Love at First Sight
Ok so maybe it wasn't exactly "Love" at first sight, but we both definitely admit to feeling something pretty strong the first time we laid eyes on each other. In both cases, it was enough to say, "Wow, I need to keep an eye on this one."
Eric saw me first. It was the start of a brand new Fall semester at BYU-I. This was my first time back to BYU-I after taking two semesters off. One of which I spent in Peru doing humanitarian work, and the other I spent in Riverton, UT interning for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After two amazing semesters away, I was dreading my return to my once beloved BYU-I. Don't get me wrong, I loveee Rexburg, and always will... but after two semesters of adventure and doing great things, I felt like this semester in Rexburg would be mundane and boring... boy was I wrong.
This was also Eric's first semester back to BYU-I after an extended absence. He had just returned home from serving an LDS mission in Sao Paulo, Brazil. So he was fresh off the mission this semester, but ready to have a good time... and find himself a wife.
We both moved back to our old stomping grounds, he to Bunkhouse, and I to Royal Crest. It just so happens that we were not only next door complex neighbors, but were in the same ward as well. We had church in the Manwaring Center and Eric says that the first time he saw me was right after Sacrament meeting when we were coming out of the Little Theater. He remembers that I was wearing an orange (his favorite color) 3/4 sleeve length shirt with a brown and teal skirt. He says that it was like one of those movie moments where you just catch a glimpse of someone and you know instantly that that person is going to be a big part of your life. Awwwww...
I didn't catch site of Eric until about 10 minutes later. You see, I had just been called as a brand new Relief Society President in our ward. Bishop announced that he wanted to meet with both new Relief Society Presidents and the two new Elder's Quorum presidents in his office immediately following Sacrament meeting.
So I made my way down the two flights of stairs to our Bishops office. The small room was soon filled with all the needed participants, including a tall, very white, red head who I couldn't keep my eyes off of! He had just been called as Elder's Quorum President. I remember thinking he was absolutely adorable and for the first time became immediately grateful for this new calling of mine because although it was a daunting task, if it meant I could spend more time with that kid, I was up to it!
He didn't say much in the meeting, so I immediately pegged him as timid and shy. But with how cute he was, I was ok with that. After the meeting, I hurried home because I had promised to help My next door-neighbor and good friend Amanda with a Navajo Taco party she was throwing for all the guys in the ward.
The party was great, I had invited several of my guy friends over and it was fun to catch up with them... Specifically my two friends Tye and Austin who had just returned home from their missions not to long ago (Remember these two, they're important!). All the guys in the ward were invited, but I had no idea if Eric would show up. I don't actually remember if he did come to this little party... but I do know what happened next.
While I was talking with Tye and Austin, I caught glimpse of Eric and a few other guys walking towards another apartment at Royal Crest. I excused myself from my conversation and may my way outside to follow that group of boys. They were headed to apt 103 for a scone party.
Luckily, I happened to know one of the girls who lived in 103, so I snuck away from my current party and walked into the scone one, pretending I had been invited. I ended up knowing a lot of people there, so it wasn't weird. And I finally got a chance to talk to .... Eric! It was a group of us, and we were just laughing and talking back and forth about dumb stuff really.
All I remember is that we talked about soup kitchens and Christmas. I know I was probably way overbearing and Eric hardly said anything... but I would get one of those crooked smiles out of him every once in a while. That right there made me want to keep talking all night just to see how many of those crooked smiles I could capture. Seriously they made me weak in the knees!
One of my friends in the group made mention that I was the ultimate Egyptian Rat Screw (A card game) champion. So they suggested that we go find a place outside and play it. I was thrilled. A chance to show off to Eric my mad card skills? Count me in!
Well, it didn't turn out like I'd hoped. Eric said he had to leave and didn't play with us. He left! I played one quick round and then jetted out of there too. I had forgotten that I had a Stake Leadership Auxiliary training that night that I had to attend. I was bummed that Eric left so quick, but then I realized that since Eric was EQP, he'd be attending that same meeting too! Wahoo, there was a chance I could see him again that night!!
Well, I walked up to the Manwaring Center, where the meeting was held, with my presidency. We got there a little early and sat in the front row. I kept looking around for Eric, hoping that he and his presidency would come sit by us... they didn't.
Part 2: One-Sided Obsession
The Tuesday after we met, I was on my way to the library to do some homework. ( I stepped on my laptop on the 1st day of school and so I knew I'd be spending a lot of time in the library that semester). I was in the landing area for the second floor of the library, when out the doors comes Eric. **YES YES YES YES YES YES!!*** I can't remember who acknowledged who first. It seems like we saw and recognized each other at the same time and Eric said something like, "hey, you're the relief society president in my ward!" **Ahh he remembered me! He knows who I am! Getting this boy to date me will be a piece of cake!*** I became extremely confident at this point and probably spent more time daydreaming up our wedding than I did listening to what he was saying. I remember he told me about his family. How cool his little sister was and how he comes from a long line of dentists and was planning on pursuing that route himself ***score!!***
And then.... He asked for my number!!! I can't really remember how he did it...probably something along the lines of, "we'll looks like we'll be working together a lot this semester.. I should probably get your number." Doesn't even matter how he asked. I was over the moon!!! So happy that I left the library without doing an ounce of homework and went straight home to tell my roommate Kimithy that Eric and I were getting married... Or that he at least asked for my number... Which was a great start!
