About Me! And Darren too...

Whit tagged me, so here I go!

What are your middle names? Natalie and Scott
How long have you been together? 6 months
How long did you know each other before you started dating? uh...19 days
Who asked who out? He did the asking
Whose siblings do you see the most? Since mine are in Virginia, North Carolina, Utah and on a mission, and all of his are local, we see his more
Do you have any children together? That's a negative!
What about pets? Nope
Did you go to the same school? Nope. I went to the better BYU ;)
Who is the most sensitive? Me, all the way
Where do you eat out most as a couple? His parents house
Where is the furthest you have ever traveled as a couple? The beach. Ha. Sad. It will be Virginia after the wedding.
Who has the worst temper? Um...I'd say that there's potential for both of us to get pretty heated
Who does the cooking? Both. He does more cooking now since he's at school and I mooch off my grandparents.
Who is more social? Me
Who is the neat freaks? Haha, me, again
Who is the most stubborn? We're both pretty stubborn about different things
Who hogs the bed? I will make a prediction - me. I'm a sprawler.
Who wakes up earlier? I do
Where was your first date? Johnny Carinos, Starbucks for hot chocolate, then Boomers for Mini-golf
Who has the bigger family? Me. 7 is greater than 5
Do you get flowers often? Never have. Hint, hint...
Who eats more? Darren
Who sings better? He says I do, but I don't consider myself a good singer
Who does the laundry? At the moment, it's an individual thing, but I probably will
Who's is better with the computer? Equal
Who drives when you are together? Darren
Who picks where you go to dinner? Usually I do, but I give him a few options
Who is the first one to admit when they are wrong? I think we're both okay with that, at least right now
Who wears the pants in the relationship? Decisions are mutual
Who eats more sweets? Me, times ten
Who cries more? Haha. Me!
What's your best day together? The day I went through the temple and he was able to be there with his parents and my dad. Can't begin to describe it.
Where did you honeymoon? We will be going to Monterey/Carmel
Favorite date night? When we both got the same Redbox movie and watched it while on the phone with eachother, him in Idaho and me in Hughson
Favorite TV show to watch together? The Office
Couple I imagine us growing old like? Our parents

Thanks Whit!! We'll see what my answers are in a few months ;)

I tag...Seraph, Julie, Sheila & Jenny!

8 years ago...

Today, as all of you know, marks the 8th anniversary of the terrible events of September 11, 2001. That day, 8 years ago, was the second week of my senior year of high school. The day started off as any other. Up at 5, seminary at 6, school at 7:30. After 3rd period I was walking to lunch (probably about 10:30 or so) and as I walked past the math pod to my locker there was a buzz going around about a terrorist attack, and how the Pentagon had been blown up and was just a crater now. I thought to myself, "Yea, right". I got to lunch and people were still talking about it, so I figured something really must have happened. I immediately started to silently freak out, since my dad's office was at the Naval Annex, just across from the Pentagon. He had meetings in the Pentagon on occasion as well. Needless to say, I didn't really eat much of my lunch that day, and neither did any of the friends I was sitting with. One of them got up and went to another group to get more details, and came back with the information that the Pentagon had been hit by a plane, and the World Trade Center in New York had been as well.


In my next class we were told by our teacher that we couldn't talk about it, because they didn't know what was going on either. We were to go about our day as normal, though that wasn't really likely. Kids started being pulled out of class as their parents came to pick them up. Cell phones stopped working, so the guidance offices at the school were packed with kids worried about their parents that worked at the Pentagon. I can distinctly remember not worrying about my dad though. Fear went through me at first, but then I can remember the strongest feeling of peace I think I've ever felt, and knew that everything was going to be ok.

By my last class of the day (started somewhere about 12:30) we finally got more details since were were in a room that had a television. We all headed home at normal time (2:00), and I walked through the front door to find my dad in front of the television. He had been in a meeting about the attack on the World Trade Center when the plane that hit the Pentagon flew right over his building. He was able to make it home quickly and safely. I then called my best friend Seraph to see if her dad had made it home, and he hadn't, so I went over to wait with her and her family until he came home late that evening.

School was cancelled the next day, but we still went to Seminary to talk about things and my dad spoke to all of us. I don't remember what was said, but still remember the feelings of peace, patriotism and unity that filled our ward, school and community in the weeks following that day.

When I went home for Christmas this past year I was able to visit the Pentagon Memorial for the first time. I had been wanting to go since its dedication, but hadn't made it home yet. I highly recommend it to anyone. I think the design is perfect, and I cried the whole way through it. There is a bench for everyone that died at the Pentagon that day, whether on the plane or in the building. They are layed out in rows by the year of the victim's birth. Each bench has a plaque on the end that holds their name, and depending on what you see when you look at the name plate (the Pentagon or the sky) you will know that they died in the building (if you are facing the Pentagon) or on the plane (the sky). It was truly a moving experience.

I hope I never forget the feelings that I had that day, or in the following weeks, and that I will always remember how blessed I am to live in this country and to have the freedoms I do. Today I also think about my grandfather, dad and brother and the countless others that are serving, or have served, our country in the armed forces. They sacrifice so much so that we can live the lives we do.

Summer Catch-up

I know, I know. I've been a blogging slacker the past two months. But trust me, I haven't been lounging by the beach or anything like that.

July seems like so long ago. I spent the first weekend in Rexburg, as all of you know :) And then came home and started making wedding plans. Whitney and I went dress shopping on one Saturday, but I waited until my mom came later that month to make a final decision. I'd love to post a picture, but I won't.

My parents got into town the very end of July and were here through the first week of August. We went to the waterslides in Fresno (7/30), had a backyard campfire, took family pictures the day Darren got back from his family reunion in Snowbird (8/2), made a visit to Columbia (8/3), and went to the temple in Oakland (8/4).

Mom, Aaron & I on a slide

Darren & I in fine form after family pictures

Sarah & Kaymbria in Columbia

Dallin, Carson & Chris in Columbia

Rackhams & Capells at the Oakland Temple

A hen at the Fruit Barn protecting her hatching eggs

After my parents left Darren and I went into full swing wedding planning. We put our deposit down with the photographer, got him fitted for his tux, went through oodles of baby pictures for a slideshow for our reception and open house, organized tons of addresses, ordered his wedding band (thanks for the tip Whit!), ordered our wedding cake, and found ties for all of the brothers/dads/brother-in-law. He left for Rexburg on Tuesday, so I'm left on my own to finish everything else. It shouldn't be too bad though. There's only a few things left to take care of. I also started school last night. I'm only taking 2-3 classes (haven't fully decided yet) towards my teaching credential. I hope to be able to find a fun class for me to take in Turlock, cake decorating or something, as well.

Darren and I do have our engagement pictures scheduled for October 3rd in Provo, so maybe a few weeks after that I'll post again.

That's it for now! Till next time :)