The Draught is Over & Two Weeks to Go.

This weekend was a good weekend, because after a month of separation (the draught as Zack likes to call it), Zachary and I were finally reunited on Friday. I woke up at 8 in the morning, despite the fact that I could have slept in, and since I still had about 4 hours till Zachary came. A car repair, car wash, and chat with Chris later, Zack called me as he stood outside of my apartment. I practically ran home from campus, walked inside my apartment, and there he was, sitting on my couch. Oh, glorious reunion.

First on our agenda was getting a license to wed. Which was slightly more difficult than one would expect because Zack kept saying his answers out loud while I was trying to fill out my own answers. However, we were successful, and could now run away to get married if we wanted to, but we won't because, two weeks.

After some moving, it was time to get ready for bridals. We took them at the state capitol, and it really was so much fun. I love our photographer Jalene, she is simply amazing! Here's a little sneak peek that my lovely bridesmaid, Jessika, captured. She was a gem coming to help us out all evening. 

The rest of the weekend was spent hanging out at the Jarvis family reunion. I loved getting to meet the extended family and really feel so blessed to be joining such an incredible family. And a fun one, too!

They headed home today, but luckily, we only have to wait till Thursday to see each other again. And then till the next Thursday, and then we are married, because two weeks. Two weeks, people.

Love always,
Ems

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.