How did you meet and how did he propose?

We first met in the parking lot of Wal mart on December 6, 2001. I was sitting in my Jeep Cherokee waiting for my old mission companion, Jen, to arrive with my blind date and hers. I was a little nervous, since I had been more than my fair share of crappy blind dates. But she had agreed to come along if King J found her a date too.

They pulled up and my heart skipped a beat. He was a hottie! I jumped out and got in the car with them and we were off to go bowling and on to Los Hermonos (a great Mexican place). We had agreed to go dutch, but I was impressed when I went to the restroom and he had taken care of my bill. Not so impressed when we were bowling and he seemed to be more concerned with how Jen was doing with the brand new RM he had set her up with. (admittedly it was a horrible date for those 2 so concern was necessary) But I liked this guy and really wanted to let him know. So when we got back to my Jeep, I pulled out the white rose that I brought with me from the flower shop that I was managing (and lived at). Just a friendly "thank you, I had a great time" flower. (what, you didn't do that too? :)

Well apparently that just blew his mind and he was SO impressed with me. No one had ever done anything like that. Then he went home to see his family for a bout 3 weeks. But I didn't ever find this out until he was back. I was ready to give up on him. I had called and left message after message trying to ask him out again. His Aunt never bothered to tell me he was on vacation, or offered to give me his cell #.

I left my last message (before you think I am a stalker, it was really only like 3 or 4 calls) and decided he just wasn't into me and was going to give up. He finally calls me back. Without ever getting any of my messages. (grrrr) He had just gotten back into town and wanted to see me again.

Well the rest was history. By January we were seeing each other every single day until we were married in July. We lived about 45 miles apart. He would come every single night after he got off work to my apartment where I would cook him dinner. I would in turn go to his Aunts house, where he was living, on most of the weekends.

I probably knew that we were going to get married late Jan or early Feb. I remember going to the temple for just a regular visit. Not to pray about anything specific, but just to be in the temple. But while I was there my mind naturally went to that place. I began thinking about how happy I was. How much I liked this guy. But honestly when was it going to end. Stuff like this just doesn't happen to me. When was he going to realize, like all the other boys did, that I just wasn't the right girl for them. I began doubting everything. Then I had the overwhelming feeling like God was laughing at me. Shaking his head and saying "Why don't you believe in yourself? Why don't you think you deserve to be happy? Why don't you think I love you enough to give you someone so wonderful who sees in you what I see. Knock it off!!" I knew at that moment.

We went ring shopping, just so I could show him what I liked. But I wanted the ultimate decision to be his and for it to be a surprise. I wanted a pearl. Always did. It may have something to do with the fact that in my patriarchal blessing it promised me that "I would marry one of his fine priesthood holders. Someone who would love me and cherish me. Who would think of me as his pearl of great price. The most precious thing he has." (makes me tear up just writing that all out)

I knew he had a ring, but he wasn't going to propose until I had met his family. We traveled to Tennessee in March. I bugged him the whole plane ride asking him where he had packed my ring? Was it in his carry on or checked baggage? Was it going to happen right when we got there or when we got back? Lots and lots of pestering that made him very flustered. he he

We had been there for a few days and we had just finished dinner. I remember his dad asking "So, what is the plan folks?" Everyone gave him the evil eye like "shut up dad". King J said, well I think I am going to take Queen M on a drive and show her some of the big fancy homes here up her on the mtn. So we went on a drive. We pulled into a gas station and he told me I had to put a blindfold on. I did and I started asking him questions just to fluster him. "are you nervous? People are nervous when they are about to do what you are going to do." (man I was a pill) He just kept telling me to be quiet. The car stopped and he helped me out and we walked for little bit. He took my blindfold and in the darkness all I could see were the twinkling lights of the Chattanooga Valley. We were right on the brow of the Mtn. that over looked the city. Then I felt him down by my leg and he turned on a flashlight where I saw my beautiful ring and he asked me to marry him. I had found my Prince Charming.

We were married in the Nauvoo Illinois LDS Temple. July 6, 2002.

One of the nicest things King J has ever said to me was a quote from the
movie 'As good as it gets". Still makes me week in the knees knowing that this is still how King J feels about me. I am the luckiest girl in the world. I am so glad I finally had faith that God hadn't forgotten about me, and then turned my heart over to him.

"I might be the only person on the face of the earth that knows you're the greatest woman on earth. I might be the only one who appreciates how amazing you are in every single thing that you do......... I think most people miss that about you, and I watch them, wondering how they can watch you and never get that they just met the greatest woman alive. And the fact that I get it makes me feel good, about me."