Oh You Know, Just Camping With Some Bears!

     As most of you know, this weekend was Memorial Day Weekend.  Which means that the nation decided to celebrate those who have given their lives to this country.  Let me just say at the beginning: thank you!  It's because of you that we have the freedom that we enjoy today.  Many people see this holiday as an opportunity to enjoy this free land that we have and do outdoorsy things.  Well, we are no different.  It was time we went camping!  We got some friends together and decided to make it a real holiday and work more than we actually relaxed!  Because it was so impromptu, we ended up setting up a tent in the dark.  Well, as David and I use our great communicative skills and set up a tent with our one and only flashlight (which makes things a little more difficult when there are two people trying to set up a tent), our wonderful friend Skyler is making everyone some dinner.  We were intensely setting up the tent, actually having tons of success and hear a noise...."HUFF!! HUFF!!"  I hear it, and I look at David.  By the fear showing in his eyes, I know that he's heard it too.  We are silent and then we hear the noise closer! "HUFF!!  HUFF!!" Holy crap!  I've been to enough zoos to know a bear's noise when I hear it!  I ask David, "You heard it right?"  He responds by running towards the campfire...with our only flashlight!  I book it too!  Holy crap!  Once we get to the campfire, I look back to protect myself.  Out comes Skyler from behind our newly pitched tent, smiling contentedly.  I am about to yell and warn him that there's a bear back there, but I notice by his smile that something funny just happened.  I realize with perturbed happiness that it must have been him making those noises. 

Well, I was not amused! Well, I kinda was.  Especially when Skyler explained that there just aren't any bears here in this secret camping spot of his.  Sure....well, you bet I made sure that the boys slept with a hatchet and knife close by.  I slept with my throat ready to scream for them to come and save me! The next morning, David and I decide to take a morning stroll.  As we're walking by the creek right behind our tent we hear a branch crack.  We look over the creek, about 20 feet away, to see what made the noise and we see a black bear!  Yup, there's a black bear...running away from us. 

     We were both so happy to see it running in its majestic beauty that we didn't stop to think of the dangers.  I guess things are much less scary in the daylight...when things are known.  It was an exciting experience.  Skyler was upset that he was asleep and didn't get to see the bear.  I think it serves him right for scaring us then telling me there are no bears in that area.  Sure there are no bears in that area!  Good thing we made sure to keep all of the food in the car!!  And what an amazing once in a lifetime moment...Seeing a bear in the wild.  What a great memorial day weekend!

Side Story: When David Met the Family, Guns and All!

     Well, as most of you know, my family is different from most families in several respects.  One: they don't really take life seriously.  My family's philosophy: if you're not laughing through life, what's the point in living.  Two: behind our individual relationship to Heavenly Father, family is the most important thing that you can have.  Three: individuality is crucial.  We were raised to discover who we are and be the best we could be with whatever that might be...a soccer star, a scholar, or a diva (that was me, the theatre diva).  I guess these values are ones that most families share.  These values came largely into play when David met the family!
     At the time that David met the family, we were pretty serious.  We didn't keep it from them at all.  We all realized that it is important that my family "meet" David via Skype.  The date was set, the computers were ready, and we were all excited!  Well, we give my family a call.  And up the pop on our screen.  There's my Dad!  With....two GUNS over his shoulders.  He looks menacing!  What the heck, I had NOT prepared David for this.  I had calmly explained to him my family's values.  I had told him that my family is always accepting.  That they respect my decisions and love whoever I introduce them to.  He was nervous to meet them as it is...and here's my dad on screen with two guns!  I didn't even know he OWNED guns!  My dad states, "oh Allie and David it's you!  I just wanted to show you, David, my gun collection.  They're pretty great...this one is a *insert name of gun here, I was so shocked that I didn't pay attention...and I know nothing about guns anyway* and this one is a *insert some other gun information that I didn't even know my dad knew* and this is my favorite!  You see this scope?  And it is accurate within 200 yards.  *I think I remember this aspect because David looks at me like he was considering how fast he could run 200 yards away from me*.  Sigh, that's my dad....who knew? 
     Then he looks at the screen and starts laughing.  I notice then that David is laughing too.  I think while Dad was going through these things I was objecting at every sentence, although I don't remember.  After this occurrence a normal family conversation ensued.  With tons of laughter, a lot of making fun of each other, tons of showing of affection, a great conversation about our dogs (which we were shown each one.  Sushi, grandma's dog has gotten so fat).  We talked about my brother David's creeper 'stache and how different he looks with it.  My sister demanded attention (I have soft skin too! *inside family joke*) Mom assured David (fiancé) the whole time that Dad was kidding.  Dad laughed and brought in some interview questions for David.  It was a terrifying experience for David and I both.  In the end, David decided that I was still worth the scary experience, shotgun and all.  I'm certainly glad that he did!!

