"Dating", If you can call it that

Wow, so I can see why I should have wrote this down sooner. I forgot that I saw Josh Sunday night at a "Scone Party" at the Softball house. Josh was inside the house for most of the evening making the scones so we did not get to say much more than a few words to each other but I had fun getting to know some other people and gentlemen there.

A very key part of the story that I did not mention in the previous post was that Monday night when we stayed up all night talking we both had made a wish on a star. As we made our way through Country Club's porch across the rocky point and sat down nice and close to each other. I think he had his arm around me, but to be honest I don't remember. After noticing a star still in the navy sky turning into a deep periwinkle blue I made a wish and blew my traditional kiss to the star. Afterward Josh made a wish. He asked what I wished for and I told him. Now I have no idea now what it was that I had wished for. Something mundane and menial I am sure. I then asked Josh what he wished for and he would not tell me. He simply smiled that big smile that disappears into those adorable dimples. Hating suspense and surprises I pushed and begged for him to tell me but he would not.--Then the story follows as the previous post states.

We had just separated at 10 am Tuesday morning. Wednesday night I got a text from Josh about hanging out around 10:30 at night. I text him back and then sent a few texts but because Verizon received horrible reception on the point he did not get my text. I walked out to my back porch about an hour later, 11:30-ish pm, and noticed that Josh was standing in the outdoor kitchen area of the connecting studio of the Country Club. We grinned upon making eye contact. We walked down to bikini beach and snuggled under the stars. We just talked about any and everything but could sit in silence completely comfortably. I later found out that Josh had borrowed his friends Bridgett's truck to possibly go snorkeling or whatever. But we just snuggled and it was perfect. I continued to pester Josh about what he had wished for to no avail. Josh walked me home and then text me that he was home safe and thank you for the fun night around 4:30 am.

Thursday night Josh text me again rather late. He came over to my house. Chaze and Lacy, the married couple in the studio connected to our place, were outside in their kitchen area making t-shirts to sell at BYU-H FoodFest. They were actually pretty cool. The guys shirts were a play on words of the school slogan, "Enter to Learn go Forth to Surf", appose to serve. The chicks shirts said "I heart Laie" in the shape of a heart. After socializing we went and sat on the plastic chairs on the porch. He pushed the chairs as close as possible but the arm rest it always a nuisance for proper snuggling. I had thought to myself, "If this guy does not kiss me I am so done." Meanwhile Josh has said he was thinking, "Whatever you do don't kiss her. Don't kiss her. You don't want a relationship." I didn't want a relationship, really I just wanted to play the field--but I did want to kiss him. :)

Josh's arm was around me and my head was on his chest. We nuzzled noses but he still had not made his move. And then it happened. I could feel his energy serge and then he turned his sweet face into mine and kissed me. Later for his birthday I gave him one of the shirts that was made that night to commemorate the first night we kissed. He still wears it. And I got one of the girl's shirts.

We honestly were together every night after that. The following week Josh asked me to go to lunch at Ted's Bakery because I had not been there before. We split a hamburger--it was our first official date. But when people asked, "we were just hanging out". The following weekend we went to Haliewa Eats, also my first time. But we were just hanging out.

Around this time I was talking to my Dad and said, "Dad, he is amazing. Perfect. I should marry him. But he is 6 years too early. I am going to graduate and travel the world doing humanitarian work." My Dad laughed and said, "Well, you could ask him to wait".

Josh would leave me notes on my bed that I would find after a big test or stressful day. He would bring me a homemade smoothies and plumerias. He would come and see me at work, Shear Perfection, the salon in the Aloha Center, and bring me lunch from the Seasider because he was worried that I had not had lunch yet. We were together all the time and didn't part till 3-4 am.

From day one Josh was home. When I was with him it was as if all the worries in the world just vanished. His arms were my peace and calm during any storm. It was never forced to be together, just so comfortable. My roommates kept asking if we had had the "talk" but we did't. We were just having fun hanging out and kissing.

Then BYU-H had their annual Business Conference. My roommate Monica worked for the department and was highly involved with process and signed us up to volunteer. At the function a couple from our ward turned and said to us, "So I see you guys together all the time. Are you dating?" Josh smiles that big smile and turns and looks at me to answer. I give him a dirty look and said, "no, we're buddies". The following day the founder of Hogi Yogi attending the conference told us what a cute couple we were and he would cater our wedding. Then he asked "thee" question, "So, are you engaged?" Josh grinning ear to ear turned and looked at me to respond. The dirty look now turned into a death stare as Josh tantalized me with those sparkling eyes. I responded, "no".

