two years

on this day two years ago i had my last first kiss. (actually, i guess technically it was the early hours of the morning on 12.31.2010. however, the date began on the 30th so that is what implanted in my memory.) and that date, one of the best we've had! let's rewind...

craig and i met in junior high, where i had a major crush on him. we went to different high schools and life took us our separate ways for a few years. we reconnected through facebook in july of 2010 but weren't able to get together until he came home from his army duties for Christmas exodus. it was december 30th, 2010 and we were headed out for our fourth date. (our first date was to a jazz game just days earlier on the 27th. dates two and three were both on the 29th. date number two was a lunch date to mimi's cafe and date number three (wasn't technically a date, but we call it one all the same) was that same night at my parent's house chatting and watching the movie "up".) craig picked me up and we headed to salt lake city in his mom's sequoia. conversation came easy and butterflies were swirlin' away in my tummy all night. i was quite smitten by mr. harnois from the very beginning.

we pulled into trolley square to eat dinner at the old spaghetti factory. it was a cold night and walking into the restaurant i looped my arm through his, then we laughed and ate. he talked me in to eating the yummy spumoni ice cream even though my belly was so full, the butterflies weren't leaving much room for food. i can still visualize the little two top table we ate at, i was incredibly giddy to be sitting across from this handsome guy. walking back to the car he held my hand in his, it felt so natural and at the same time, sent a wave of excitement through my veins.

we drove to temple square to see the beautiful lights. as we walked around the square the cold air numbed our ears and colored our cheeks cherry red, but the butterflies in my belly warmed my heart. as we strolled hand in hand i remember wondering where this fast falling crush would lead. i couldn't help but hope to be back in front of the beautiful temple with this man. and even more so, i hoped and dreamed that we would be inside together one day.

{12.30.2010 amy + craig}

as soon as we were sufficiently numb and our noses were dripping we made our way back to the car to warm up. as we made our way back to kaysville, neither of us wanted the date to end and we found ourselves in craig's living room. this was the first night i met his parents and i was instantly comfortable with them and caught myself day dreaming of shopping with his mom and chatting about recipes and future grand babies. (way ahead of myself, i know. what can i say, i'm a hopeless romantic!) the two of us sat cozied up on the couch and took a walk down memory lane for craig as we flipped through pictures of his mission. i loved hearing stories of the people and seeing him light up as he shared experiences of his time in brazil. my heart melted as he sang "when i am baptized" to me in portuguese, one of the primary songs he could remember. the night continued to slip away and as badly as we wanted to stay right be each other our eyelids were begging for sleep. craig drove me home and we sat in my driveway for hours as we discovered more topics of interest to discuss. as we reminisced about junior high days and shared life experiences from our years apart, we continually lingered on mutual feelings of excitement, happiness and dare we even say... a serious potential for love. there was one single word we found ourselves repeating as all others seemed to fail us, crazy. 

it seemed so crazy that we were only on our fourth date and we could have such powerfully magnetic feelings for each other. it was crazy that we had individually thought of, let alone mentioned the "m" word. it was crazy that life took us our separate ways for years and then facebook reconnected us. it was crazy that craig was only home for such a short span and the timing of everything was perfectly aligning. it was crazy that i was seriously contemplating the idea of moving to alabama. it was crazy that we were chatting in a freezing cold car at three o'clock in the morning. it was crazy that i was sitting beside my biggest junior high crush. it was crazy that i felt myself falling uncontrollably in love with him... and i was insanely happy about every single moment of this craziness!

we sat in the cold car for hours. we never turned it on or took our conversation inside because several times we both attempted to wrap up the chat and make our way out of the car and to my front porch, but we were so caught up in each word and emotion that time just passed by and the freezing temperature was just background noise. finely, for the second time that night, our eyelids got their way and we walked together to my front porch.

as we stood there, i thanked craig for such a wonderful night and he gave me a warm hug. in that moment, i wanted to stop time and live forever in his embrace. from our hug, i looked up at him and smiled. he broke his hold to place both hands on my cold cheeks, my face instantly warmed by his touch. and then, he kissed me and the warmth shot through my whole body. i still remember how the butterflies erupted at that moment. i can still feel that giddy smile glued to my face. i hoped he wouldn't judge my kissing ability based solely on that kiss. my mouth was frozen in a smile and my lips were so cold, i was worried he wouldn't think it was as great as i did. and yet, as i dazedly walked inside i knew i just had my last first kiss. i was going to marry that man.

{8.31.2012 mr. + mrs. harnois}

on 8.31.2012, the two of us stood together for a picture, again in front of the temple in salt lake. this time we weren't there to admire the beauty of the Christmas lights, this time we went inside together. this was the day we became an eternal family. this was the day i dreamed of as we strolled around the square on that cold night in 2010. we decided to celebrate the kiss that sealed our forever marriage with the same meal we shared the night of our very first kiss, and after our visit to the temple we enjoyed a delicious meal at the old spaghetti factory with our family.

here we are 12.30.2012. two years ago i shared my first kiss with my man. and now, we share a beautiful baby girl who gets our love and kisses all day long. i remember laying in the hospital bed and admiring my sweet husband cradling our newborn daughter in his arms. as i heard him softly sing to her in portuguese the words of the same primary song he sang to me on the night of our first kiss, tears filled my eyes. my mind was flooded with emotions and memories, remembering the love we shared as we started our relationship and now, the love we share as we start our family. i am so incredibly blessed! i am grateful for our fourth date on that cold night and even more grateful for all the dates yet to be.