Jellyfish Aquarium and the Count of Monte Cristo: A Proposal

     So we decide.  We start making plans.  We make big plans.  The only thing left was the official proposal. We had met the family.  Dad had threatened him with several guns (an entirely different story, see things get serious post).  The proposal still needed to happen.  It happened on Saturday, May 4th.  That day, David asks what I want to do.  We had thrown around several ideas earlier that week, the aquarium, the tulip festival, another lazy day of movies and the park, making food together....I told him it was up to him and he decided that we could go to the aquarium.  We head up there.  The nice lady welcomes us to the aquarium enthusiastically.  We get a map to make sure we don't miss anything and we start on our way.  We see all sorts of cool things.  We touched the sting rays, much to David's dismay.  We saw the penguins eating and the daddy penguin giving pebbles to the mommy penguin while she was laying on the egg, just like in Happy Feet!  We look at the super cool snakes and fishes of all kind.  Then he looks at the map and states that we hadn't seen the jellyfish.  Well!  You can't miss the jellyfish!  So we head over there.  The jellyfish were in a little secluded area, he let me guide the way.  The little jellyfish alcove is dark and in the corner so that you can see the jellyfish glow really awesome colors when they lit them up.  There was a nice lady cleaning the glass to the tanks.  She told us that she would get out of our way and everyone was just so nice!  While I'm staring intently at the different colors of the jellyfish, I notice someone is lowering something into the tank, I think, "Oh, they must be cleaning it...except it's a piece of paper."  I wait to look at the paper.  It says, "Will you marry me?"  I think: "Oh! That's so cute that someone is proposing!!"  I look around to see if we are in someone's way and to watch the proposal.  I don't see anyone, so I turn around again.  With the whole sign lowered it stated: "Allie Harrison, will you marry me?"  What!!!  That's me!!!  I look over at David, and there's the love of my life, kneeling down.  He asks simply if I will marry him.  I say yes...the next little bit is a blur.  He ties a string on my hand and whispers that it represents the first time we held hands (which happened to be during the movie, "The Count of Monte Cristo." We had been customizing a ring and it isn't finished yet).  He hugged me tightly, then he kissed me.  I noticed then that people must be around because there was a faint clapping...I hold his hand and realize that we're both shaking.  Gah!!!  It's official!  I'm engaged.  Not only am I engaged, but I'm engaged to someone that I want to be with forever.  To David...to my David...to my forever!  To my everything.  The rest of the day was a blur of love haze, that's the only phrase I've got for it.  The aquarium staff kept smiling at us knowingly and congratulating us.  We got some nice pictures.  Jellyfish became a big deal for us.  Mmmm! How I love that man!  Yup, we're ready to start our forever.

And then things get really serious

So, we both realize where this is going.  And it's going there really really fast.  Faster than either of us anticipated.  Faster than either of us really wanted.  But it was going there, and it was decision time.  We did the decision thing like we always do the decision thing.  We individually prayed and fasted.  We made pro's and con's lists.  We thought things through.  We discussed the relationship with our friends and families.  We began to really think about the decision.  And it was the right one.  Let's do this!  We came to the conclusion at the same time.  This was an exhilarating and terrifying point in our relationship.  I mean, this was serious stuff!  We started making plans.  We began contemplating times to get married.  We would have great days where we would happily talk about the future.  We would have days where one of us got freaked out.  I mean, this was forever we were planning!  I mean, were we both ready for forever to start?  Were we finished being stupid and having our big decisions and stupid mistakes only impact ourselves?  Heavenly Father comforted us, and we also helped each other.  We got more comfortable and happy with our decision every day.  It began to get more and more official!

