How I Met My Prince Charming

I figured it is time I write this story for all my faithful followers that have been deprived of blog post for some time now. I also know my family would love to know how all this happened. I think I took some by surprise.

May 7, 2012 The day was Monday. It was just like any other Monday, I was getting off work and debating whether I would make it to FHE (single ward family home evening). This is a weekly debate because if you do not attend then you are not justified in your "why am I still single" complaints. I had been out of the habit of going to FHE due to a previous dating fling. I wanted to go to FHE but I was getting off work late and I needed to change my clothes so I could play kickball. I knew if I went home I would have a hard time leaving the comfort of my home. I decided I needed to just go to the park for the lesson and watch then play kickball. There are always a group of people hanging out on the sidelines, but not this week. This was not normal, everyone was playing, I was alone on the bleachers. Oh well it was fun watching.

Then it happened... Ty walked up and sat on the bleachers behind me. As he walked in front of me I thought 'if he sits on the bleachers and ignores me I will be one unhappy girl.' I recognized him as the guy that bore his testimony the day before and introduced himself as "the wards handsome bald guy." Don't get me wrong he is incredibly handsome, but come on, I rolled my eyes on Sunday and again when he walked by. He sat down and talked to a girl in the area. When she walked away he leaned forward and asked me what her name was. I said "It is Maren, in this ward you can assume it is either Maren or Jessica, I am Jessica. "  He introduced himself and we bantered back and forth for a bit. He eventually moved up next to me. We talked about everything, it was great. He asked when it was okay to leave an activity. I told him he had ten more minutes for it to be okay. When he got up to leave I joined him in the walk to our cars. I was secretly hoping something was going to come of this interaction. He said "If I did not have my bike I would take you to get a drink or something" to which I quickly responded "I have a car. "  We jumped in my car and went to Sawdee one of my favorite Thai restaurants and had dinner. Dinner conversation continued to go well. We learned a lot about each other. My interest was peaked. As I drove him back to the park he said we should definitely do this again but planned. I agreed and he said he would need my number. I gave it to him and dropped him off at his Harley. Aw what a wonderful evening. He text me later that night so I would have his number. Made some joke about remembering him for his devilish charm and not his lame Pat Buchanan joke.

We text several times that week. I was remaining strong and not initiating anything, I was letting him take the lead. I never once had to push to keep things going. He asked me out for Thursday night. On Thursday he picked me up and we went out for Sushi. He wanted me to school him in sushi. At Ichibans we enjoyed some delicious sushi and wonderful conversation. From there we went to the Gateway and saw a the U2 laser show at the planetarium.  Apparently I was very closed off and did not leave him a chance to hold my hand. I was so focused on taking it slow in dating and enjoying the experience. After the show we were heading to my home when he asked if we could go get dessert because he was not ready to let me go. I of course agreed because I felt the same. We went to Gourmandy's and had delicious dessert and had ourselves a laugh. I had him laughing pretty hard, which of course won my heart. I love making people laugh. He took me home and told me that he wanted to take me out when he got back in town and he would be keeping in touch with me while he was gone. And he did!

The following week we spent whatever time we had available with each other. By Thursday we had decided we were dating exclusively. I spent a weekend with his family and fell in love with them. It was wonderful to see Ty with them. He speaks so highly of all his brothers. It was nice to meet them all. Even if we had to spend a miserable hour in the rain.

In the past three months Ty and I have had a ton of fun. He introduced me to some Shakespeare in Cedar City at the Shakespeare Festival.  We saw Titus Andronicus (my fav) and The Merry Wives of Windsor.  I went to my first Opera with he and his Mother. We saw Faust. Wonderful Opera, it was sung in French.  He took me to an Iron Maiden concert. Not going to lie I really enjoyed the concert. We both agree on the top three most beautiful building in Salt Lake. 1. The temple 2. The Cathedral of the Madeline 3. City-county building. We have done many a fun things with his family. They are such wonderful people, I am already so grateful to have them in my life. I was even invited to a get together while Ty was out of town. Together Ty and I have a cat. Well his mother has our cat since we have not been able to take it in yet. It is a three legged cat we call him Neptune. Neptune had a trident, we felt it was an appropriate name for our three legged friend. I know I have a cat, the things we agree to when we are in love.

We decided early on in our relationship that something was working between us. Everything just clicked. On Monday August 6 Ty took me on a hike. We hiked the Bonneville shoreline trail. We hiked to our rock and there Ty had prepared a picnic. We ate cheese and crackers. He distracted me with some phantom hikers. A I looked around trying to figure out what he was talking about he got on one knee (in a patch of thorns). When I turned around he had a ring out and he proceeded to tell me he wanted to spend his life with me. He asked me to marry him and I said yes. Then he asked if he could get off his knee and the thorns. I said no. I called my family and shared the good news and we hiked back to our car. Ah it was magical!

Now I cannot wait to kneel at the alter in the Brigham City Temple and be sealed to the man I love.

Tyler Anderson I look forward to a life of fun and adventure at your side.

Sorry no pictures we have been very bad at taking any.

Here we go again!

This morning I woke up lying next to a picture of the New York sky line. Yup, sometime in the night I had a dream I was taking down decorations and I took down the picture hanging next to my bed. I vaguly remember doing it.

