Friday, August 14, 2009

Happy 12th Anniversary!

Today Jayson and I have been married for 12 years! In honor of our anniversary, I thought I would share the story of how it all started...

Jayson and I met at BYU (Brigham Young University) where we were both going to school. I was the Teaching Assistant for an engineering statistics class that Jayson was taking. All thost numbers can be soooo romantic! About a month into the semester, Jayson started walking me home from class (it was a night class). Then he started coming to all the other lab sections that I taught and walking me home on those nights too. Half-way through the semester he asked me on a date--or rather he asked me if he was allowed to ask me on a date. Since I just taught the labs, and didn’t have a lot of influence on the actual grades for the class, I figured it was okay.

On our first date, we doubled with Jayson’s roommate. Jayson made an authentic Thai dinner (he lived for two years in Thailand while serving a mission for our church). It was awesome! He even used a tablecloth and a centerpiece. I was highly impressed! After dinner we went to see a production of “The Secret Garden”. When he took me home, we were walking past some shrubs on the way to my apartment and he reached his arm into the shrub and pulled out a beautiful purple iris that he had hidden there earlier. I was so surprised! That pretty much did it for me---I was hooked.

From that night on, we were together as much as we could be. I felt like things were moving fast, but Jayson didn’t seem to think they were. The end of the semester came quickly. I was graduating with my bachelor’s degree in Statistics and my parents came for the graduation. The night before graduation, Jayson went to my dad and asked him for my hand in marriage. Before my dad gave us his blessing, he made sure Jayson knew what he was getting into. He warned Jayson that I am a lot like my mom---very opinionated. He also told him that my room was always a mess when I was in high school (which it was---my organizing obsession didn’t kick in until later), so he wasn’t sure what kind of housekeeper I would be.

The next day my graduation convocation was in the morning. After it was over, Jayson asked me help him run a few errands. First we went to see Karen, his old boss when he worked as a janitor at the Tanner building. I had never met her before, but she was so bubbly and friendly that it didn’t totally surprise me when she said she liked Jayson so much that she had gotten me a graduation gift. She then pulled out two cows---a girl farmer and a boy farmer. At this point, I didn’t suspect a thing.


Jayson and I on the day of my graduation with my Grandma and Grandpa Curtis




The Farmer Cows

Next we went to say goodbye to Jayson’s cousin, Chris, who was leaving on a summer internship. As we were leaving, Chris pulled out a gift---a BYU Cheerleader cow. As you can guess, the rest of Jayson’s “errands” led us to different people who all presented me with a cow. By the evening, I had six cows.

The BYU Cheerleader Cows


The Goin' to Church Cows

That night, my Grandma and Grandpa Rappleye were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary with a big reception. When we went to my grandma’s house to get ready for the reception, she handed me a box--another “graduation gift”. In the box was a bride cow.

Of course by this time I knew exactly what was going on. “Johnny Lingo” was one of my favorite church movies as a kid. In the movie, Johnny pays eight cows for his wife, which is more than anyone in the village had ever paid. So I knew that there was one cow left. (To read a short synopsis of Johnny Lingo, click here. To watch the movie on YouTube click on the following: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.)

Jayson asked if we could go for a walk. Since we were already running late, we walked to the church where the reception was being held. Jayson took me to a secluded spot, then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. In his hand, he held a groom cow (the 8th cow) with an engagement ring tied around its neck. Of course I said “YES!”

The Bride and Groom Cows

Our four-month engagement was spent almost entirely apart. Jayson went to Illinois for a summer internship, and I went to Arizona for an internship. We racked up some good phone bills that summer!

Rachelle and Jayson Engagement Photo


Our Wedding Announcement

We were married on August 14, 1997 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. My parents and grandparents were married in the same temple, and I had always wanted to get married there. The Salt Lake Temple is a popular place to get married—our ceremony was scheduled for 8:20 in the morning, and we were the 7th couple to get married there that day. We were officially pronounced husband and wife at 8:45 am. To read more about Mormon weddings, click HERE.

Rachelle and Jayson outside the Salt Lake LDS Temple

After the ceremony, the rest of the wedding party headed to a luncheon that Jayson’s mom and aunts put together. Jayson, my mom and I stayed behind to take some more pictures. Somehow, communication wires got crossed and when we were done taking pictures, we realized that no one had left a car for us. This was back in the day before cell phones, so we were stranded at the temple, unable to get to our own wedding luncheon! Fortunately, some family members got hungry enough waiting for us that they decided to come back and see what was taking so long.

Just Married!

That night we had a beautiful reception in a friend’s backyard. The next day we boarded a plane and headed off on our Honeymoon to beautiful, tropical….Wisconsin! Yes, you read that right! Jayson is an engineer, after all, and although he was quite romantic when we were dating, his sense of practicality kicked in when he was planning the honeymoon. We had another reception planned at my parent’s house in Chicago a week later, so he figured Wisconsin was nice and close. We went to a place called “The Dells”, which is a little tourist town nestled among beautiful sandstone formations on the Wisconsin River. It actually has quite a lot to do—from museums, to water parks, to shows and we had a great time!


The receiving line at our reception


Old-fashioned photo taken on our Honeymoon in exotic Wisconsin

After the reception at my parent’s house, we headed back to BYU, where Jayson had two years left of his undergraduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering and I started working on my Master’s Degree in Statistics. And the rest, as they say, is history!!

