First Meeting

Jennifer's Perspective:

Carson and I first officially met a party in Park City. I had just moved from Texas and was spending the summer in Utah before heading to California to start a new job. I don't really remember meeting Carson at the party but I remember meeting his friend Collin. It appeared to me that Collin was hitting on me, but I was driving away to move less that next morning so I brushed it off.

Carson's Perspective:

A little over 2 years ago there was a stake activity up in park city at the coolest backyard pool. They had water slides, cliff jumping, kayaks and endless swimming. I went with my friend Collin and it was clear he and I were there for two different things. I was there to swim and have fun and he was there to meet girls. A few hours into the activity I see Collin in a small boat paddling around these 2 girls. I swam up to them to see who was in the boat with him and who he was chatting with. After a few moments of not wanting to ruin Collins chances with either of the girls I swam off and continued doing my thing. Who knew I would continue to run into one of the girls in the boat many times after that!

Meeting in Southern CA

Jennifer's perspective:

About a month later, I was visiting my friends Lauren and Rachael in Irvine. We went to church that Sunday and I recognized Collin at the ward. After church, he and his friend (Carson) came up to us to say hi and chat. Carson mentioned that we had also met at the Park City party and decided that I must not have recognized him because he had just gotten a haircut. He showed my friend and I before and after pictures, and we all determined that short has was the way to go. He has had short hair since. We chatted for a bit and they invited us to go surfing, we declined saying that we didn't have wet suits. We went our separate ways and didn't think much of it.

Carson's Perspective:

About a month or so had passed, and my friend Collin invited me to go to Southern California with him for the weekend to go surfing. While we were there, we decided to find the local ward to see what the dating pool was like. After checking out a few wards in the area, we picked one, went inside, and, of course, scanned the seats to see all the beautiful daughters of God obeying the Sabbath and not out surfing. After sacrament, Collin and I got up and started for the doors when we ran into someone by complete surprise. It was Jennifer, the same girl from the party in Park City who had supposedly moved to Northern California. I introduced myself this time and said, "Hi, I’m Carson, Collin’s friend." We chatted for a minute, then Collin and I left. Hours later, we tried to invite her surfing with us, but she said no. We tried inviting her to hang out with us, but she still said no...

Meeting in the Bay Area

Jennifer's perspective:

Shortly after Halloween (about 2 months after our last encounter), I was going to a dinner with a group of friends in San Francisco. I drove up with a friend, Thomas, who told me that there was a girl in town visiting for the weekend that would be at the dinner with our group of friends. When we arrived at the dinner, we thought we were the first ones and we asked to be seated. The lady told us that another person was there and that we were outside. When we walked outside, Carson was sitting there. In the moment, I knew he looked familiar but couldn't place from where. We sat and began chatting. Soon after, we placed how we had met. We then spent majority of the dinner chatting and he came back to a friend's apartment. We discovered that we grew up close to each other and knew a number of mutual friends. I remembered thinking that he had a very pretty smile, nice eyes, and was easy to talk to. Later in the night when we were headed out onto the city, I asked him to join and he declined and he was visiting with Thomas's friend and they were headed back down to Palo Alto.

Carson's Perspective:

In November I went to Tahiti with a group of friends and on my way there I had an overnight layover in San Francisco. I convinced one of my friends to fly out to San Francisco for the weekend to hangout with me while I had this long layover and see the city! Luckily, this friend had a few other friends in the city so it made for an easy decision. After arriving, we drove around the city a bit and then she asked if I wanted to go to dinner that night with some of her friends. I thought sure that sounds fun, anything to do besides sit at the airport overnight is a win to me. We met her friends at this dumpling place in the city, sat down at the table and sure enough you would never guess who just happens to be randomly siting across from me. It was Jennifer… I mean at this point I am in shock we have run into each other in the most random places at the most random times. Luckily though we chatted more this night than the past two times we met and she seemed way more about it than the other times.

Utah > DC

Jennifer's perspective:

I was in Utah for Thanksgiving and came early to ski as Utah had just gotten a lot of snow. I posted in Utah that I was in Utah skiing and Carson slid into my DMs asking about skiing and telling me all about the scuba diving trip that he had just gone on. We began talking everyday and discovered that I would be back in Utah to ski just before returning home to Maryland for Christmas and that we would overlap then. We decided to meet up.

