"Are you spending too much time together?"

I love this picture! Thank you Crystal. You might think it looks a little funny, you might think "it looks like he's leaning." Well, he is. We are both fans of the movie While You Were Sleeping and we both quote it constantly (maybe him more than me). Sean loves to quote it while he emphatically leans towards me. The two of us have a million inside jokes and while visiting my family my Dad asked me "Are you spending too much time together?" I love my Dad. The three months before he married my Mom they spent practicing a long distance relationship (he spent the summer at his mothers house in Arco ID, and she spent the summer at her parents house in Eugene OR. Each working and saving money). My Dad didn't even see my Mom again until the day before they got married. That time apart was hard, but good for them, he said. They weren't tempted to go further than they should. So my Dad asked me "Are you spending too much time together?"

I grant you, it is like we practically live together (about 90% of my things are over at his place, even my clothes). And yes I'm already changing my address because I'm pretty much more at his place than my own (and I should refer to it as our place). I also have all of my food over there, and none of it where I live. So shouldn't I be more careful than I am, after all this is a long engagement and it gets no less easy to wait. To that I say, you are absolutely right. It is not easy. That's why Sean and I together took precautions, so for anyone who is worried maybe this will give you some comfort.
A long time ago, about the time that Sean and I got engaged, we decided that we were not going to let a Temple Marriage escape us. So we made a list of things we were going to do to prevent that from happening. I'm not going to share the whole list but I will share a few things. One thing we do (it's more forced upon us than by choice) is that we have a 10:30 curfew. That's right, early, not even my youngest sister has a curfew that early. But it has helped parting before it gets too late. We always plan our time together ahead of time, so we never find ourselves bored. We attend a Marriage and Family Relationships Institute class, where we are constantly reminded to stay clean. Also on this list is a bunch of other No's and No longer than's that I won't insult your intelligence by listing. But the most helpful thing that we have decided to do is to Pray together and read our scriptures together every time we do get a chance to get together. This one thing has amplified our relationship in ways that I never knew was possible without being married. Wee have gotten to know each other so well and i don't think it would have been possible without that one act every time we are together. I'm also amazed to find out just how good we are for each other. We still have not had one fight, not one. For those of you who really know me, you know this is not an easy thing to accomplish, and I've tried to start a fight. We have so many goals and ideals in common. You'd think my jaw would stop dropping open every time he tells me what he thinks about one thing or another. I love Sean so much, and one of the reasons I love him is because every time I look at him I see evidence that God lives and he loves us. Our relationship is no coincidence. Two people so made for each other don't just "happen" to get together on their own. I love Sean so unconditionally, and I can't wait to marry him (but I will).

Pictures courtesy of Envision Image Photography

A.K.A Crystal Rocks