Everyone was asking about us. I would work in the freezing salon and all my buddies would pop in to find me with both hairdryers blasting on my feet and snuggled into a sweatshirt. They stopped in and would ask all about Josh and what was going on. They expressed how adorable he was and that I should totally date him. Everyone was charmed by him--how could they not be right? Josh is the sweetest person. He reeks of goodness and is the least judging person. He is pretty awesome.

That Sunday night after the convention the conversation happened. It was bound to occur sooner or later, we had been hanging out/makin' out for 2 months or so and together every night. We were laying on the couch and Josh said, "So, what if next week if people asked if we were together if we said yes?" I got all fidgety and stood up. I then divulged a lifetime of self-deception, goals, ambitions, and concern of getting serious and being "off the market". After all, I had a hit list of all the guys I was going to kiss too, which I told him about. He was calm, empathetic, and understanding. He gently rubbed my arm and brushed my face as I shared all this with. He told me I needed to do what I wanted but was not just going to wait, don't worry I did not ask him to wait--that would be lame. After our talk I told him that I wanted to be together. How could I not right??? Could he be more adorable?!

So we started holding hands in public--big deal!!! :) And declare that we were dating when people asked.







Josh and I in my awesome roommate Angelika's Jeep in which I broke her key off in the door early in the semester at which point I felt horrible and burst into tears. So then I ditched class and she and I went and had breakfast at Hukilau Cafe. Man I love and miss that girl!

Sunset Beach, a favorite place to eat our Acai Bowls from Island Shack (I miss that place)

A picture from the early days after a brownie fight followed by a wash down at the Temple Beach showers.

P.S. The "cold" from the previous post turned into strep throat which then turned into bronchitis followed by a crappy sinus infection. I have been sick for like a month. Totally lame, but feeling much better!

Hey but seriously, thanks for reading. It is wonderful to relive this incredible time. Falling in love and the engagement is soon to follow. We really love all of you, our friends and family.

The First Encounter

I put Channing down at 7 pm tonight. He wanted to go down at 6 and kept rubbing his eyes. He was extra fussy and pleading for sleep but rather my selfishness won as I pushed to keep him up as long as possible as I did not want to wake up at 6 am tomorrow. I curled into bed a little after 7 pulling the comforter over my ears to drown out the sound of the fan. I listed off the things in my head I have/need/want to do tomorrow hoping to clear my head and be able to fall asleep. My ears pulsated, head throbbed, ears ached, and throat feeling raw as the cool air ran past it. I have a bad head cold that I am pretty sure is turning into something far worse. As I desperately tried to clear my head all I could think about was the event 4 years ago that altered the eternities; the day I met Josh. Perhaps it is because my brother-in-law is at a Jack Johnson concert right now sitting in the grass section, like Josh and I did twice together at the Waikiki shell for Kokua Festival in Honolulu, that I am feeling so reminiscent . Who knows, the point is, I CANNOT CLEAR MY HEAD!

So I find this wrestles night the perfect time to write down these memories while I still can recall most of it.

September 30th, 2006 I went to Waimea Bay with some friends: Melody, Diana, Trevor, Bo, Ashley, and I cannot remember who else. The waves were the biggest I had ever seen them there previous to that occasion and since. Ashley in our group got in the water and barely made it out. As she attempted for the half-dozenth time to work her way out of the waves eating her alive, weak and exhausted, she scrambled to her legs. Her suit, body, and hair were mangled with sand. I watched her work her way up the sand hill just to collapse next to me thinking, "Good thing the lifeguard didn't have to go after her--that would be just embarrassing!" I watched the waves so much bigger than me in awe. The ocean is my "out of the box" place, if you will.

After some time I noticed a large group of people had positioned themselves to my right, the church tower side of Waimea. I watched them laughing and thinking they were ridiculous as they played games right at the waters edge; one of the games I would later find out was called, "don't die." Appropriate title... idiots. I recognized one of the guys in the group. He had introduced himself the week earlier to me in the Seasider saying, "Hey, I keep seeing you around campus and thought I should introduce myself. My name is Scott Hyde." Truth be told I had not recalled seeing him around campus but I love people and especially meeting new people so I introduced myself.

However, this particular day at the beach someone else caught my eye. The first thing I noticed was his impeccable back. Yes, he was one of the lucky few blessed with a V shaped toned beautiful back. He also had a scruffy face, totally my type, and always smiling. I pointed him out to Diana and after a while we, well I, decided that we should go say hi. After all, i had already met Scott and he would be able to introduce me to everyone else. More importantly, he could introduced me to "hot back guy". Diana and I made our way over. I said hi to Scott and introduced myself to the rest. Everyone else in the small group, that had branched off from the larger group, introduced themselves. "Josh" was his name. He beamed with this infectious smile. His blue eyes were piercing and his dimples adorable. He was no Monte, he looked great even up close.

