Even though this is "Our Story," it is most definitely my (Whitney) opinion and side of how things went down lol Derrick may read this and disagree on some things as he is so much better at remembering details than I am.
Derrick and I met at a Family Home Evening activity (which is so ironic as neither of us were the best at going) only briefly at the beginning of October 2008. We were playing "missionary tag" and NO ONE was allowing me to run! Finally someone combined with my partner, leaving me running. As I was finally able to run, I teased the poor guy trying to tag me (I later found out he was on the track team but had an injured ankle).
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This is the first picture of me and Derrick, taken before Derrick and I officially met..
He was the "I think that kid is from our ward." Too funny.
We have a few from this football game that we are both in. |
Well this person was Derrick's roommate, who told Derrick about the girl teasing him and the fact she could run fast. This impressed Derrick, who came up to me afterwards and asked my name and if I liked card games. I, being raised in a family who plays all the time, said I did and really enjoyed them. We agreed to get a group together and play some games later.
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| The "before" shot of the paint dance |
Derrick was invited to my apartment shortly after that to play our favorite "get to know you game," Loaded Questions. It was hilarious! And we got to know each other quickly.
He then invited me to his apartment another day and we played games with his group of friends. Very shortly, we were playing games in large groups almost every night. After we were done playing games, we would stay up all night and chat. Only a few of us were able to last all night, but Derrick and I were almost there every time anyone did.
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| And the "after" shot :) |
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| One of our MANY game nights |
At the point of us meeting, I was very against dating anyone (just coming out of a bad relationship) and I guess I made that clear as Derrick didn't act interested at all. We continued hanging out all night every night for a couple of months. I started becoming interested in him romantically after about a month, but didn't think he had any interest in me. He would talk to me about the girls that he wanted to ask out or about dates that he went on. Our first date together, we were not even each other's dates. His roommate asked me and we doubled with Derrick. And Derrick brought one of the girliest girls I have ever met. I gave up hope with Derrick on that date... if this is the kind of girl he is interested in with all her makeup and perfectly curled hair, there was no hope for me. Derrick had also mentioned that we have a good bro/sis relationship. So ya, I gave up hope.
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Trying to support each other with just our legs on the
ground... I don't think we were ever successful |
But we continued hanging out as he was really my best friend. And we really got along great. Soon it was Christmas Break, and everyone was making plans for going home and we all wanted to do a Salt Lake trip. Derrick didn't seem too keen on this idea and I had no idea what was up. But he seemed to just be a bum about going to Salt Lake. When everyone left, I asked him if he didn't want to go because he didn't have to. He said that he wanted to, but to take me alone... like a date. I was completely shocked. TOTALLY did not see that one coming. So I said we could still do a date and do Salt Lake with everyone else and make everyone happy. (We still ended up wanting and doing Temple Square by ourselves lol)
Well, everything happened fast after that. Within three days of the conversation, we had been on two "official" dates and had the DTR (define the relationship) which made us officially together.
I had to stay in Logan for Christmas Break due to my job, and Derrick stayed most of the time with me. It was fun to get to know him on a deeper, personal level as there was no one else really in Logan after school is out.
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| At Derrick's cousin's homecoming just before I left for Australia |
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| One of my favorite engagement pictures :) |
We became serious very quickly. Derrick (after everything was said and done and we were married) told me that he knew I was his wife to be only a week after officially dating. Sadly, it took me a bit longer to be so decided. I left for Australia right before Valentine's Day, less than two months of dating. And I was to be there until the end of June.
The separation only strengthened our relationship. We chatted online every moment that we could and never did run out of things to talk about (which is quite surprising with one of our "chats" being over 16 hours straight!). I couldn't handle being apart so long, so spent the rest of the money I had on changing my flight and came home two days before Mother's Day.
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| Happy Wedding Day! |
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This is my FAVORITE! Derrick makes fun of me always
liking kissing pictures... but I just can't help it! |
Derrick bought a ring while I was gone, and COMPLETELY surprised me with it on Mother's Day. :) We were married only 7 weeks later on July 3, only days after I was originally suppose to return from Australia. And apparently we like moving fast, as Aaron was born only nine months later. We've loved being married and getting to know each other even better as time goes by. I can't wait to see what's ahead for us! :)
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| Three months married.. and already a baby bump lol |
