Better Later than Never: I'm Engaged!

I wrote this post shortly after I became engaged to my wife, Rachel Whitlock. As is typical for someone who is engaged, I didn't get around to publishing it at the time ... But everything I wrote here is as true now as ever. 

When I wrote this title, I was meaning to refer to the late nature of this blog post--I got engaged on Jan 11th--but now that I run it through my mind again, it's quite a fitting title to the simple fact that I am engaged. Yes, as a 24-year-old-single man at BYU, I am sure I had many worried that I was well on my way to becoming society's newest menace. And to be quite honest, so was I.

For a while, I was a single man wanting marriage wondering if it would ever come. It started to get to the point where the friendly chides from friends and loved ones were no longer funny; they stung just a little. But now, I am glad it took me this long to find my "one and only." It was well worth the wait.

Well with that as a somewhat-awkward introduction, I'd like to write briefly about Rachel and my story:

Though the generalities of our story are anything but unique--boy and girl go to BYU where they meet and get married--I'd like to share some of the fun details that make it ours. Rachel and I met as leaders in BYUSA, BYU's student government/service association hybrid. I got involved as an indirect result of eaves dropping in the library, and Rachel, because she is always looking for another ambitious project to take on.

Things certainly didn't start off on the getting-married track for Rachel and I; in fact, she never even responded to or acknowledged the first Facebook message I sent her and it was like pulling teeth to finally convince her to date me. But in here defense, that's probably because I vomited like a drunken sailor on our first date.


That all being said, after we got through the initial stages of unrequited advances, our Summer was pure bliss. It was not long before I was pretty sure that she was the one, but it took Rachel quite a bit longer to realize that. But I don't resent her for it one bit; nothing great in life comes easy and  fighting for Rachel helped me appreciate her for all she is.

Well after a break up, six months (depending on how you count it), and several instances of divine intervention, Rachel and I decided to take the next step. We got engaged on Jan 11th ( more specifically, on 1/11/12 at 11:11 p.m. Rachel is obsessed with 11:11, so I thought it was as good a time as any; if only she would have decided just a little sooner, it could have been 11/11/11 at 11:11). Since then, we've had our challenges, but overall, things have just got better.

The big day is April 21st; it can't come soon enough...