heartbreaker

Boy, that's a heart breaking story. After that first date we dated 5 weeks and then engaged. I was preparing to go on a mission and was dating a variety of boys. I had never given in to blind dates, but like Howard said, when I was told by a mutual friend he wanted to line me up I said, "oh yah I know Howard" and the friend also said Ted Hanson. I knew them both and thought they would both be fun.

In Dad's usually style he asked me out first. By the fourth week of dating Howard and others, I was beginning to feel uncomfortable about my mission call and asked the Bishop to hold the papers. The BIshop asked me if I had a boyfriend and I said, "No!" for I was preparing for a mission, but I did feel that I could marry one of the boys I was dating. That Saturday Howard asked if he could kiss me and I kept talking and changing the subject. He finally just grabbed me and kissed me!!!

I had also performed a scientific experiment that day. We had gone skiing and I thought that I could be friends with this guy forever, but did not feel sparks per say. So I accidently leaned into him on the ski slope and we both fell. Well as the story goes, "the snow melted around us!" So then that nite the first kiss!!

I went out with other boys the following week, and fasted three of the days. Not because of the kiss but because all of these guys were really awesome too. WHew!! He then made a date with me for Saturday night following priesthood session of conference and we invited alot of YA to go to conference with us in the Tabernacle. After the priesthood session we went to see his Chaplain and while he put me in the car I could over hear him say that he was going to marry me!!

THe next morning we had decided to go to conference fasting. The only ones that showed up was Thayne Gooch and his now girlfriend and us!! We got right up to the doors and did not get in so sat on the grass and listened on Temple Square. During a talk about families, by Marvin J Ashton the words went through my head, "He's going to ask you, what will you say?" and I thought to myself, "yes?" and recieved a firm witness it was right. At the same time Howard was staring at me with his cute mustache...I finally looked at him and he asked me!! I said a firm,"YES!"

He was a little shocked for he thought I did not know his intentions, seeing we had only kissed once. We thought we were so secretive, for Cindy and Thayne sat there and then has a picnic lunch with us and we did not say a word!! That night Howard asked for my hand with my father for two hours.

The next night he knelt in front of the Christus statue in the visitor center on Temple Square and asked me again, this time with a ring he had already bought. It was quite fun, telling all of the boys I had been dating.

I recieved funny responses, "WHo is the guy?" "Howard Burton," everyone in the valley knew of him. Or, "What!! you didn't even give me a chance!" or "Hey, I thought we had something going!!" My philosophy was this: I could date anyone I wanted as long as I didn't kiss them or lead them on. I kept everything platonic. I think that guy was leading himself on!! Being friendly was ok. So there you have it. We wanted a long engagement because everything had happened so fast but my dad had cancer and we didn't know how long he would be around.

Hence, ten weeks later we were married!! Nine months and two weeks later, Daniel was born. He was two weeks overdue!! Hey, would anyone argue that Daniel is a straightforward, sometimes impatient to get a task done, nonsensical kind of guy!!! We knew then why we were married so quickly. We had six beautiful children waiting: impatiently at that!!!

How it all got started....

It was a wintery cold night. So cold that one could hear the ice of near by Bear Lake break and freeze again. The ground of was white,and snow covered even as the night was clear with the bright, shining stars that a dark mountain sky makes beautiful. The young adults of the Pioneer region had gathered for their first "winter retreat" at this remote summer resort. I was the first regional president. The young adult program was relatively new and a group of us across the valley were organizing the single young people (18-25) in new and interesting ways. In fact my good friend, Ted Hanson, was president of another region of three stakes across town. We organized parties, dances, service projects etc and retreats.
Any way tonight was the big dance with live band and all. The dance floor was crowded even though the group wasn't that large. I was dating the regional secretary, Cindy Metcalf, but we did not publish our relationship as she was the main reason most of the guys were participating. As the dance was warming up and everyone was getting down I noticed a vibrant shining new smile across the room. As the president I made it a point to know everyone, at least all the girls. And this beauty was definitely new and not on the list... The new dance in that day was something called the bump, named after the way the midsection of the torso "bumped" into the partners corresponding hip... of course in time with the beat. As I made my way around the dance floor that night I learned that the pretty new girl was in fact crashing the party as a surprise and at the invitation of one of our young men, Thayne Gooch. Thayne was a friend from South, a year after me, but had spent a lot of his social time socializing across the valley and we had not seen him at our events. He had invited this "friend" to our retreat. She learned upon surprising him there he had already met Cindy and they had hit it off. A little upset that her "friend" had discovered a new friend she was making the best of being the cutest girl in the room. About this time I took the opportunity to meet her and make her welcome. We danced a few dances and talked young adults, (she was secretary in the Millcreek Stake young adults group, the hottest and most active group in town). Her name was Becky Chalmers.
Fast forward 2 or 3 weeks and we had all returned to student life, work and the routine when a friend from the U offered to line up Ted Hanson and I with some friends of the girl he as dating. When he mentioned Becky Chalmers, I quickly you don't need to line us up, I know her. At Joe Osborns encouragement I called Becky to invite her out. Finally I was able to get on her busy calendar and invited her to a fireside to hear President Hinckley, then 1st counselor in 1st Presidency speak. I remember noting to Becky as we walked into the chapel on 1st north a 1st west ..."this ought to be interesting". As we walked in together the group from our region recognized Becky as the girl that came to surprise Thayne and now she was on a date with Howard. It really got more interesting when Thayne and Cindy came in together as we recognized they were really dating more steadily etc. They sat behind us!
I was able to secure a second date and really launch our love affair when I "bet" Becky that if I could ask a question that would "get a laugh"she would have to take me skiing. President Hinckley had begged off giving a sermon and invited us to ask questions. (How often does one get to sit with the Lord's prophets and ask them questions. Such was our life growing up in SLC) When my turn came I stood and noted "President Hinckley, since this is somewhat of a romantic group... would you tell us how you met Sister Hinckley?" Need I say more... it got more of a laugh than one would expect. I won the bet we went skiing and well that's another story!