Carson's Perspective:

Over Christmas break, we talked about the idea of me maybe picking her up from the airport the night she landed in Utah (before we both ended up back in DC). I was stoked on the idea of that but never seemed to get a solid yes from her that she in fact wanted me to pick her up. When the time came I ended up making other plans that night because I never got a for sure yes on picking her up and I guess she just reached out to another guy on her Utah dating roster to pick her up and that night they had a little date. The next few days she reached out to try and schedule something with me but for some odd reason it just never worked out. I had recently returned from Tahiti a few weeks back and had all sorts of stories from scuba diving with sharks and staying on this remote island. I definitely geeked out telling her all about the trip and sent her plenty of random pictures of fish…she continued to show interest and that’s what kept the spark alive. It was during this time of chatting on the phone almost every night and texting nonstop that we finally agreed to see each other in person over Christmas break, since we would both be home in DC that time.

First Date

Jennifer's perspective:

Our first date was in DC at an Italian restaurant. I don't remember the name of it but I'm sure Carson will. I drove from my parent's place in Maryland down to his mom's house in Virginia to meet him to go to dinner and a play with his family. I remember being nervous as I was going out with a guy that I had only really met a few times, but quickly felt at ease as the conversation was easy and he was fun. After dinner, we drove to the play in DC and I met some of siblings and step siblings. After the play, we returned to his house where his mom asked that we stay for a quick "devotional." She talked about Christ and gave us all facemasks. As I drove home that night, I was so excited about the date, that I sped and ended up getting pulled over by the police. Luckily, he pulled my information and got a call in the middle of it that he was needed elsewhere so I got off without a ticket or a warning. We were both in town for a few more days so he came up to Hagerstown to play pickleball with me and my parents. We had lots of fun and my dad was excited for the competition. We beat him and my mom every time.

Carson's Perspective:

I think most people that know me probably know that I am the least interested person in anything theatre or arts related. But my sweet mother loves to keep us all culturally in tune. That’s why every year for Christmas we either do our annual tour of the art museum or go to some Christmas play. This year it just happened to be the Christmas Carol. I remember my mom telling me she had an extra ticket and that I should find a date to invite and thought of Jennifer. Usually a first date involves an activity that’s fun…a play was definitely not my ideal first date idea. But after calling her up and convincing her to come, we went to dinner and the lovely play. After the date we went back to my house and my mother invited her to stay for scripture study… granted at this point it’s probably 11:30 pm and she still had an hour drive ahead of her. But she stayed and it was in that moment I knew there was something really unique and special about her. She then left and was on her way for her 1+ drive home. She won’t tell you this but she drove home that night with so much excitement from our date that she could barely pay attention to the road and as a result got pulled over. The next morning she texted me and asked me out and said “I would love to see you before you go back to Utah, my parents are playing pickball at the church tonight would you like to come.” I thought wow I must’ve really blown her away night 1 that she already is wanting me to meet her parents. Unfortunately, she also told me several times before hand not to think too much of that, and that it wasn’t a big deal. Anyways now it was my turn to make the 1+ drive up to see her, unlike her, I didn’t get pulled over. We played more pickleball that night than I think I had ever played. Jennifer’s dad is a pickleball FEIN! I don’t want to embarrass Jennifer too much but we will just say no matter how many games were played that night the most important game was the one I beat her 11-0. After pickleball we went back to her parents house and all hung out in the kitchen talking for a while. Then we decided to go to the basement and play ping pong. Another game I absolutely smoked her in each round we played. I think that entire night Jennifer kept trying to make subtle moves to get me to smooch her but I was definitely not picking up what she was putting down, even after she walked me to my car I gave her a long long hug goodbye and still missed all the signs to plant a big smooch on her. She was persistent though and hit me with the “hey you should fly out to California sometime I’d love to see you again soon.

