10th anniversary

I almost forgot that we just celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary!!!  We didn't do anything real special because we were low on funds but what we did was still a lot of fun!  We walked down Whyte ave to the little shops we never really see and then walked down to Millcreek ravine and went on a few trails and just relaxed and chatted.  We got slurpees as well because we really worked up a sweat!  I really enjoyed the time we had to just talk and reminisce.  It was very enjoyable even though we did nothing fancy.  I can't believe it  has been this long.  Some days it feels longer and some not so much.  I remember when we first met....I honestly thought I would never come back to Canada.  I also didn't think I would have found the love of my life. I started chatting on ldschat.com with Andrew in January 2000 and a few short weeks later, I thought it would be fun to go up to Canada and meet him.  I felt it was a safe bet because he lived at home and he could show me some neat places, like Waterton and the Cardston temple.  I honestly did not have any romantic feelings for him before we met and did not assume I was going to.  I thought he was fun to talk to and he would be fun to hang out with.  Who have known he would have been so handsome and stole my heart?! :)  (did I mention I had not seen his picture yet?)  So anyways I left promptly after work on a Friday afternoon and drove my way up.  Not a good day for travel.  First I encountered slushy, muddy snow-rain fall.  Then it went away and things were good.  I got to the Canada-USA border and I was so nervous!  I have never left the country in my whole life.  Not even all those years I lived just a few hours from the border of Mexico (not that Mexico was so appealing).  I remember they asked me to get out of the car and come in.  I figured it was just routine and they wanted my ID and stuff....come to think of it, they may have suspected something since I was so nervous.  I was obviously let go without any implications.  They gave a lame excuse about not carrying a credit card in case I were to veer off the side of the road and had to be towed.  Now that I live here, I KNOW that was lie, we have interac, PLUS what tow truck will charge you on site?  They normally take you back somewhere and do the transaction there.  Anyways, so I was on my way and it was getting dark. I remembered looking at the road signs and thinking how different they were.  Everything was in kilometers and speed limit signs were different.  They actually warned you to slow down before the actual speed limit did change.  It took me a while to figure that one out. So anyways I had to go through many small towns which, if you know, they can get confusing on highway changes...like following a city street and if you miss that hidden sign behind the tree, you are lost.  So I eventually made it about 90 minutes before Cardston and I thought I was home free...WRONG!  I hit a HUGE snow storm....to the point that I could not see the road and not even a few feet in front of me.....I had cars passing me!!!!  I could not believe there were people that insane but thankfully that helped me.  I just followed their tracks and tried to keep an eye on the side of  the road where the reflective posts were.  That did me in.  I was done!  I thought, "this is stupid and I will never come back!"  I even told Andrew that the first night I met him.  So our plan was to meet at the temple and I would call him from there.  So I did and he came, running, but of course he stopped running so as to avoid looking like a nerd and walked up to me casually.  We met. it was weird, and neat.  He came across as a really nice guy.  Attractive, and "mature" in my eyes.  I was only 19 at the time and he was 23.  He is not that mature really hahaha!  We went back to his house, ate nachos, watched some movies and of course he showed me the inevitable mission pictures! haha!  We had a great weekend.  The next day we went to Lethbridge to go to a mall (the thing to do when you are young) and I remember eating at BK and thought to myself, "he is a really messy eater!" hahahaha!  I guess it didn't bother me enough to cross him off the list.  I was immediately having feelings for him, not because of the way he ate, but because of who he was, or at least appeared to be at the time.  We walked around the mall.  I can't remember if I bought anything but I do remember suggesting going to the theater to see a movie.  Typical young adult.  All throughout the excursion I couldn't read his body language.  I couldn't tell if he was interested the way I started feeling or not.  Hence, the movie theater idea.  I knew if I could get him into a theater, see a chick flick, I could hopefully find out! I am so devious, I know.  So of course we saw the movie "Down to You" and I remember rubbing his arm and he was like putty in my hands! hahaha!  We held hands and it was great!  I thought, "yes!"  But I also had to see if he would continue to hold my hand after the movie, because if he didn't then he felt obligated and awkward and then it would have been really weird.  Thank goodness I didn't make the wrong move because he reciprocated.  That night after we drove back home, we were again, watching tv, because what else is there to do in snow storm?  I guess I could have been creative and played in the snow but I was certainly not prepared for such weather.  I was sorely under-dressed! So anyways, that night we had our first kiss and that was such an awkward situation!  I remember thinking in my head, "should i or shouldn't i? no, maybe i will wait until next time we see each other (as if it was already planned in my head that we would)" then i went for it.  I know, I am such a forward lady, but I guess I couldn't help myself!  I am sure I shocked Andrew and then I said, "that was weird"  and then he said "let's try that again" HAHAHA! oh my goodness!  Writing all of this makes me sound like such a dork!  I guess when you are young and in love, it all sounds so romantic! :)  So the rest is history I guess......I left Monday morning to go back home and it was tough.  I was crying.  I really liked him and I didn't want to leave.  I wanted to live in my fantasy and be whisked away.  Love does funny things....although I cannot say I was honestly in love at that time but I knew i REALLY liked him.  It was not long before we started talking about getting married.  Then we did. And that is that!  I will have continue this saga on our next anniversary because there is still much to this story but not enough time or space! I love you Andrew!