"Is this real life?"

So... I'm engaged.

Yeah.  I know.  It's kind of awesome.  Actually, it's probably the most exciting thing that has ever happened in the history of ever.  Mitchell and I are beyond happy; I think we both have permanent smiles plastered on our face all the time.  We will be married in the Dallas LDS Temple on June 15... only 147 days and counting (did you know that there are wedding countdown apps?!).  Truly, I am so grateful for Mitchell.  He is a wonderful man, and I cannot wait to begin a life, a home and a family with him.  When I actually stop to think about how this all happened, I am humbled by the hand of the Lord in both of our lives.

You see, it all started about a year and a half ago...

Sept 11, 2011: The day we first met. We were introduced in passing by a mutual friend while attending a special Sunday church meeting of young single adults.  I remember being introduced, I even remember what I was wearing and what he was wearing... but that was it.  I didn't think anything of it.  Our paths didn't cross again until a year later...

Sept 7, 2012: The night we officially met.  Remember that YSA Conference that I helped organize last year?  Well, true confession: I was not all that excited about it.  For the past two years I have resisted getting involved in young single adult activities, mainly because school/work/life zaps any desire out of me to want to be social, and also because whenever I do attend activities I tend to develop a social anxiety that makes me want to run for the door.  Nonetheless, I was called to be on the planning committee by my church leaders, so I obediently (albeit sometimes begrudgingly) took on responsibilities and did my best to be a good little trooper.  That Friday night activity was my baby, so I was stressed all night making sure everyone else was having a good time.  During a brief moment to breathe and actually enjoy the fruits of my (and everyone else's) labor, my best girl friend and I were chatting with some nice young men... one of which happened to be Mitchell.  According to her, she set the whole thing up (and I do give her full credit for that first meet cute!), but regardless of how it happened, we spent quite a bit of time talking and laughing (our first topic of conversation: "Hey, our last names are really popular right now!").  The next night, at the dance, we met up again, talked, laughed, shamelessly flirted, even danced the last dance together.

For the next two weeks, we exchanged brief Facebook messages, and then...

Sept 16, 2012: I gave him my phone number.

Sept 19, 2012: He called, asked me out for Saturday.

Sept 20, 2012: We both attended the same Thursday night church Institute class.  Another true confession: I have resisted attending Institute classes ever since I graduated BYU, for the same reasons as noted above.  But, right before the new school year started, my bishop personally invited me to attend each week.  Again, I obediently (albeit sometimes begrudgingly) started going each Thursday night.  That particular evening, I was not expecting to see Mitchell there.  If I remember correctly, I had gone to a Crossfit class earlier that night, so I had no make-up on, hair maybe in a ponytail, wearing sweatpants and a hoodie.  Great impression, I'm sure.  After class we made plans for the next night...

Sept 21, 2012: He came over to my house, we sat on the couch and talked and laughed.

Sept 22, 2012: We had our first date.  We went to a church activity, then out to pizza afterwards.  When he dropped me off, we also had our first kiss ("On the first date?!" "Yes, on the first date.").

Let's speed things up, shall we?

Oct 12, 2012: Officially "boyfriend/girlfriend." (Actually, this is quite a funny story.  I had driven to his house that evening, so as we were driving back to his house later that night after eating pizza (yes, we really like pizza), he very casually says,"Oh, you still have to drive all the way home.  Man, I'm like the worst boyfriend ever." He kept on talking, but I automatically pumped the figurative breaks and said, "Wait, are you my boyfriend?" "Uh, yeah." "Does that mean I'm your girlfriend?" "Uh, yeah."  I just started laughing.  It was kind of adorable.)

Oct 14, 2012: I invited him to come to Arizona with me and my family for Thanksgiving.  He said yes.

Oct 20, 2012: First "I love you" (he said it first!).

Nov 21-24, 2012: Thanksgiving in Arizona with my family.

Dec 30, 2012: The Marriage Conversation.  It went something like this:

Me: "So, when are we going to talk about it?"
Him: "We can talk about it now."
Me: "Okay, good, because this is driving me crazy."
Him: "Well... I want to marry you." (correction, according to Mitchell: "Well... I DEFINITELY want to marry you.")
Me: "I want to marry you, too."

Obviously, it was a little more romantic than that, but that is pretty much how it happened.

Jan 1, 2013: He asked permission from my dad.  Dad said yes.  We decided that we were not going to tell anyone until I had a ring, though (just ask Mom how well she was able to follow those simple instructions!).  I thought it would be at least two weeks, but...

Jan 5, 2013: Mitchell officially proposed.  I said yes, yes, yes, yes!

So there you go.  Four months from first official meet to down on one knee with a diamond ring.  In that time, there were probably only about five or six days that we did not see each other and spend time together.  When we decided that yes, we wanted to get married, I asked him how long he had felt that way.  He said he has known since the first date.  It took me a little longer than that... I knew about three weeks after our first date.

As I said before, when I think of how both of our lives have progressed and what led us to both be there that Friday night in September, I am humbled and eternally grateful to my Heavenly Father.  I know I say a lot of things are my "favorite," but Mitchell truly is My Favorite.

The Sunday night after we were officially engaged, we were talking about wedding plans and the future.  At one point, Mitchell paused, looked at me, and asked, "Is this real life?"

Yes, Mitchell.  This is real life.  ILY.