Ok, here's the part of the story where you brace yourself for ultimate let-down. I didn't brace myself, and it turned me into a mad woman!
So Eric got my number in September right? So I was expecting a date in September right? Totally didn't happen. WHAT?! Why was he waiting so long to take me out? I saw him a few times a week. We'd have great conversations, we'd flirt... why didn't he want to take me out on a date? I couldn't understand it and it was driving me crazy. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I became a stalker.
Let's just say that that one run-in we had in the library was probably the last one we had that was "accidental". Sure we ran into each other plenty more times and it looked like it was just a coincidence... not true. I had them all planned. For example:
He spent a lot of time at my next door neighbor's house (214, I lived in 215 at the time). When I'd walk home, I'd purposefully walk past their window so I could look in and see if he was in there. If he was, I'd make up an excuse to be there too. These girls were my good friends and one of them was in my presidency, so it was an easy "in" every time.
He also spent a lot of time in the apartment around the corner from us and down one floor (109). These were his FHE sisters. So me and my awesome roommate Kim would sit on the stairs right above their apartment and wait for him to come out so that we could casually be walking by right at the exact moment he was leaving. (This almost never worked..)
Sometimes Kim and I would walk over to Bunkhouse and pretend to be going to the lounge (which was located right next door to Eric's apartment. Kim would sneakily look into their window to see if Eric was in the front room and if he was.. .we'd be sure to walk by again, just much louder and slower. (This almost never worked...)
One time I was walking home from a late night on campus. I was walking through the I-center and I caught glimpse of Eric on the basketball courts. It looked like he was packing up to go home so I sloooooooowed my walking right on down to snail-status and timed it perfectly so that we would "run in" to each other and be able to walk home together. (That one worked)
Oh, I could go on and on and on. I was just obsessed with this kid and wanted more than anything for him to ask me on a date! He seemed to like me, he had my number and I just couldn't figure out why he hadn't asked yet! Especially with half the ward telling him that he should "Really, REALLY think about taking Noelle out on a date."
Well... after a month and a half of this madness... I realized that I needed to forget this boy. Clearly we were going NOWHERE fast and I was wasting my time. I was even turning down dates from other boys because I wanted to be sure my nights were free JUST IN CASE Eric wanted to ask me out.
PA-THE-TIC!
So I did just that. I wiped that boy from my head and I started living my life again.
Then the October general Conference happened. While watching the infamous "Age-Change" announcement, I decided it was high-time that I send myself on a mission. I was already 21, so the age change didn't affect me, but with all the excitement going on about missions, I wanted to be right in the middle of it.
This was a big decision for me to make. I was set to graduate, had my dream career mapped out and lined up for me and lets be honest, I loooved my dating life. A mission would've thrown a wrench in all of this, but I made the decision and couldn't have been happier about it.
I quietly and discreetly put my papers in and awaited my call. Only my immediate family and a few close friends even knew that I was considering a mission. Eric, whom I was way over by this point, had NO idea that I had my papers in.
And then the call came! New York, New York North - Spanish speaking. It was seriously my dream call. I'd dreamt of living and working in New York for a very, very long time. I grew up watching the Today show, and became obsessed with New York at a very young age. So you'd think I would be ecstatic with such a call. I totally wasn't.. I didn't really feel anything when I opened it! No excitement or anything. Just kind of blah... but I heard that was normal, so I wasn't to worried about it. Shortly after, I announced to the Facebook world that I was going on a mission!
I later found out that Eric was SO MAD when he found out I was leaving on a mission. I was surprised at this little fact, because he didn't show any romantic interest in me one bit. We were just casual friends who worked in the ward together. . . Not according to him. He was super interested, "but way too intimidated" to ask me out.
On the evening that I got my mission call, Eric came over because I had his church journal. He was SO flirtatious that night. I was actually pretty weirded out because he had never flirted with me before and now that I have a mission call, he was just being all adorable. So confusing. He'd never even asked me on a date!
He rectified this a week later when he called me up on a Friday evening and asked if I wanted to go get something to eat with him in the next little bit. I was kind of offended that he didn't even call me the day before to set it up. So I told him no! Just kidding, I did tell him no, but it was because I had been invited to have dinner with President Clark that evening. I told him thanks for asking, but I had other plans.
