly withdrew my hand. Sean replied, "it was a little awkward for me too." Sean was absolutely broke. I felt so bad for him that I linked my arm in his.
On our way home, the other guy I was dating was walking right toward us on the same sidewalk. I couldn't just run away from Sean. Nor could I unlink my arm after crushing him from not holding his hand. So I bowed my head and hoped the other guy would not notice. As he was passing by he said, "hi, Sean." About 5 feet passed us, my crush turned around and said, "ANNE! Is that you?!" I blew it! Now my crush was never going to continue asking me out. I said hi and told him I would talk to him later.
The next day I decided to test him by taking him to Robin Freeman's apartment (my adopted grandmother of whom I had visited with nearly every Sunday for a year). He delightedly enjoyed her company and talked with her as if they were old friends. He was so attractive that I couldn't resist but grab his hand. the expression on his face was priceless. We left Robin's apartment with interlocked fingers. I wasn't ready to let go. On our journey home, I grabbed a pinecone from a tree and handed it over to Sean. He pocketed the present like it was a nugget of gold (he still has that same pinecone). I let go of his hand as we approached my apartment complex. Noone could know about this.
Well eventually my roommates knew about it and they said, "if you are embarrassed to be seen with him, break up with him." I wasn't willing to admit that I was embarrassed to be seen with him so I reluctantly changed my facebook status to "in a relationship with Sean Willardson."
Funnily enough my old crush called after he saw the status change, and told me of all the reasons why I shouldn't date Sean. One of the reasons being the fact that he was too tall for me. I realized at that moment that I had wasted my time with this stupid crush. His rude comments made me want to prove him wrong. So despite all my doubts about Sean, I continued our relationship.
The month of July was a rollarcoaster of emotions. I had to work a twelve hour shift for my preceptorship in pediatrics on the fourth of July. Sean drove down with me to Idaho Falls at 6:15am. During my lunch break, we went to our Bishop's barbecue. When he opened the car door, there on my seat was a pinecone with a note that read, "don't look at the song, but press play." Inside the glovebox was my ipod where I pressed play and then turned on a cheesy song about love and beauty. I faked smiled again and thought to myself, "I hope he doesn't have a nickel and ask what I'm thinking because right now I am weirded out."
I returned to the hospital and told the other nurses about this odd sort of boyfriend that I had. they thought that it was very romantic of him to do what he did.
On our way back to Rexburg, we were stuck in traffic and Sean was extremely uptight and grumpy. I knew that I could NEVER marry him. The next day I broke-up with Sean at the Rexburg temple.
The following weekend, our ward was having a summer party. When I saw Sean at the party, I couldn't stop staring at him. In fact, I purposefully sat next to him. At the end of the party, Sean was helping the bishop clean stuff up. I frantically tried to keep an eye on him so I could talk to him when he was free. He promptly left the party and left me confused. What's a girl to do except text her ex-boyfriend? He was on a date but rapidly finished it to come be with me.
When he arrived at my apartment, I thought I had made a mistake by leading him on again. I said, "do you want to watch a movie?" He slipped Charly out of his pocket and said, "yeah, I brought one with me." The movie evoked so much emotion that I was uncontrollably crying. Sean didn't try to comfort me, he just handed me Wendy's napkins from his pocket. I couldn't take the pain anymore and I needed his comfort. I finally turned and hugged Sean and held him as if it was the end of the world. We both cried. That night he told me that like "Utah's" character, he was looking for the wrong thing and that all he wanted was me. He kissed me on the forehead and then left me befuddled.
Ever since that night, Sean and I have been together. Every day seemed different. And everyday I found myself falling more and more in love with Sean. One day at the end of July while I was on a road trip with my mother, I texted Sean and said, "Sean, I think I love you." It took him minutes to reply with, "Anne, I love you too."
That summer was constructive one for us. Sean finally got his first kiss in August. Later that month, I had surgery on my ankle. Sean was there for me every second that I needed him and every hour that I slept. He would carry me up and down the stairs. I saw during those moments a charitable kind of love Sean had. I'd sleep for hours and hours, and then wake-up in pain to find Sean ready with some food and a pain pill. Sean sat outside my bedroom door and changed my ice pack every couple hours and made me breakfast, lunch and dinner. He was always so thoughtful in every way during both of my ankle surgeries.
