Four Years Ago...

Four years ago today Stewart picked me up from my sister's house and took me to the LA temple to be married. A couple hours later we were officially Mr. and Mrs. Rasmussen. Yep, we were married on Valentine's day. Corny, I know, but we really didn't do it on Valentine's day for any other reason other then it was the only time it worked with our class schedule. We really are just that romantic. :o) Anyways, Here is my story of how I snagged my man...

A couple months before I graduated from high school I got a letter telling me I had gotten into BYU however, it had its limitations. It told me in order to secure my spot I had to start classes in the summer. This was not a happy thing for me. I cried and cried about it because I was planning a European vacation. I was going to kick-it with my sister in Germany and tour all the must sees. In my 'despair' :o) I knelt by my bed to pray. I felt the Spirit tell me I should be happy and stop feeling sorry for myself. I was told that "greater happiness then I yet had known awaited me at BYU". So a light switch flipped in my mind and I put my European vacation on the back burner. I figured it couldn't be that bad if I was going to discover great new levels of happiness. :o) Plus, once I realized I was the only one in my class to get into BYU over all the straight "A"ers I concluded that I should just be grateful they even considered me. My sweet and very maternal sister took me under her wing and coached me on how to thrive at BYU - I don't know what I would do without my sisters! One night she helped me register for classes and suggested that I take social dance because it'd be a good way to meet people. Thinking that sounded good I registered for social dance and little did I know that four hours away my future hubby's mom recommended that he take social dance so he'd meet new people too. Two very pivotal decisions, Eh?!?!?!? I can tell you there was no way I would be meeting him in my history 320 or in his Chem 400.

The day after I graduated I loaded up my car and drove to BYU. I hate to admit it but I don't remember the first time I saw my HUNCKY MAN or even our first dance. But I remember this encounter perfectly....two or three weeks into class I walked into dance tired and sweaty after running across campus and plopped myself down randomly next to Stewart. As if out of nowhere, I started talking. I felt like I had no control of what I was saying. I honestly don't think I even realized who I was talking to. People who know me well know I have a really bad memory especially with names but I just started drooping names and places about his Larsen family reunion. I could only guess that we had talked about it during last weeks class before the 4th of July break. Stewart was as shocked as I was that I had remembered our conversation with such detail. The bell then rang and so he asked me to dance. That was it; I was smitten. We were laughing and giggling so much we kept stepping on each others toes. I remember thinking I had to compose myself and stop being so overly happy and flirty. Before our next class together I was so excited to see him. Honestly I took two hours getting ready, I must have tried on fifty different outfits. And it was a good thing I put so much effort into it because he was staring at me the whole class. I think I was a fluorescent shade of red by the time class was over - - - we were starting to learn the cha cha, very sexy stuff! :o) Sure enough by the end of the week he had asked me out ( Yep, my cha cha moves are that good!).

Our first date was a group date with his mission buddies, it was a picnic and then a movie. He did card tricks and for some reason, it must have been the Spirit helping us out, I thought he was so cool doing those tricks, he scored major points with them. I don't think he has done a single one since! :o) Anyways, we stayed out talking until 3am - freaking out Ammon and Kirsten, sorry guys. After that we saw each other just about everyday. However, after one week of dating I decided I was going to break things off. I thought I was too young to be with a RM and I didn't want to miss the fun single life. I walked up to the temple grounds to pray about it. I told Heavenly Father that I was going to stop things from progressing so if Stewart was 'The One' he should let me know before I ended it. And just like that I was told he was 'The One'. I sure had it easy huh?!?!??! Before we even had our first kiss I knew I was going to marry him. So crazy!

Needless to say we were picking out our wedding colors after only two/three weeks of dating. :o) Seven months later we were married. I don't think we really understood how good we were for each other until we were married. Everyday we marveled at how happy we made each other.
And now looking back over our four years I can tell you life has brought us challenges but honestly the Lord held good to his word, I found greater joy and happiness then I ever thought imaginable when I found my Stew. Thanks Babe!

Here are some answers to some questions I was tagged about on Kirsten's blog that didn't quite make it in my story...

1.) Where was the first time you kissed your man? By the Big tree outside of Hinckley Hall. After we kissed I came back into the dorms and I told my dormates that I had kissed him, They asked how it was and I just smiled and said "I'll I can say is that I could kiss that for eternity!" - - of course that was followed by squeals, cheers, and me blushing. :O)

2.) How did he ask you out? I could tell he was going to ask me out - he really could not stop starring at me! So I hung around after class getting like fifty sips of water trying to give him a chance to get over to me. When he asked for my number I didn't have it memorized yet - - again a very Emily thing. He thought I might be shafting him as I said "Well, I'll just get yours. I can't remember mine". Looking back I realize that did sound bad. :o)

3.) Have you ever broken the law with this person? I plead the fifth! JK, not that I know of. :o)

4.) Do you get along with any of the ex's of your partner? I have only met two of them, and there were a lot! :o) One is my beautiful sister-in-law and another one is starting med school with her husband here at Reno next year. I am thinking it'd be fun to hang out with our new med-ies. So yep, I like all the ones I've met. Stew has always had good taste! He married me didn't he?!?!?!?! :o)

5.) What’s the most expensive thing he has given you? My engagement ring and I guess our house too. Not that we really own it- - - we've still got a lot to go on that one!

6). What is one thing he does that gets on your nerves? Not responding when I ask him a question. It usually happens when the TV is on or he's got LOTR going!

7.) What is the thing you do that gets on his nerves? Probably when I get mad at him when I am interrupting his TV time and LOTR time. :o)

8.) Where do you see each other in 15 years from now? Realistically.... hopefully having a few doctors paychecks under our belts (if Stew dose pediatric surgery we'll still have 12 1/2 years of school!), a couple more kids.... I think we'll have five all together, hopefully a house, me a little heavier, Stew a little more bald, I'll be driving kids everywhere, Stew will be saving kids' lives in surgery, almost debt free (house and school- I hope), and still very much in love.

Stewy, thanks for being mine. It has been the best four years of my life. I really think the world of you. Love, Your Ems