First trip to CA

Jennifer's perspective:

Carson came to visit California about 2 weeks after our hometown dates. I remember being super nervous and wondering if I was crazy for inviting someone I barely knew out for the weekend. Because I was so nervous about it, I arranged the whole weekend to be spent with friends in case things went south so there could be buffers. (and so I could get my friends opinions). We had a packed weekend with a themed party, games, San Francisco, and a weekend trip to Santa Cruz. On the drive back from Santa Cruz (to then get my car and take him to the airport), we decided that we had too much fun and that he should just stay longer. He changed his ticket and we went out that night just us and spent the next day together.

Carson's Perspective:

This was the first of many weekend trips we both took to see each other in the states we lived me. But I will never forget the one thing that set this trip apart from all the rest. But we will get to that eventually. I flew out to California on a Friday after work, once I landed and she picked me up I’m sure I gave her some awkward side hug from across the center console of the car. We then went into San Francisco and she showed me all around the city! It was the most fun time ever and I just couldn’t get enough of her. Yet lurking in the back of my mind was this thought that I still hadn’t kissed her yet and I flew all the way here, at some point I had to do it otherwise she would’ve thought there was something wrong with me. Later that night we went and watched the sunset on the beach which over time became a favorite activity of ours every night we were together. But it was that night that I just planted the biggest smooch on her. The real highlight of this trip though was how insanely sick I got just after returning home from California. I mean I was TKO sick. I literally felt like I was dying and had to go to the hospital or was so bad. Turns out it was the flu and even though she never got sick she surely got me more sick than ever in my life. It was BAD!

Dating

Jennifer's perspective:

We continued dating long distance with lots of flights to visit each other and visit other places. (guess how many flights and miles we've traveled and I'll give you a prize). Dating was super fun and the distance really wasn't bad as that was all we knew. With my work schedule I was able to live in UT for the summer which was super nice!

Carson's Perspective:

Over the last year and a half of dating we have had the most fun together! Whether it’s been weekend trips to California and exploring the beaches surfing, going to the aquarium, boardwalk amusement parks, or just exploring the city together to skiing in Utah and convincing Jennifer to take up all my favorite hobbies. I can honestly say that Jennifer is always down for an adventure. she has taken up fly fishing more recently and even after not catching anything time and time again she still continues to go out with me on the river because she knows how much I love it. No matter the adventure Jennifer is always down for a good time and makes everything and everyone around her have so much fun in the process. Dating her has been the most fun and I always look forward to the random week day trips we take because our schedules are so all over the place. Since dating I have convinced her to take up fly fishing, deep sea fishing, scuba diving and she has convinced me to take up hot yoga….you could say she definitely keeps me grounded.

Engagement

Jennifer's Perspective:

One random day in May, my two best friends Annika and Sinclaire suggested that we do dinner and beach. I didn't think anything of it as this was something that we did from time to time. Annika picked us up and we grabbed dinner to go and headed to the beach. Once we got to the beach, we began eating and chatting. Annika and Sinclaire got up to grab their water bottles and I sat there and continued eating. Shortly after, I had a tap on my shoulder and turned to see Carson standing there. He said kneeled down and proposed! It was such a sweet moment and beautiful during sunset.

Carson's Perspective:

I remember a few months back we really started talking seriously about getting married and when and where we would want it to happen. Both Jennifer and I agreed that we wanted an international wedding and planned so many little small things we wanted to happen. But there was just one thing that had to happen first. I had to propose. We went and looked at rings twice together so I could get somewhat of a general idea of what she wanted and after purchasing the ring that thing took abnormally long to finish up. To the point one of her friends called me and expressed that Jennifer felt I was getting cold feet with popping the question. Really I was just waiting for her dad to come to Utah so I could ask his permission to marry his daughter. Which happened to be over a game of pickleball in which he absolutely clapped me in, I mean I lost 2 games in a row 11-0. But somehow he still agreed to let me move forward in asking to marry his daughter. So then I moved forward with my plan to fly out to California and surprise Jennifer on the beach. This was no easy task as anyone can attest at trying to surprise a woman can be difficult. It was set that her friends would arrange a girls picnic on the beach at sunset and I would show up “surprising” her and asking her to marry me. It was such an amazing night.

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