Our first date was in the back of his car

It was January 16, 2012. We did a puzzle and drank hot chocolate. He brought oats and I was witty. We laughed a lot and the windows fogged. Four hours and one 500-piece puzzle later, he took me home.

May 5th, 2012 he gave me my favorite children's book and told me he loved me. It was his birthday, but mine was the next day. I cried, and not because he put my pinata to shame. Two weeks later, he cried too.

Fast forward one year, and 20 days. We woke up early to hike the Crimson Trail. He carried the backpack and I picked wildflowers. He decorated my braid to free my holding-hand, and I laughed because I had my eye on some Indian Paintbrush up ahead. We chose the most dangerous look-out, and sat down to rest. He pulled a small book out of the pack for me to press my flowers in.

Jerimiah is a terrible secret keeper, so my oblivion up to this point was kind of a big deal. It wasn't until I read, re-read, and then read again the title and author of that small white book that I realized what was happening. My throat was tight, so he started. I took over when his cracked, but he finished it off when I could no longer make out any the words.

He asked, I answered. We cried, but mostly kissed.

76 days later, August 9th, 2013, we were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple for time and all eternity.

And today marks the best 608 days of my life.