During my last semester of nursing school, he made me dinner nearly every night while I studied. I never once asked him to make me dinner, yet for months he did (he still makes us dinner nearly every night). He would often leave me suprise letters and I received flowers atleast once a week. He would take me to the temple every week where we talked of our goals and ambitions of life...and other sappy stuff.
On December 3rd, I was questioning my relationship with Sean. I wasn't sure if I should continue dating him. That night I had flirted with another guy that I had interest in before Sean and I began dating. This guy had invited me on a date and I told him I had a boyfriend. I was confused. I communicated my concerns with my best friend about my problem. She asked this, "do you love him?"
I replied, "yes."
"Do you work well together?"
Again I replied, "yes."
"Are you willing to lose something real for a fling?"
It was during that moment that I knew I wanted to marry Sean for time and eternity. I couldn't sleep the entire night because of the circulating thoughts of faith and fear. One of the most joyous texts Sean has probably ever recived came at 6:30 A.M. on December 4th, when his sweet love stated, "Sean, I love you, and I want to marry you. Ask me to marry you, and I will say yes." That night we cuddled and once again I affirmed my desire to marry him.
Unexpectedly, Sean had purchased my ring during the middle of finals week. On December 13th, 2008, Sean sent me on a scavenger hunt. The clues were extremely cheesy and written on torn pieces of scrap paper and old receipts. I grudgingly followed his lame clues that lead me to a clue of a scripture. After uncoding the scripture I went out into the back yard to a play house that my father had built me when I was a child. He placed his coat on me, and in a big box was a jewlery box. I was SHOCKED! He knelt on one knee and asked me to be his forever. After moments and moments of thinking I said, "okay."
The day after our engagement on December 14, 2008, I wrote the following:
"I never believed I'd fall for Sean Willardson. However, I fell so fast that I didn't even realize I was falling. On many occasions I found myself on cloud 9. But overall I found myself wanting to be more and more with Sean because he was my best friend. His charitable love for people, for his family, and for me has allowed me to look upon the heart of this young David. As the months have passed and our relationship has grown, with his help I have defeated many Goliaths. His dedication, faith, and determination will allow us to move mountains. I am forever blessed to have him for forever."
Here are some of Sean's words:
"Anne has been a true inspiration to becoming a better person. She has, and continues to have, a profound effect on my life. She is full of intellect and works hard to maintain a positive view on life. I love how she plays with children as if she is a child herself. She has such a beautiful purity of soul. Her attitude towards life is a reflection of God's love for his children. I love her with all my heart and soul."
We've been married now for eighteen months and seventeen days!
And we have never been happier on our eternal adventure of love. :D
Funnily enough my old crush called after he saw the status change, and told me of all the reasons why I shouldn't date Sean. One of the reasons being the fact that he was too tall for me. I realized at that moment that I had wasted my time with this stupid crush. His rude comments made me want to prove him wrong. So despite all my doubts about Sean, I continued our relationship.
The month of July was a rollarcoaster of emotions. I had to work a twelve hour shift for my preceptorship in pediatrics on the fourth of July. Sean drove down with me to Idaho Falls at 6:15am. During my lunch break, we went to our Bishop's barbecue. When he opened the car door, there on my seat was a pinecone with a note that read, "don't look at the song, but press play." Inside the glovebox was my ipod where I pressed play and then turned on a cheesy song about love and beauty. I faked smiled again and thought to myself, "I hope he doesn't have a nickel and ask what I'm thinking because right now I am weirded out."
I returned to the hospital and told the other nurses about this odd sort of boyfriend that I had. they thought that it was very romantic of him to do what he did.
On our way back to Rexburg, we were stuck in traffic and Sean was extremely uptight and grumpy. I knew that I could NEVER marry him. The next day I broke-up with Sean at the Rexburg temple.
The following weekend, our ward was having a summer party. When I saw Sean at the party, I couldn't stop staring at him. In fact, I purposefully sat next to him. At the end of the party, Sean was helping the bishop clean stuff up. I frantically tried to keep an eye on him so I could talk to him when he was free. He promptly left the party and left me confused. What's a girl to do except text her ex-boyfriend? He was on a date but rapidly finished it to come be with me.