Apparently, I should have said, "I have plans already for tonight, but how about tomorrow?" At least that's what Eric tells me now. He thought that since i didn't say that, I didn't really have any interest of going out with him at all. Which wasn't entirely true.
To be continued...
Ok, here's the part of the story where you brace yourself for ultimate let-down. I didn't brace myself, and it turned me into a mad woman!
So Eric got my number in September right? So I was expecting a date in September right? Totally didn't happen. WHAT?! Why was he waiting so long to take me out? I saw him a few times a week. We'd have great conversations, we'd flirt... why didn't he want to take me out on a date? I couldn't understand it and it was driving me crazy. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I became a stalker.
Let's just say that that one run-in we had in the library was probably the last one we had that was "accidental". Sure we ran into each other plenty more times and it looked like it was just a coincidence... not true. I had them all planned. For example:
He spent a lot of time at my next door neighbor's house (214, I lived in 215 at the time). When I'd walk home, I'd purposefully walk past their window so I could look in and see if he was in there. If he was, I'd make up an excuse to be there too. These girls were my good friends and one of them was in my presidency, so it was an easy "in" every time.
He also spent a lot of time in the apartment around the corner from us and down one floor (109). These were his FHE sisters. So me and my awesome roommate Kim would sit on the stairs right above their apartment and wait for him to come out so that we could casually be walking by right at the exact moment he was leaving. (This almost never worked..)
Sometimes Kim and I would walk over to Bunkhouse and pretend to be going to the lounge (which was located right next door to Eric's apartment. Kim would sneakily look into their window to see if Eric was in the front room and if he was.. .we'd be sure to walk by again, just much louder and slower. (This almost never worked...)
One time I was walking home from a late night on campus. I was walking through the I-center and I caught glimpse of Eric on the basketball courts. It looked like he was packing up to go home so I sloooooooowed my walking right on down to snail-status and timed it perfectly so that we would "run in" to each other and be able to walk home together. (That one worked)
Oh, I could go on and on and on. I was just obsessed with this kid and wanted more than anything for him to ask me on a date! He seemed to like me, he had my number and I just couldn't figure out why he hadn't asked yet! Especially with half the ward telling him that he should "Really, REALLY think about taking Noelle out on a date."
Well... after a month and a half of this madness... I realized that I needed to forget this boy. Clearly we were going NOWHERE fast and I was wasting my time. I was even turning down dates from other boys because I wanted to be sure my nights were free JUST IN CASE Eric wanted to ask me out.
PA-THE-TIC!
So I did just that. I wiped that boy from my head and I started living my life again.
Part 3: The Chase
I found that as soon as I had given up on Eric, I started having a lot more fun! I was going on dates with great guys and was getting pretty serious with two different ones. Eric still hung around in the back of my mind, and my heart still leapt a little when he'd sit by me in ward council... but I was moving on.Then the October general Conference happened. While watching the infamous "Age-Change" announcement, I decided it was high-time that I send myself on a mission. I was already 21, so the age change didn't affect me, but with all the excitement going on about missions, I wanted to be right in the middle of it.
This was a big decision for me to make. I was set to graduate, had my dream career mapped out and lined up for me and lets be honest, I loooved my dating life. A mission would've thrown a wrench in all of this, but I made the decision and couldn't have been happier about it.
I quietly and discreetly put my papers in and awaited my call. Only my immediate family and a few close friends even knew that I was considering a mission. Eric, whom I was way over by this point, had NO idea that I had my papers in.
And then the call came! New York, New York North - Spanish speaking. It was seriously my dream call. I'd dreamt of living and working in New York for a very, very long time. I grew up watching the Today show, and became obsessed with New York at a very young age. So you'd think I would be ecstatic with such a call. I totally wasn't.. I didn't really feel anything when I opened it! No excitement or anything. Just kind of blah... but I heard that was normal, so I wasn't to worried about it. Shortly after, I announced to the Facebook world that I was going on a mission!
I later found out that Eric was SO MAD when he found out I was leaving on a mission. I was surprised at this little fact, because he didn't show any romantic interest in me one bit. We were just casual friends who worked in the ward together. . . Not according to him. He was super interested, "but way too intimidated" to ask me out.
On the evening that I got my mission call, Eric came over because I had his church journal. He was SO flirtatious that night. I was actually pretty weirded out because he had never flirted with me before and now that I have a mission call, he was just being all adorable. So confusing. He'd never even asked me on a date!
He rectified this a week later when he called me up on a Friday evening and asked if I wanted to go get something to eat with him in the next little bit. I was kind of offended that he didn't even call me the day before to set it up. So I told him no! Just kidding, I did tell him no, but it was because I had been invited to have dinner with President Clark that evening. I told him thanks for asking, but I had other plans.
Apparently, I should have said, "I have plans already for tonight, but how about tomorrow?" At least that's what Eric tells me now. He thought that since i didn't say that, I didn't really have any interest of going out with him at all. Which wasn't entirely true.
To be continued...
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