Even though we dated for only a short seven weeks until we got engaged, the past twelve years have only reinforced that Jayson is the perfect man for me. He is so patient with all my shortcomings and he is a wonderful father to all of our children. He steps right in and starts helping the minute he gets home from work and is always willing to let me have a girl’s night out whenever I need it. He has a great sense of humor and a laugh that is infectious. He happily watches chick flicks with me and he can tear up the dance floor with his amazing disco moves. I can honestly say that the past twelve years have been the best! We may not have the typical "fairy tale" story, but we are living "happily ever after!"

All because two people fell in love......Kaiya, Kaydence, Rustin, Jayson, Kyndall, Rachelle, Kassidy, Ryder and Riley


Share/Bookmark

23 comments:

Vicky said...

Congratulations! And may the next twelve (twenty four, forty eight??!) be as happy and fulfilling.

I think that you know when someone is right for you, very quickly. For me and my husband, we were friends in a big group for a year or so before we began dating. Right from the very first date, he asked me "Do you want to get married?" Not a proposal, but a check that we were both wanting the same thing, not just a fling. In the end it was a year and a half before we got married because we had language/culture/legal things to take care of first, (he's Japanese, I'm English, we live in Japan) but the decision was made very early on. We've been married 15 years now, and I don't regret it a bit either! He's still my luckiest break ever!

Crazy Granny said...

I love the post. It all comes back to me.

Before Alicia left on her mission we dressed the cows, because I knew Jayson Had found a great girl, and I wanted her to be part of it.
I had no idea how truly great the two of you would be. I love both of you more than I can say.

Mother of the Wild Boys said...

What a great love story, and I loved the photos. Happy Anniversary y'all!

Cynthia said...

I totally remember coming back to school in the fall and your picture on the TA board had a new last name attached to it. Word on the street that that you married "some engineer guy who still had a couple years left of school." Congrats to you both, and may the next 12 years provide a little more rest for you!!! :o)

ShEiLa said...

Thank you for sharing your story... it was worth reading. What an amazing journey life is... you would have never guessed back then... what was coming your way... and even if you did... you wouldn't change a thing.

ToOdLeS.

The Queen Vee said...

Ahh, that made me a little bit teary eyed! Congrats on 12 wonderful years and also on successfully making choices and talking paths that you never invisioned 12 years ago.

Unknown said...

And they lived happily ever after!

I love your blog ...

Tobi said...

I love the cows! I didn't know you still had them. That is so awesome!

If Joel had proposed to me the way, I would have been clueless. Joel was the one who introduced me to Johnny Lingo after we were engaged. =)

Apis Melliflora said...

All new to me and what a wonderful story. Jayson has some real dramatic flair. The cow idea: brilliant. I love your dad's warnings too.

The Dragonfly said...

You guys rock! I'd forgotten about your cow story. Fun to read it again. Hope you got out on a date for your anniversary!

Mum2twopreciousgifts said...

Thank you for sharing such a beautiful story. I have thoroughly enjoy reading your blog since the babies were little and watching your 7 beautiful little folk grow and grow and grow.

Keep up the great work! Good night from Australia.

Heidi said...

Happy Anniversary!! I laughed when I read about your honeymoon...my husband and I went to the Dells for our honeymoon too!! We were married June 28, 1997!

The Carlsons said...

Happy 12th Wedding Anniversary! Praise God for bringing you two together and giving you such a beautiful family!
-quad mom of 17mo GGGG and a 5yo boy

Kim said...

Would you think I was totally weird if I told you that I think your husband was my home teacher? He looks so familiar. Ask him if he was ever in Bishop Reid's ward. We met at the Crabtree building.
Lets see, it would have been......95-96 I think.

Triplet Mom said...

Happy Anniversary! I just found your blog and wow - you are my hero! I have triplet girls -2 identical, 1 fraternal born Oct. of 2007. I am in awe of your attitude, your beautiful children, and how God has given you strength through it all. I love reading your blog and guess what? I live in that wonderful exotic state of Wisconsin! :) If you ever take the troops to the Dells, I would love to meet up for a humungo play date since our kids are so close in age! :) God bless you all and thanks for sharing your journey!
Shelly Dooyema (shellydooyema@gmail.com)

Capturing Joy with Kristen Duke said...

ahhh, i love it!!!! I love love stories, i love the details of the dating, the engagement, wedding, and honeymoon. you two are a great team! love the cows:)

MDtripmom said...

Happy Anniversary! We just celebrated our 9th on the 12th. I really enjoyed reading the story behind the couple. You guys are a beautiful family and I love reading your blog! Thanks for sharing!

ajj1996 said...

Wow i love the family picture it amazing. u have wonder children.

Full House said...

Oh happy anniversary! What a great picture that you had taken while you were here in AZ. Again it was so great to see you & you family. I meant so much to me that you would make the effort to get together. You really are AMAZING! Now I need a pair of those cutting shears (like the ones @ Chick fil la)

Love ya & hope the drive home went well.

SchrefflerFamily said...

Happy Anniversary.

I love the cows!

Cristie Jensen said...

love the story, thanks for sharing, also, Happy Late anniversary. Oh and did I ever tell you that Jason was in one of my BYU wards..Small world!

Kelly said...

Great love story and pictures! Happy anniversary to you two!

Anonymous said...

Happy Aniversary!

I love love stories and I think yours is just perfect. I hope I get to be as blessed as you are someday.

I hope you have a lot more years to celebrate.

Helene