And then things get serious....

And then we started dating, seriously dating.  A whole new territory for me.  We start talking ALL the time.  We are together all the time.  We tell each other that we really like each other.  I meet his family.  We talk about soooo many things.  We realize that we have this connection.  I realize that he's so easy to talk to.  I begin to feel that I can trust him.  He opens up to me. We watch the Count of Monte Cristo.  He holds my hand.  A couple of days later we go to the park.  We swing on the swings.  He tells me that he hopes I don't mind, but he's been telling everyone that we're dating.  I sigh in relief, I tell him that's no problem because I've been doing the same thing.  We do the gross couple thing and hold hands in the park.  He tells me that he's a serious guy.  He moves quickly, and he really only does seriously relationships.  I tell him that I am terrified of serious relationships and like to keep things light and carefree.  We laugh and decide that we were both going to have to compromise.  The rest, from that moment on, is history.  We start doing everything together.  We become a couple.  We talk about everything.  We laugh together.  We go on adventures.  We stay at home and are lazy.  We have serious moments and carefree moments.  We thrive in our new relationship....we start falling in love.  I won't bore the entire world on the serious, mushy gushy details.  Let's just say, things get serious.

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do

So, I decided he was on my radar.  At the time, I wasn't really pursuing boys much.  I was going on dates, I was loving my life.  I was utterly and entirely content with not having a serious relationship.  Life was great!  I was doing well in school.  I was in a great ward with amazing friends.  Life was busy while school, friends, working as a teacher at the M.T.C.  I liked the idea of having someone to date, but I was certainly no eager beaver in that arena.  I joked around that I wanted to be married by Christmas, knowing full-well that it was just not going to happen.
     He decided to not date period.  David figured that he needed to work hard on school and not get distracted.  He thought that he wasn't ready for marriage, and he knew that when he dated, he dated for keeps.  The next girl he dated was going to be serious....then my family came into town.
     My little sister Angel is 16.  She's a cutie with a sassy attitude.  Living in West Virginia does not give you the best odds, dating wise.  The boys there are just different.  They don't often open the door for you, they sometimes pay, and the dating scene is just normal.  Here, the boys are gentleman!  They're chivalrous.  There's this weird thing that they do where they put women on the crazy weird pedestal.  I wanted Angel to experience it.  So, it was decided that Angel needed to go on a date.  No big deal, I just needed to find a man who hadn't been on a mission and was still 18.  I didn't realize at the time that it would be such a difficult task!
     While discussing this dilemma with my friend Millie, she suggested her friends.  One of them was 18 and would love to go on a little date with my sister.  She said that we could all go on a triple date, we would just need to ask them out.  I was willing to do it for the good of my sister.  My ears certainly peaked a little when she mentioned that I could ask David, who was on my radar.  Done!
     So, we drive up to their house.  While in the car, we come up with a game plan.  Since Millie knows the boys the best, she'll start talking about it.  I'll then explain a little bit of the situation, and she will ask them if they could possibly go with us on a really cheap date of Dairy Queen ice cream.  They could pay and open our doors and show my little sister what real men are like....that was the plan.  We go in, Millie doesn't say anything.  I start getting really nervous.  I feel like I'm back in the mission field when I was just out.  I don't know how to start because I'm so nervous.  I NEVER ask out boys!  That's their job!  David looks at us with a suspicious glance...."So....what's going on?" He asks, knowing that we're up to something.  Then I think (like we Bought a Zoo): "All it takes is 15 seconds of insane courage...a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!"  I start, "So I have this adorable little sister named Angel..."  I end up asking them out.  David emphatically agrees to go.  He sounded excited, which made me excited!  We decide to go on our triple date.
     The date was amazing.  It was cute and fun and great.  David and I start texting.  He flirts a little, I flirt a little back.  I decide I like the kid.  I like him so much I want to ask him out again!  What a strange thing for me!!!!  Millie and I develop a plan.  We'll ask the boys out again in order to thank them for taking us out!  Excellent idea!  They won't suspect a thing!  A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!  So, I ask him out again! He says sure.  We decide that it's going to be really fun!  Now to the tricky part.  It's difficult to be a guy.  Planning a date is really complicated when you try to figure out what they might want and how much time you all want to spend together and how you should treat them and what vibes you want to send out and if you should pay or if they should pay....the list of complications goes on and on.  I feel bad for all the times when I  wished guys would ask me out more.  No wonder it's not super frequent.  It's difficult stuff.  Anyway, we go on our date and the first thing they ask is, "So...are you going to open the door for us?"  Haha!  And the night began with humor.  The entire night Millie and I acted like the guys and Jo and David acted like the girls.  We ordered for them, we opened the doors...the date was a long one.  We went to Sub Zero then we went to play pool.  At the end of the night we hugged as friends and he said, "Well, we need to do this again sometime."  Sweet!  I was in!  He likes me! I thought.  Little did I know about his conviction to not date.
     I got tickets to general conference from my dad.  I decided that I really wanted to do with David.  Since I had 4 tickets for both Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning and two for priesthood, I thought it would be a brilliant idea to all go as friends.  It was a while away, but I was sure we were going to take things slowly if anything sparked between us.  So, I asked him.  I told him that I was just asking him as a friend.  This was NOT a date!  The next date that we went on, the ball was in his court.  I made it clear that I was NOT asking him out again.  A girl might have to do what a girl has to do, but she only has to do it so far...after that, it's his turn!  We text nonstop.  We do things together throughout this whole time, not dates, but just being together.  For two days he says nothing about a date.  Maybe longer than two days.  My heart pitter patters.  I'm so nervous!  All of the thoughts are racing in my head...he hates me!  I'm just seeing into this more than there really was! How could he ever be interested in me? I can't believe that I thought this amazing man could be interested in me! He's such an idiot, but oh no, maybe I didn't explain exactly that I was interested in him.  What am I going to do?  Finally, he asked me out.  For me, it was validation that he could possibly like me.  For him, that signified the end of his bachelor era.  The end of his time when he wasn't dating anyone.  It signified that he did like me.  But then again, I made it clear that the ball was in his court.  He knew exactly what I expected, and he knew that if he did want me, he had to make a move.  He certainly made a wise decision!

