Valentine Story

So, it's February, which means it's almost Valentines day. It is also the Month O'Love for us because my sweetheart and I were married in February in 1999, just two months after getting reacquainted after THREE AND A HALF YEARS apart. Would you like to hear a little story about that? Well, okay.

Corey and I met in 7th grade. Home Ec class to be exact. We were friends in Jr. High and High school, but I think he knew that I really really liked him. I don't think he knew that I had been signing my personal Journal as "Tiffanie Wride" now and then ever since we met in 7th grade (that's a story for another day...)

So, junior high and high school pass by and we enjoy a few dates and school dances during the school year and roller hockey games during the summer. We went to college at different schools, but as fate would have it, email was introduced to our campuses that year and so our friendship continued. Corey had embraced the "find your companion" mentality of BYU and was enjoying the dating friendly environment there, and as he thought of all the fish in the sea he could date, he thought to himself "I've never dated Tiff!" Well, we had dated, but he had never really given me a chance. (Perhaps he heard about my journal signatures somehow? Yeah, I might have been a tad too eager.)

Anyway, we started to date now and then as I came up from Snow College to BYU in Provo to hang out with him for a bit before we both head home to the Salt Lake valley for the weekend. It was so fun to see that he was starting to "like" like me back. Yay! My years of prayers were heard! My dreams are going to come true!

But not yet...

This picture right here was dated September 12, 1995. This was taken at the airport on the day that my beloved flew on a plane to South America (Santiago, Chile to be exact) to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We had no promise of marriage, hadn't even talked about it. Of course, as evidenced by my journal entries and signatures, I was definitely crossing my fingers.

On this day at the airport, I asked his opinion if he thought I should serve a mission too? He said yes. "Back then" (as opposed to now) men had to be 19 to serve a mission, ladies had to be 21. So, since were were both the same age, I would be leaving at age 21 when he was returning at age 21. That equals being apart not just for his 2 year mission, but tack on to that my 18 month mission. Yes, 3 and a half years. He was thinking "When I get back, I know this eager beaver is gonna be waiting for me to propose marriage, I might not be ready for that... so, uh "Yeah Tiff, you definitely gotta serve a mission! It's awesome!" "Well okay then!" I was already planning on serving, but appreciated his encouragement from that side of the mission. (but didn't know it was cause he was a commitment scaredy cat.) Still, THREE AND A HALF years! I still can't believe we did that. It was hard. And we really just barely missed each other. When one of the sister missionaries who was in the MTC with me preparing to serve (Hermana Dial) flew to her mission in Chile, she actually saw Corey and his parents at the airport in Chile when they were there to visit his mission before he came home. I was jealous that she got a glimpse of him, so sad for me.

But good things come to those who wait. Corey came to the airport to greet me when I came home from my mission, 2 December 1998. BEST DAY EVER!!!! Oh I remember the feeling of being on the plane, knowing I was going to see him!!!  and in less than an hour! When we did see each other, it was kinda surreal being as I'd been counting down to it for over 1000 days and talked about it and thought about it for so long, now it was finally here! So it was like a dream, but it was real and it was wonderful. 3 1/2 years is a long time, but once we started talking, it was like we had never been apart. And two months later, I had him for keeps. :) Like Eternity for keeps! That my friends, is a long time. Sweet.

Now those 3 and a half years are just a happy memory, like every other hard and wonderful experience, aka business school and international travels that were trials by fire for me, like Brazil and Costa Rica - awesome experiences, but really hard on many levels ...but they're all far enough behind me now that I'd do them again in a heart beat. Especially cause now I have Corey with me! Yeah, I don't mind going anywhere if we are together. (Happy sigh.) Aren't we just so righteously cute? Two returned missionaries, falling asleep as they read the scriptures together, awww.

Yes, after 3 and a half years apart, all I wanted was to hear his voice. Even better if I could see him and talk with him. Now I can! And I get to everyday! And I remember those 3 1/2 years of missing him, and I don't take it for granted. Corey and I do not fight, we've never have and never do. We don't yell at each other. He's never done anything to intentionally hurt me. It is awesome. We have a great friendship still and an even better marriage. So happy he's mine.