 I will be honest it is not all that comfortable to cuddle with a picture frame.

Quiet Reflection

This was quoted in church today. After reading the beginning of this poem (found below) I wanted to post about how we need to take more time in our lives for quiet reflection. In this time we can put the knowledge we have gained to good use as we connect it to the Great Plan of Happiness. I was going to expound and then I read the full poem and now my mind is all over the place. I highly recommend reading this...really makes you think. 

"Choruses from The Rock" by T.S. Eliot

The Eagle soars in the summit of Heaven,
The Hunter with his dogs pursues his circuit.

O perpetual revolution of configured stars,

O perpetual recurrence of determined seasons,

O world of spring and autumn, birth and dying

The endless cycle of idea and action,
Endless invention, endless experiment,
Brings knowledge of motion, but not of stillness;
Knowledge of speech, but not of silence;
Knowledge of words, and ignorance of the Word.
All our knowledge brings us nearer to our ignorance,
All our ignorance brings us nearer to death,
But nearness to death no nearer to GOD.
Where is the Life we have lost in living?
Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?
The cycles of Heaven in twenty centuries
Bring us farther from GOD and nearer to the Dust.

This Girl Needs a Belt!

On October 24th I joined 'Boot Camp with Jess and Company'

This is after one week of working out. One week wearing a 30 lb vest while working out.

Since then I have lost 8 lbs!!! and feel amazing. I am doing workouts I never dreamed of doing and now I cannot wait to get to the gym every morning.

Hopefully, I will get some measurements soon but I will tell you my clothes are fitting again and I feel like I look good. My arms are looking toned.

This is the best move I have taken for my overall health. Today one of my trainers came to me and said "You have come so far in such a short time, You will have no problem reaching your goals."

I believe him! I can do this.

Along with working out I am doing a meal plan. I eat 6 meals a day. I actually eat the same thing all week long which is great for me. I do not like planning food and I do not like having to come up with something new every day. This takes all the work out of it. Plus I am learning how to prepare so many new things. I am loving it. I also like it because I know I am getting the nutrition I need for all the working out I am doing.

The best part is I feel good all together. I am tired a lot but overall my energy has improved!

Stay tuned!

If I ever find my camera I will take another picture.

Death of a Fruit Fly

Clapping your hands frantically will yield approximately 1 fly per hour. They are tricky little buggers. You can however come at them with your finger and smash them, but you have to get the right angel so they do not see you coming. If you try to catch them in your hand they disappear when you open your hand. My solution... I run my hand under water in case they are in there I drown them.

These darn flies are driving me crazy. They like to eat my dinner when I do I would not be surprised if I had one of them for dinner last night.

My plan...though they are persistent and tricky they are dumb. I hear if you put a little treat in a bottle, then put a funnel on the top they will fly in to get the treat. But the "catch" is they will not be able to get out because they do not realize that the entrance is also the exit!

Wish me luck in my experiment. Anyone have some wine...I hear that is a good bait.

Short commute, steep hills

As the weather starts turning colder I have been assessing the hills I now live on and travel up and down daily. This is going to be a fun winter. I am reminded of some thoughts that I once shared. I feel there will be plenty more of these to come.

Icy Thoughts
By Jessica B.

Oh I hope I stop soon...
There is the curb...
stuck in the gutter I hope not...
I am hungry...
Remember when my house was not on a hill...
To far past the driveway I will have to turn around

The following are more thoughts as she spun her wheels attempting a turn back up the hill...

You knew this would not work...
I am hungry if I get stuck here I might not get the dinner I want...
I hope a car does not turn down this street...
burnt rubber not really a good smell...
Oh remember when my house was in the desert...
Note to self next place I live there will have hot guys next door

Thoughts as she drove around the block...

Should I try from and uphill aproach or a downhill...
Who should I call to coach me...
what shall I have for dinner...
oh nice Christmas lights...
here goes nothing...

Parked safely in her driveway. Jessica heads for dinner

Sleepwalking in Utah.

There are not any big stories for Utah just a bunch of little gems.

-Woke up one morning with all the sheets and blankets from my bed folded and stacked nicely on my bed.

- found myself wandering my room on occasion no purpose known...usually I realize I am up just tell myself to get back in bed.

- I use to have a curio cabinet in my room woke up and the door was open. I do not remember the details anymore but in my dream I was looking for something.

- When I was really stressed with school, surgery and other stuff... Monica would hear me talking night after night and she would come in and see how I was doing and I would get mad at her for talking to me. I usually would try to tell her I was awake and not talking in my sleep. I finally asked her to ignore me because it only stressed me out.

- I sleep in clothes that I would consider immodest for public...In my dreams I start to realize what I am wearing and become uncomfortable...I use to just pull the blankets up...lately I have woken up in modest shirts I did not got to bed wearing.

Oh how I wish I could remember all the odd things I have done. I have been sitting up in bed a lot lately in my sleep...until recently i changed pillows...I wonder if comfort has something to do with it.

So apparently it is not sleepwalking I am doing because I am aware that I am walking. Whereas sleepwalkers do not know they sleepwalk. One may say I am lucid dreaming because I can talk myself back to bed...but I don't really think I control my thoughts. I don't know what it is but I hope it has provided you with a little entertainment.