There Once was a girl... and a boy

         So for those of you that do not know about how Rowdy and I came to be, let me fill you in. For starters, Rowdy and I have known each other and grown up together since I was 6 years old. Had some of the same friends growing up and hung out sometimes in high school. Flash forward a few years to November 2009, I came home for Thanksgiving weekend. Rowdy had been home from his mission for a couple months now and I had not seen him. He asked if I wanted to go get lunch sometime, so we did at our favorite restaurant, Red Robin. We talked and then parted ways and never thought about anything further, little did I know there was a greater plan that we were both VERY unaware of for the future. December rolled around and I was home again from school for Christmas and we started to hangout as friends. The big joke was that my mom was paying him to hangout with me lol. We went Christmas shopping together and hung out watching movies. We started to become inseparable. 


          I was in a relationship with Brendan, a guy some of you may know. Things were not going well, it was a constant struggle to make things go smoothly for a matter of minutes. I started to have feelings for Rowdy and it seemed to be reciprocated on his end as well. I decided to take a leap of faith and pray about it. Yes, pray. I was not an active member in the church that I grew up in at the time, so praying about something like this seemed a little foreign to me at the time. I decided to ask God if I should leave Brendan and start to date Rowdy. As I began my prayer, instead of asking my original question, I asked "Am I supposed to marry Rowdy?" My Body froze as I realize what had just come out of my mouth and it was no more than a few milliseconds later that I had gotten this OVERWHELMING feeling; my heart became very warm and I started to cry, uncontrollably, I knew I was going to be with this boy that I had grown up with almost my entire life. 


           I got out of bed and ran into my parents room, mind you it was about 3am. My mom woke up and asked why I was crying and I flat out told her, "I'm supposed to marry Rowdy". She was a little surprised, but happy and then asked why I was crying, if it was because I was happy or upset. It was because I was happy but also very scared because I NEVER thought this would ever happen to me. I went back to bed that night but could not fall asleep. Rowdy and I still hung out when things started to change, we started to act different, like a couple but without the physical attachment, and it all happened over night. He went to my family Christmas party and it all went very smoothly, but my very drunk uncle asked me, "Taylor, this your guy here?" It was a little awkward for me to answer but the night went well. 


           The next day I did what I felt was right and broke up with Brendan. Rowdy came over for support and was very patient through all my tears, even though I knew what I was doing what the right thing, I still felt bad for hurting someone I had been with for so long and had invested so much of my time and emotions into. It was from then on that Rowdy and I were never apart it seemed. He would come over early in the morning until about 2am and we would just hangout and talk and if we weren't together we would text all night, sometimes until 5am!


          Then a day or so before new years my brother Levi, his girl friend at the time, Heather and I all drove up to Seattle to see my brother, his wife and my nephew Micah. Rowdy was anxious all day for me to come home as he was constantly texting, asking when I would be home. My mom called and said we should head home early because a snow storm was coming in. Well, we didn't leave soon enough because the three hour drive to Seattle took over 8 hours to get home. While we were all sitting, stuck in snow traffic, just inching along, Rowdy and I were texting back and forth when he told me he thought he was falling in love with me. That stopped me in my tracks, how on earth could this be happening to me I thought. He told me he didn't want anyone else but me and he would wait as long as it took. I knew there was no going back now.


          New years Eve rolled around and that's when it became "official", we were together. I went back to Linfield for a month and a half, when just after Valentine's I decided that I needed to be home in order to make the changes I really wanted to make in my life. So, two weeks into the new semester I packed up all my stuff and said goodbye to the only college life I knew and most of my friends that I loved and still love so dearly. As hard as it was and as much as I may miss it at times, I know it was the right thing for me to do. I never would be where I am now and who I am now had I not made the change and decision to do so.


         Rowdy and I knew within a matter of weeks that we were supposed to be together on a more "permanent" basis. Two days after we started dating there was already a rumor that we were engaged, haha wow. I also later found out that back in September, my dad went up to Rowdy, jokingly, and told him "you can date my daughter, heck you can marry her", little did anyone know that would become Rowdy's and my fate. Rowdy and I have been through our ups and downs, heartaches and pains together, but we have survived all but death it seems thus far. Now, we are embarking on an entirely new life together, a life that will be filled with much happiness but many trials along the way. We have family and friends that love and support us, a church and a God to help guide us as well.

        I thank God everyday for giving me another chance at a better life, a life that may not always be perfect and happy, but always filled with hope, love and faith. I also thank God for sending me the Love of my life, my family and future in-laws and friends that love and support my decisions. I'm grateful to be a member of a church that supports me and loves me and all of God's children. I realize now as I look back on my life, how blessed I am and I cannot wait to begin this new life with my fiance, Rowdy Coakley.