Saturday

how we met - 1

I decided to write a record of what I remember about my early relationship with Tyler.  I am already forgetting so much, and I want to capture as many of the memories as possible.  I also want my kids to be able to read it, when and if they ever become more curious about it.  I know Tyler would tell it differently, but to me, this is how we met  - 


My college roommates and I went to FHE, an activity on Monday night with some of the other young adults from our church, one day in the the spring.  It was at Mountain Plaza, an apartment complex I lived in my first semester at college, that was a few blocks from the Martin House where we lived.  Our activity was in the pool area, but I don't remember swimming.  I'm guessing my friends and I were doing a quick stop in and had other plans?  I have no idea.  But, there, sitting off the the side was a guy I recognized from years earlier.  We had been in seminary together in highschool.  I knew his younger brother a little, but we didn't know each other.  He looked pretty shy, a bit off to the side and on his own.

I introduced myself and invited him to participate in whatever we were doing.  He declined.  So I stood there and talked to him for a little bit.  I found out he was fresh off of his mission, and I knew his brother had just recently left.  After a little while I left to go visit my friend Sara's apartment.  She was my roommates sister, and we loved to stop by and catch up, and also perhaps use her internet connection for a little while.  Email access!  It was a relatively new and totally awesome thing.

I later found out that Tyler talked to Sara that night about me.  She let him know I was dating someone else. Thing is, I wasn't!  Another friend I'd known since we grew up in the same ward had recently come home from his mission, too.  And since I wrote to him throughout his mission, I think he felt a little obligated to take me out once or twice, but that was it.

So, Tyler didn't call me and ask me out, like he had planned to.

And I had no idea.

<<<

That other returned missionary friend and I did start dating.  It was very romantic, and we had a great time together that summer, but we both knew he was headed off to BYU soon.  Tyler also started dating someone else, a girl I knew from the institute.  Not only that, but the guy I was dating and Tyler became friends and workout buddies.  They spent quite a bit of time together and we even double dated once or twice.

A few months and a bunch of little dramatic moments later, and I and my boyfriend were broken up, and Tyler and the girl he had dated were no longer together.  To tell you the truth, he was devastated.  It was a rough breakup for them, and for a little while they both were talking to me about it.  I think that didn't last very long, since Tyler started spending a lot of time over at our house and talking to me.

Tyler and I started spending a lot of time together.  He'd drop by and we'd go do this errand or that thing.  We planned some fun activities together - early morning breakfast group dates to which we both brought other people, a big camping trip to Patagonia Lake, and so much more.  I helped him pick which girls to ask out and plan dates, and we doubled a lot.   I met some of his family and spent some time over at his house, and he even met my parents somehow.  I think he even took a class with my brother at Pima CC that semester.  We sure saw each other a lot - we became such good friends!

<<<

That semester I decided I was done with Tucson.  I'd had a frustrating year and I was feeling just so stuck, like I really needed to move on to something new, but there was nothing there for me anymore.  I was so restless and wanted out, so I decided to move to Provo for a little while.

I found an apartment and made a plan with my roommates - they were going to finish the semester and join me in Provo for the summer for a little, or a LOT, of fun.  We had big plans, and I'm not going to lie - a lot of them had to do with b o y s.

The week before I left, Tyler took me on one of our long drives.  We drove up Mount Lemmon, all the way to the top, and then turned around and drove back down again.  Somewhere along that drive Tyler told me something that would change my life.


more coming soon.


5 comments:

trogonpete said...

I was sitting there in chemistry class one day and some random dude walked up and said "Do you know where Katie has been lately?" I had no idea who he was and I of course had no idea where you were. He talked to me about you occasionally throughout the remainder of the semester.

I thought it was quite clear that he liked you... a lot. But I got the impression that you were either ignoring him or toying with him. Or something. Really, I have no idea, so it will be fun to read how it actually went down.

Well, there's my small contribution, for the record.

Martie said...

What does soon mean?? Because I have never heard this story before, and I have always wondered. Can't wait!!!

Michelle said...

So I want to know who the boyfriend was. . .! I was gone by this point and suddenly I heard you had married Tyler and I never heard how it all came about, so this is super fun for me. Thanks for sharing! :)

Katie Richins said...

His initials are P.W. Does that help?

Real said...

Don't leave me hanging because we're just coming to the part of the story that I might be familiar with!