When he arrived at my apartment, I thought I had made a mistake by leading him on again. I said, "do you want to watch a movie?" He slipped Charly out of his pocket and said, "yeah, I brought one with me." The movie evoked so much emotion that I was uncontrollably crying. Sean didn't try to comfort me, he just handed me Wendy's napkins from his pocket. I couldn't take the pain anymore and I needed his comfort. I finally turned and hugged Sean and held him as if it was the end of the world. We both cried. That night he told me that like "Utah's" character, he was looking for the wrong thing and that all he wanted was me. He kissed me on the forehead and then left me befuddled.
Ever since that night, Sean and I have been together. Every day seemed different. And everyday I found myself falling more and more in love with Sean. One day at the end of July while I was on a road trip with my mother, I texted Sean and said, "Sean, I think I love you." It took him minutes to reply with, "Anne, I love you too."
That summer was constructive one for us. Sean finally got his first kiss in August. Later that month, I had surgery on my ankle. Sean was there for me every second that I needed him and every hour that I slept. He would carry me up and down the stairs. I saw during those moments a charitable kind of love Sean had. I'd sleep for hours and hours, and then wake-up in pain to find Sean ready with some food and a pain pill. Sean sat outside my bedroom door and changed my ice pack every couple hours and made me breakfast, lunch and dinner. He was always so thoughtful in every way during both of my ankle surgeries.
During my last semester of nursing school, he made me dinner nearly every night while I studied. I never once asked him to make me dinner, yet for months he did (he still makes us dinner nearly every night). He would often leave me suprise letters and I received flowers atleast once a week. He would take me to the temple every week where we talked of our goals and ambitions of life...and other sappy stuff.
On December 3rd, I was questioning my relationship with Sean. I wasn't sure if I should continue dating him. That night I had flirted with another guy that I had interest in before Sean and I began dating. This guy had invited me on a date and I told him I had a boyfriend. I was confused. I communicated my concerns with my best friend about my problem. She asked this, "do you love him?"
I replied, "yes."
"Do you work well together?"
Again I replied, "yes."
"Are you willing to lose something real for a fling?"
It was during that moment that I knew I wanted to marry Sean for time and eternity. I couldn't sleep the entire night because of the circulating thoughts of faith and fear. One of the most joyous texts Sean has probably ever recived came at 6:30 A.M. on December 4th, when his sweet love stated, "Sean, I love you, and I want to marry you. Ask me to marry you, and I will say yes." That night we cuddled and once again I affirmed my desire to marry him.
Unexpectedly, Sean had purchased my ring during the middle of finals week. On December 13th, 2008, Sean sent me on a scavenger hunt. The clues were extremely cheesy and written on torn pieces of scrap paper and old receipts. I grudgingly followed his lame clues that lead me to a clue of a scripture. After uncoding the scripture I went out into the back yard to a play house that my father had built me when I was a child. He placed his coat on me, and in a big box was a jewlery box. I was SHOCKED! He knelt on one knee and asked me to be his forever. After moments and moments of thinking I said, "okay."
The day after our engagement on December 14, 2008, I wrote the following:
"I never believed I'd fall for Sean Willardson. However, I fell so fast that I didn't even realize I was falling. On many occasions I found myself on cloud 9. But overall I found myself wanting to be more and more with Sean because he was my best friend. His charitable love for people, for his family, and for me has allowed me to look upon the heart of this young David. As the months have passed and our relationship has grown, with his help I have defeated many Goliaths. His dedication, faith, and determination will allow us to move mountains. I am forever blessed to have him for forever."
Here are some of Sean's words:
"Anne has been a true inspiration to becoming a better person. She has, and continues to have, a profound effect on my life. She is full of intellect and works hard to maintain a positive view on life. I love how she plays with children as if she is a child herself. She has such a beautiful purity of soul. Her attitude towards life is a reflection of God's love for his children. I love her with all my heart and soul."
We've been married now for eighteen months and seventeen days!
And we have never been happier on our eternal adventure of love. :D
Very cute story Anne! I am so glad you found the love of your life :) We are similar because I never saw myself marrying Jake but went out on a date with him anyways. I had so much fun and we were soon inseparable. It has been the best choice I have made to marry my best friend. I am so glad you guys are so happy together. Our blog is jakenjuels.blogspot if you want to add it to your sidebar. It will be fun to see how things are going in your life all the time.
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