I let them know about our ward BBQ at Hukilau beach but they said they were going to Lost premiere in Honolulu. Attempting to nudge them to go to the BBQ I told them there was free food. They were all packing up and some of the group already at their cars so we parted. But I had a name--"Josh". Hot back guy's name was Josh.

We went directly to the ward BBQ. I had a good time but was eyeing for them the whole time. They did not come. Bummer. We decided to go to the Lost premiere, why not right? Saturday night and going "into town" as we would say. We had an awesome time in the car drive down, I totally was hoping that hot back guy named Josh would be there but was not going to let that alter the awesomeness of the night. I was in Hawaii to have a great time and date a lot! He was merely one of the "potentials".

We walked down Waikiki and the big screen was up. I remembered watching "Jungle Book" at that same location on the beach my senior year of High School while vacationing in Hawaii with my parents and one of my very best friends Stephanie. All the cast was there. People were so stoked... Lost fans are crazy hard core. Having never watched the show before I remember thinking, "Hey there is the pretty girl, hot guy, and bald dude from the show." People were taking pictures with them and super happy to be there. As one might imagine the beach was PACKED! So we decided to sit on the back side of the screen. After all, it all looked the same. The words were just backwards for the credits, but whatever.

About half way through the episode this chick right in front of me turned around and was starring at me. I could feel her squinting eyes evaluating me. She said, "Hey, didn't I meet you last week in relief society?" It took me back a second but then recognized her, Leticia. We struck up a short conversation as we watched Lost. I peered down the line of people she was with and OH MY GOSH... hot back guy! I nudged one of my friends and said, "Hey that's him! That is the guy from the beach... wait is it?" He was laying on the ground snuggling with a chick who the friend later professed her disgust for. I couldn't decide if it was him or not but spent the remainder of the episode slyly looking in the corner of my eyes to see if it was him.

The show ended and we all slowly made our way to our feet. I noticed another girl in the group. I had met her a month or two previous to moving to Hawaii in Utah at a department store at the MAC counter. Kailee, the chicks name, was working and overheard me talking to my sister Heather about going to BYU-Hawaii. She pulled me aside and said she was moving there fall semester also but was not going to school. She was being all awesomely discreet about it because she had not yet told her work. Anyhow, we started talking and sure enough it was hot back guy Josh.

Someone at the piermere was handing out freezed dried ice cream which we ate and made our way down Waikiki as a large conglomerated group. I noticed another girl paying hot back guy, Josh, particularly a lot of attention. I asked Kailee if she knew if they had a thing going on. She informed me that the chick had made it obvious that she was interested but he was not. He was free game! So thus let the gaming begin.



We sat down on the sidewalk waiting for "Basketball Man" next showing. I am sure we waited 40 minutes for the life changing show. We laughed a lot and enjoyed the anticlimactic ending.





Undecided about what to do next we all made our way into the International Marketplace. Most of the group had gone upstairs to a club, I had gone into the ABC Store. "Hot back guy Josh", you may as well hyphenate the name, was standing outside the store talking with a few other people from the group. He was carrying ALL the blanket that the group had been sitting on. I made my way over to handful of people talking. He just kept laughing that hot infectious laugh with those big adorable dimples.
Everyone someone made it back to us and the decision was made to go to Eggs and Things, a 24 hour breakfast place.

We were closer to their car than ours so we all piled up into Nikki/Jada's van. They dropped us off at our car as the plan was to follow them to Eggs and Things. On the way the van died. We pulled over to the side of the road. I got out and within a few short seconds/minutes was joined by hot-back-guy-Josh. I have no idea what we talked about. We were just smiling and giggling about the whole situation which we later found out ticked some people off. But the chemistry was undoubtedly there.



Some neighbor lady on the street offered for them to push the van onto her property just for the night. So we said goodbye. I thought of him during the drive home.

The following day, Sunday October 1st was General Conference. It was hot-back-guy-Josh's roommate, Kolin's, birthday. I made brownies as an excuse to go over to the house. Plus I figured if things did not work out with hot-back-guy there was other roommates I could strike it up with.

When the door was opened I saw hot-back-guy-Josh was on the couch with the girl he had been snuggling with the night before. He was smiling from ear to ear. I said happy birthday and made my way back down to the end of the point.

