Our Story.....or....Love at First Yurt

Our story starts out like many other classic, modern, love stories...on the internet.  Although people who know us well would not have predicted that either of us would be the "internet dating" type, we will forever be known as one of those "crazy internet" couples (as my Dad affectionately refers to us).  

I found BBeck0179 on LDSLinkup.com at the end of June, after doing a highly advanced, specialized search for an above 6 foot 3, church attending, mission accomplished, college graduate, gainfully employed, 27 yrs. or older, man.  As I looked through the first page of my specialized search results, I remember thinking, " Same old, same old. Creepy, sketchy, not my type, nerd, full of bologna..."and then I got to BBeck0179's small picture and profile introduction and I thought"....mmmm interesting...potential". 

 I clicked on BBeck0179's little picture of him in his swim trunks and a life jacket jumping into a river for further investigation (little did I know that his profile picture was highly symbolic of the events that would follow). BBeck0179's profile passed the initial screening.  My first impression of BBEck0179 was that he was handsome, manly, unique, full of character, authentic and down to earth. From what I could tell we had a lot in common.  I decided I would compliment him on his timber framing skills and wait for a response.  About a week later I got a polite response thanking me for the compliment and stating that he loved his work.  BBeck0179 inquired what my employment was and I was happy to inform him that my line of work was equally off the beaten path (down a path to a barn full of horses, in fact).  

As the summer progressed, the emails continued.   Both of us discovered that we truly did have a lot in common and as far as either of us could deduce, we were both "normal".  Since I had made the initial contact, I decided to wait for BBeck0179 to set up our first meeting.  Good things come to those who wait, and at the end of August, BBeck0179 started to hint at meeting in person.  It was decided that we would meet up in Washington D.C., a neutral point of territory halfway between Philly, PA and Charlottesville, VA, the first weekend in September.  

I worked all day on Saturdays, so we met on Sunday at church. Before we met in person, I jokingly asked BBeck0179 how I would recognize him.  BBeck0179 informed me that he would be the tall guy with a goatee, wearing cowboy boots.  I informed BBeck0179 that I would be the tall, dark haired gal, also sporting cowboy boots.  The cowboy boots coincidence is just one of the moments of our courtship that made us feel like we had finally entered the twilight zone of true love.

Church went well and we spent the rest of the day walking through museums and strolling on the mall.  We eventually settled at the edge of the reflecting pool in front of the Capitol and talked about all kinds of topics until dark.  It was at the edge of the reflecting pool, in the dusk of that beautiful evening, that the infamous yurt coincidence occurred. I bravely professed my love for yurts and Brian stayed quiet. (It was not until some time later that Brian admitted to his own obsession with" living in the round" and his unbelief and joy for our common adoration. For those readers who are unfamiliar with yurts... check out this site: www.yurtinfo.org  and see what all the commotion is about!)

The weeks and months flew by with weekend trips to Philly, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and NYC.   After a particularly wonderful and romantic long weekend together in New Jersey and NYC, Brian informed me that his intentions were to speak with his Father and my Father, and with their blessing, ask for my hand in marriage. (we would like to acknowledge the important role that Juliet and Mary Traylor played during this special weekend.  Thank you Mary and Juliet!  Brian and I can inform you of the details of their involvement in person.) I was supposed to keep the marriage information a secret until Brian returned home from Christmas vacation in Utah, but the cat was out of the bag within one day. Oops!

Brian returned from Utah, and surprised me one weekend by showing up in Virginia and asking me to marry him on bended knee, on the historic downtown mall in Charlottesville. I responded to his question in the affirmative and we are living with the consequences of that decision to this day and will be forever. Very happily I might add....=)

There are of course many more juicy details and hilarious stories from our courtship (and hopefully many more to continue in marriage!).  I will add more dating stories later.