And It Starts

     The tale begins, as most tales normally do, on a typical day. A day not particularly set apart as a special day. I was enjoying my day being new to the tiny town of Provo. It was a beautiful day outside, and I decided that I needed to be around people that I love. I called up my good friend, and mission companion, Jessica Miller and asked if she wanted to spend some time together. She agreed that we needed some girl time together. She was having a birthday cake with some of her friends for a guy that she knew and said that they would be thrilled if I came over. And I did. On this typical day, I met the love of my life, the love of my forever: David Taylor, though I didn't know this would be the case at the time. During the party he was just a name of someone that I thought I would never see again. A typical name to a pretty typical (but also very cute) boy. That's the thing that's so amazing in life. Like Sleepless in Seattle says: "You make a million decisions that mean nothing, & then one day, you order take-out, and it changes your life." And well, I guess that's not really how it started, because I didn't order take out. All I did was call a friend. And I met my forever. And although I didn't know it at the time, God always had a hand in my life, in the love department, in all departments. We saw each other off and on after that. Always in a group setting, never really on purpose.
     I decided I liked him personally when we decided to have a movie night. Millie (Jessica Miller) and I decided to invite a bunch of people over for a classic movie night. We forgot to tell everyone to wear pajamas. So Millie and I did, but nobody else did. We watched the movie, What's Up Doc (still in my top 5 of favorite movies of all time). David flirted with me the entire time. I thought, "Well, that is a confident man. A good man, since he can still flirt with a girl in her pjs." Yup, that was when he got on my radar. But nothing exciting happened in our friendship until my family came to town...