Monday October 2nd I knew our ward was having FHE, family home evening, at the church building. It is weird to call it that. It was a classroom-ish like place. I went hoping that the guys would show up. I coyly watched the door as I saw each shadow approach the door. They didn't come, but the girls that they were at Waikiki with, Kailee, etc. came. As the activity was wrapping up Kailee and the girls invited me to go to the a birthday party. They were not sure who's house it was going to be out because of landlord situations. So I invited them to have it at ours--our landlord lived in Kailua. We got back to the end of the point, Country Club, and people started piling in. However, the guys took their sweet time.

I had been back in my bedroom with a group showing them how my WALL had fallen out of my bedroom and impressing them with photos when hot-back-guy-Josh came in with his infectious smile. Ah, a sigh of relief. He had come. We worked our way back into the kitchen to find all the root beer floats had been consumed and the birthday girl never showed up. There was 20-ish of us that filled the living room. We played games. Hot-back-guy-Josh had got out of the game and shortly after I did too. I walked out to the back porch to get a fresh breath of air. I came back in and sat on the white weird-ish coffee table pushed to the side of the room to make way for the games. I sat right next to him. It got later in the night when everyone started to leave. Leticia, just haning in Hawaii for a month or two, or until she ran out of money, asked to sleep on our daybed in the front room where we had been playing games. I didn't care so she curled up.

Josh and I just kept talking. You could tell his roommates were not sure if they should stay or leave. They lingered for a little while and the last one made his way out. But hot-back-guy-Josh and I just kept talking. I went back at some point and took out my contacts and put on my glasses. We laid on the floor talking as I was nearly delirious. He kept telling me things about his mission, BYU-Provo, and BYU-Hawaii. I was so confused. I could not figure out in what order he did what. I was so tired and he just giggled and teased me about having explained in a half dozen times. At some point he leaned over me as I laid in the center of the floor, lifted my glasses, and said, "I don't mean this to be a line or anything but what color are your eyes? They are beautiful." I was dying inside! How cute/funny/adorable was this guy hu?! I just wanted him to stop talking and kiss me.

As the hours went on I pointed out that the sky was getting lighter. Mind you, Leticia is sound asleep on the daybed. We walked through the backyard onto the lava peninsula and watched the sunrise and kept talking. I knew there was no chance I was going to my political philospphy course that morning or my religion class. We listened to the waves crashing and at some point realized we should part. We went into the house to see it was 10:00 am, totally missed my classes. I later found out that hot-back-guy-Josh didn't even have school or work Tuesday/Thursdays. Lucky!

In an exhausted daze I got ready for work and then took a nap on the beach with my roommate Mandy. I got a text from hot-back-guy-Josh telling me that I should see him right now. He was crammed into the back of a hatchback of a car with a surfboard laying on him on his way for a little surf session. He had taken a nap when he got home. Auh, lucky.

And I never saw him again--just kidding. I think that is enough for tonight.

P.S. I have found lots of mistakes and am too tired to fix them tonight. Sorry english majors--deal with it :(

**I would like to thank Facebook for the pictures and the people that I stole them from

Baby Tie

I totally want to make Channing a tie. Check out this awesome blog that makes it easy!





http://seilifestyle.blogspot.com/2009/05/baby-tie-tutorial.html

It's been a while...

As I titled this post, "It's been a while" I instantly thought of the song by Staind. Don't worry--I did not know the actual name of the band that sung that song until I looked it up. As much as I do not like that song it seemed appropriate to begin this post with such title.

Where to start... well, at 7 months Channing started sleeping through the night--I knew then I could survive! Getting sleep makes for a new person. Easter was awesome. Then Channing and I took a trip to Santa Barbara to see one of my best friend's Stacy. It was a fun filled week of girl time. Josh got into a study abroad in Tour, France where we also toured around France and visited Italy. Josh served his mission in Quebec, French speaking. Josh was awesome at translating as the only thing that really stuck with me from the French DVD/CD's was, "ou se trouve la banque." Or "where is the bank?" Occasionally I mix it up and change "bank" for "baby" or "house". Something stupid to get a rise out of Josh and the couple we stayed with in Tours.

I have always had a love affair with Italy. My Dad served his mission there. I have been raised in a home filled with tapestries, marble statues, and other artifacts bought back from his mission. I heard stories of that beautiful incredible place and always felt that a part of my Daddy was there that I wanted to discover. The day we were driven into Rome by a member that we stayed with I had tears streaming down my face because my parents were with me in my heart. All these years later they have not been able to return. But there I was there without them. I could imagine him leaving his apartment across from the Vaticano, 19 years old passing through the streets dressed in a suit and tie in 90 degree and 1000% humidity weather. IT WAS HOT!

