Surprise Surprise

Sometimes, the best things come from the most spontaneous ideas.

Flashback to July 3rd. I was talking to my little cousin, Megan, and she was asking about my 4th of July plans. She thought for sure I would be spending it with my wonderful fiancé because, that's what you're supposed to do, right? Except when you're in a long distance relationship... Anyway, I was sitting at work when I realized I didn't have any plans, and really just wanted to be with my new fiancé for the 4th. I walked into Sophia's office and said, "Do you and Will want to drive down to Arizona with me?" After some contemplation, they said yes!

We hopped in the car that evening at 6 pm and made the 10 hour trek to Mesa without Zack getting any wind of it, which was impressive given the amount of phone talking he and I do. When we were saying our goodnights, I made him really worried because I told him he needed to leave his phone on loud because I might need to call him. Little did he know it would be at 3 am when I was standing at his front door.

The look of surprise on his face when he opened the front door was completely worth the 10 hours it took to get to him. I've never seen him so shocked or so excited! Let me tell you, if you really want to feel loved, surprise your significant other with your presence, you'll never feel better!

We spent the weekend at the pool, in the lake, and eating delicious food from Cathy (Zack's mom, and my future mother-in-law whom I adore). The weekend was just lovely. Not to mention, exactly what I needed, because this month apart has been torture.

The good news is this: on Friday, the wait is over. Zack will be here for bridals, and then the next weekend I'm in Arizona, and the weekend after that, WE ARE GETTING MARRIED. Talk about madness.

Life is beautiful despite the madness.

Love always,
Ems

p.s. For those who asked, here's a ring pic.

Engaged to My Very Favorite

If anyone has read my blog for a while, you know about my very favorite person. The person I've definitely written the most about, the person who's spent a lot of time in my life, the person who I call my very best friend and actually mean it. That person is Zachary William Jarvis, and that person is my fiancé.

Now how's that for the happiest sentence of my life?

After six long years of friendship, nintendo, soccer games, Michigan poker, teasing, and love, we're engaged to be married on August 16th in the Manti temple, in the same sealing room as my parents.

We got engaged at Lake Powell, after the most perfect weekend with his family, and he proposed with my grandmother's ring that I've been in love with forever. Everything about the evening of our engagement was perfect, including being pulled over by the lake police, because what's life without a little bit of adventure?

Lots of people have been surprised at how quickly everything has happened: Zack had only been home for a month and a half when we got engaged, and we are getting married on his three month mark of being home. Surprising people has been awesome and so fun, because we've just decided that we know this is the right thing for us, so let others think what they will. I've never been happier in my entire life, and we're not even living in the same state! However, knowing that I'm marrying the person I've loved since sophomore year of high school is an absolute dream come true, in the most literal sense of the phrase. I've waited for this for six long years and it all seems too good to be true that I get to call him fiancé, and in a month, husband.

Zachary William Jarvis is my very favorite person in the entire world. He's funny, and he thinks I'm funny (which is a plus), but he's also caring, adoring, full of service, sensitive, hard working, and determined. Above all, I know that I'm marrying my number one fan, my greatest confidant, my biggest adventuring partner, and my very best friend. Lots of people say they're marrying their best friend, but I seriously doubt they know the meaning of best friend the way that Zack and I do. We've been there for each other through some of our hardest moments in our lives, and now, we get to face those hard moments together.

I'm beyond elated to marry this goofball of mine, and I really can't express my gratitude for the paths our lives have wound to bring us to this point. Everything I've ever wanted in a husband is in that man at the top of this post, how could I ever ask for more?

Life is wonderful!

Love always,
Ems

p.s. Just for fun, here's a picture of when we (essentially) first met on my 16th birthday.