Dating Matt

 Matt and I met when I was 14 and he was 16. We have different memories of when our first meeting happened, but I know that mine is right because I wrote it in my journal the day it happened, and he didn't keep a journal at that time.

We were at a youth conference. My sister and I were walking through the gym to get to another place, and Matt was walking the other direction.  My sister and Matt were in the same friend group, and so he came over and they talked. My sister introduced me to him, and he seemed like a fun guy. That night, there was a dance and he danced with me. That started our friendship.

I was in junior high and he was in high school, so that limited our running into each other, but we would see each other at dances that our church put on. Once a month, I'd come across him and he would dance with me, and often hang out with me and my friends. I liked him. He was fun and comfortable to be around. 

My older sister and I were close, and sometimes when her friends got together, she would let me tag along. I would get to see Matt and hang out with him at those get-togethers. He had a girlfriend at that time. 

My sophomore year at high school was his senior year. While I was homeschooled, I did do part-time at the high school for several classes. My friend's locker happened to be right outside of his early morning class. We would talk every day before school started. He had broken up with his girlfriend at that point. 

I liked Matt quite a bit. He was fun, he was cute, and he actually talked to me even though I was two years younger! We were good friends at this point. When I turned 16, Matt took me on my first date. My friend and his friend doubled with us. I liked that he would go out of his way to take me on my first date. 

Matt did a year of college before going on a mission for our church. I didn't see him as much in my junior year. He was actually busy hanging out with my older brother. The funny thing is Matt knew and hung out with all of my older siblings before he and I ever dated. 

He left on his mission, and I wrote him letters. He didn't write me nearly as much. He was in Brazil, and it would take around a month to get letters from each other. Most of his letters were to me and all my siblings. He wasn't much of a letter writer anyway. He tells me that I got letters more frequently than other people. 

I didn't know when he would be getting home from his mission. I knew what month, but nothing more than that. One day, I got home from cosmetology school, and I distinctly remember that I was headed to take a shower. I needed one after a day of hair, and I just felt gross. I had run downstairs to grab a towel, and as I was walking up the stairs, I heard his voice. He was at my house! I felt disgusting! I finished walking up the stairs, and there he was. Home from his mission. He had stopped by to say hi on his way to a family thing. It was great to see him.

He got home in July, and it was a busy summer for both of us, but he took me out on a few dates before school started in August. I really liked him at this point. I didn't know what he thought of me, but we enjoyed hanging out with each other. At school, it worked out that we saw each other every day at lunchtime. I looked forward to that part of my day. In the evening, once a week, we both had an institute class. different classes, but they were right across from each other. After we got out of class, we would talk for a long time.  We also went to the same young adult branch for church.

It came to the point that I saw Matt pretty much every day and sometimes multiple times a day.  We were friends and were around each other a lot. I liked him, and it drove me crazy that he didn't make any move towards dating me. I later found out that he was just trying to go on dates with lots of girls. When I found out that he was going on dates with a lot of other girls, I got mad. I wanted him to date me more seriously, but he wasn't. I kept trying to decipher any small clue to figure out if he liked me. My deciphering did me no good.

Valentine's Day came, and I knew Matt liked me. He asked me out to dinner for Valentine's Day! I was sick, but I was going on that date anyway! I got home from school, and there were sugar cookies and balloons on my bed that Matt had brought over earlier in the day. This was it, and I was excited! We went out to dinner, and when he dropped me off at home, I was sure he was going to ask me to be his girlfriend or something, but he didn't. I was hurt. I wanted it to happen. 

A few days later, Matt's friend asked me on a date, and I said yes. Matt told me not to go on the date, and I asked him why. He said he wanted to go with me. He was supposed to double with us or something. Long story short, the date didn't end up happening. A few days later, Matt and I finally talked. He said he really liked me. It was finally out in the open! I was so happy. We started dating, and two months later, we were engaged. It was a short dating period, but we had known each other for so many years that at this point it felt very natural to become engaged.

I love Matt. He really is my favorite person. I am glad that we are such good friends. Our friendship developed over many years, and since we've been married, that friendship has only gotten better and better. I love being around him. We fit each other so well. I'm really happy in my life with him. I'm grateful to be married to my best friend.