Channing turned 1 in Tours. We celebrated!! We returned and had another celebration here with family and then went to Utah to visit my family. We are back in California where Josh has started his second and last year of getting his MBA. He is rockin' the books with a tough semester. He is taking over the full credit amount and allowed to because he has awesome grades; not going to lie--wish I was as smart as him.

We took a weekend trip to Arizona this past weekend to see two of our best friends, Jason and Michelle, who have had little Deacon since we last saw them! The boys had a great time playing together. We had so much fun reminiscing, ice blocking, eating at Pete's (which we had heard so much about) on the grass in front of the Temple, got caught up on youtube videos (compliments of Jason), made carmel apples (amazing tradition with them), we saw a lake with no water, we went to a water park with no water, swam at Jason's parents new place, walked around the mall, got to experience Buffalo Exchange, and went to Pita Jungle--with no babies!! It was awesome! On the way back at 11:20 at night we lost power to our car. To make a very long story short we are so grateful to be alive but are going to have to put in a new engine in the car as metal shrapnel was blow all throughout the engine after the vvt and/or timing chain went out. We have had the 2003 Nissan Altima, for just over a year. In the end it is just money, money we do not have, but money nonetheless. Better that then our lives.

Also, over the weekend my parents 8th grandchild was born, Lauren Emma Goddard to my brother Jacob and wife Sarah. She has spent the week in the NICU with pneumonia. Thank you for all the prayers, she is getting better. Thanks be to God on High!

Hopefully pictures will follow soon--but if not there is always facebook.

Love, peace, and joy to all of you!

Disneyland, The Beach, & Valentine's Day

As soon as we walked into Disneyland we saw Donald, Pluto, and Goofy!

Channing just wanted to play with and eat Pluto's whiskers.

His reaction was priceless!

He was so excited he just had to bite Daddies fingers!

Then we got to see Alice who played peekaboo with Channing.

He was pretty stoked!

The Queen of Hearts was pretty awesome too.

The Mad Hatter was really nice and played with Channing for a little bit.

Channing went on Buzz Light Year for the first time.

He got the highest score.

As we were walking off the ride Channing kept lunging back to look at the lights on the ceiling. Of course that was his favorite part.

We went back a different day with all the Wilbur grandkids. Channing went on Storybook Garden's for the first time awake.

We also went on the carousel. He was pretty disappointed he didn't get to ride a horse like the other kids.

We went on Casey Jr. too.

All the kids!

It was a sunny day so we decided to go talk around Hunington. You can see our reflection.






Channing was crazy about the sand!

"Dad!!! Check this out!!"

"This is awesome!"

Surprisingly he did not put it into his mouth.
.It was such a beautiful day! It was so rainy and we needed the sun!

We were approached by some visiting Chinese when we were first coming in and then when were enjoying our time with Channing we were bombarded! They wanted pictures of him and our family... guess we will always be part of their memory to California. :)

Little prints.

Mommy, Baby, & Daddy

We put Channing laying down in his stroller for the first time and he was loving it! He kept playing with his feet and kicking the cup holder.

The boys


Tiny hands and feet!
At his 6 month appointment he was 17.6 lbs!
He has been sitting up since Christmas and now rocking himself all the time and rolling from one side of the room to the other.





Happy Valentine's Day!






He really wanted to eat the seashell




Valentine's weekend we decided to go to the beach. We figured it would be crazy on a sunny Saturday--but it was not at all!

Channing was in love with this stick and was determined to chew on it. He now has his 2 bottom center teeth. He got them both in the last 2 weeks.

Channing, along with his parents, were pretty disappointed at how cold the water was. Channing started to fuss at it as if to exclaim, "Hey guys! Adjust the tempurature, this is not like my bath!"


Channing got a little bear which we found that the thread pulls off--guess this one will sit on the shelf so that he does not choak on it.

He was still pretty happy because he had his squirl, his most favorite toy.

Josh got me the most beautiful boquet of roses!


I made a little collague and had a trail of hearts of a few reasons why I love him.

An awesome family from church that Josh grew up with offered for us to stay at the home for the weekend since they were out of town. It was so fun!!


Sunset Beach, CA






Since Monday was a holiday we decided to drive down Pacific Coast Highway until we found a beach we wanted to stop at. We ended up at Sunset Beach, it was all of our first time there and it was awesome. There were all these sticks that people were making huts out of and you could see the L.A. skyline.