I am in love.

June 28, 2012

I met a boy. He was on his MACHO motorcycle & I was on my ever-so-cute scooter, Jerry.

It was at the Oak Ridge parking lot, so neither of us thought much of it.

Nevertheless,

Two days later we were hitting golf balls off a mountain as the sun went down.

Afterwards we hot tubbed, snugged in our wet clothes and iced my fat lip.

We watched the sunrise from his motorcycle and talked about anything and everything.

July 1, 2012

I went home for a few hours and before the night was over,

I was back in his arms watching the sunset.

The night of our first date.

July 5, 2012

He became my boyfriend less than a week later 

I'll leave out the mushy details.

(I'm just glad he didn't turn out to be a creep!)

When you think it's love...
you have to take risks.
like DTRing in week one...

We fell in love.

From the minute we made a connection...

we didn't spend a day apart.

It was a summer of no worries.

An unexpected and incredible summer love.

A love that didn't die with fall,

The spark didn't go out.

School came along, as it tends to...

Work stressors, life stressors, health stressors.

We conquered the homework piles weeks at a time.

We dealt with each other's weaknesses and built up each others strengths.

It may only be a little over six months so far,

but it was six months in sickness and in health,

six months of for better or for worse.

I'm not saying that there was a lot of "worse"

I'm saying that he met me when I had shingles

(A 65 year old man disease).

He stayed with me when he realized how difficult I can be.

And he makes me smile on the toughest days.

He's truly there for me in every moment.

And that's what love is all about.

We figured each other out.

And continue to discover each other every day.

It's not about perfect people, finding the perfect balance.

It's about imperfect people balancing their imperfections.

It's about loving a person despite their imperfections...

Loving a person for their imperfections 

It's the little corks that make a person unique.

It's the little corks that make me love him...

(Even if those little corks are gross boy tendencies.)

I never have planned on marrying the perfect man,

only a man who strives toward perfection

through our Savior Jesus Christ.

A man who prays to God and loves the Gospel.

A man who has a love for life and a love for people.

A man who has love for me.

A man who I can laugh with until my teeth fall out 
& my hair turns gray.

♥

The sun came up that first morning.

And I didn't want my time with him to ever end.

It was a school girl crush filled with butterflies.

175 days later... those butterflies have

turned into love and compassion.

December 21, 2012

December 21, was just a regular friday night for us.
We delivered Chinese food for a while (our fun little side job).
He went to "shower" aka order Olive Garden... little did I know.
Then he picked me up to go shopping for last minute Christmas gifts.
Well, first he had to "pick up something at the mortuary."

Instead...
He drove to the bottom of the trail by the temple.
After some fuss over chasing deer, wandering around, then getting back into the car...
his plan started to work.
The lovely Brant and Stephanie appeared with hot chocolate. Thanks guys!
And then we started to make our walk up again.
He was trying to make small talk, when I clearly knew what was going to happen.
I made him seem like he was the only one nervous...
I was shakin' in my boots!
This is the moment I've dreamed about!!!!!
We talked about how long we have dated.
Our so romantic first kiss... in his aunt's basement.
The first I love you on the "love sack."
And all our other funny memories.
And then he stopped.
He told me he loved me about six times and hugged me.
And kissed me over and over.
With the temple in the background, his words got serious,
"We've been dating for five and a half months now...
and I just want to do one last thing before the world ends."

He got down on one knee,
pulled a giant ring box from his sock & said,
"Lauren, will you marry me?"
"YES!!!"

At the top were my new future in laws, 
they gave us a ride down to the car.
Then we drove around looking at Christmas lights,
until we arrived at the perfectly set up romantic Olive Garden dinner. 
(Thanks James and Britt!)

There was a lot of laughter, a lot of kisses and a lot of "OH MY GOSHHHHH"
freak outs from yours truly! This is really happening!!!!!

AHHHHHHH!!!!

Oh how I love PJ aka Jared Pace.

x.o.x.o.

The Future Mrs. Pace

Logan, Utah Temple 

May 10, 2013 ♥

** Picture captions 

1. First picture together. Ranger ride.
2. First date: Looking over all of Logan with Bambi (RIP Bambi)
3. St. George trip: Hiking Angel's Landing, and other wheelchair accessible hikes

4. First trip to Washington: Seattle day.

5. And a day at the beach.

6. Second trip to WA, Thanksgiving day. For PJ, I am thankful.

7. RSL game when they lost to the SEATTLE SOUNDERS, what what!!!
8 & on. The proposal!!!!