Ryan and I met Sunday, August 21st, 2005 at an Institute Kickoff Fireside the day before college term began. I was 18 and barely graduated from Meridian High School. He was 21, just back from his mission to Thailand. (He'd returned December 2004.)
I was attending the fireside with my friend Ashley, and he came with his friend Justin. The fireside was at the LDS church building on campus in the very large, very packed gymnasium. Somehow, before the talks began, Ryan saw me across the gym and picked me out as someone he wanted to meet. He came over and offered a sad pick-up line, pretending he knew me from somewhere and asked if I played the violin like he does. The answer was no, of course, I do not play the violin.
We quickly determined that he actually did recognize me from somewhere; BSU orientation 4 MONTHS earlier. Pretty cool! I must have made an impression on him because we never talked that day, and only spent about 4 hours around each other because we had to. He did make a small impression on me too, but I only remembered him as the funny kid who actually brought his video camera to film everything during the campus tour. I'm still flattered to this day that he recognized me and found me pretty enough to remember.
So, there we were just before the fireside exchanging phone numbers for a date to take place Friday night. I was very excited - my first date of my college career! I made a promise to my dad that I would date at least 15 different guys before I settled on one to marry. (oops - more on that later.)
For our first date, Ryan took me to Craft Warehouse where we selected a craft to take back to his mom's house to do together. We chose a box with 4 coasters inside, all wooden and blank for painting. We found out quickly that we had a lot in common, we both went for the green paint first!
Ryan painted two coasters; one with his name on it in Thai, and one with my name on it in Thai. I painted the other two coasters; my name in Chinese, and his name in Chinese. We painted the box last. This is where it gets interesting. We ended up painting the San Diego temple on the box. Why? Becuase it looked like a castle. But I suspect we were both already thinking that this relationship was headed somewhere eternal, if you know what I mean. : )
When we were about done painting, Ryan asked me the oddest question, "Will you be my fan?" I said, "......sure....". He then told me that 'fan' in thai means girlfriend. I was over the moon!! This guy was moving a little fast for me, but sparks were definitely flying and I just had this feeling about him and wanted to find out more.
He then put on some romantic thai music for us to dance to. The song was called, "Tee Waang". Talk about a good wooer. In one date, we became a couple, held hands, had our first dance, found "our song", I met his mother, and already we were hinting at temple plans. Crazy! (If you're wondering about our first kiss, that didn't come until date #2 at the top of the ferris wheel at the Western Idaho Fair. Still moving along at a clipping pace. Lol.)
I went home that night, upstairs to my room, and over to my mom who was asleep in bed to tell her I was in. But instead of the usual "I'm home, goodnight", I said, "Mom! I think he's the one!!" She said all groggily, "Good. Go to bed." Ha ha. I went to my room and prayed about Ryan. I couldn't sleep all night long!!
The next morning my parents woke us all up for scripture reading. I came down the stairs, tired yet wide awake at the same time, all giddy and smiley. I went right over to my dad and told him that I think I met my husband last night, and I'm sorry I didn't date more guys first. He was surprising not mad. He probably thought it would blow over. Boy was he wrong.
Ryan proposed to me on December 12, 2005, just 2 days after my 19th birthday. We were married May 13, 2006, a total of 9 months after we met. After 14 months of fun married life, and just days before our first trip to Thailand, we found out we were pregnant with Gabriel. He was born March 21, 2008. A month after his 2nd birthday, we found out we were pregnant with miss Lorelai! She was born January 26, 2011. Both of my kids get most of their looks from Ryan's side of the family, but have a great deal of my personality to make up for it. They bring me so much joy, worry pains, laughter, and blessings. We are a happy little Lott family.
I was attending the fireside with my friend Ashley, and he came with his friend Justin. The fireside was at the LDS church building on campus in the very large, very packed gymnasium. Somehow, before the talks began, Ryan saw me across the gym and picked me out as someone he wanted to meet. He came over and offered a sad pick-up line, pretending he knew me from somewhere and asked if I played the violin like he does. The answer was no, of course, I do not play the violin.
We quickly determined that he actually did recognize me from somewhere; BSU orientation 4 MONTHS earlier. Pretty cool! I must have made an impression on him because we never talked that day, and only spent about 4 hours around each other because we had to. He did make a small impression on me too, but I only remembered him as the funny kid who actually brought his video camera to film everything during the campus tour. I'm still flattered to this day that he recognized me and found me pretty enough to remember.
So, there we were just before the fireside exchanging phone numbers for a date to take place Friday night. I was very excited - my first date of my college career! I made a promise to my dad that I would date at least 15 different guys before I settled on one to marry. (oops - more on that later.)
For our first date, Ryan took me to Craft Warehouse where we selected a craft to take back to his mom's house to do together. We chose a box with 4 coasters inside, all wooden and blank for painting. We found out quickly that we had a lot in common, we both went for the green paint first!
Ryan painted two coasters; one with his name on it in Thai, and one with my name on it in Thai. I painted the other two coasters; my name in Chinese, and his name in Chinese. We painted the box last. This is where it gets interesting. We ended up painting the San Diego temple on the box. Why? Becuase it looked like a castle. But I suspect we were both already thinking that this relationship was headed somewhere eternal, if you know what I mean. : )
When we were about done painting, Ryan asked me the oddest question, "Will you be my fan?" I said, "......sure....". He then told me that 'fan' in thai means girlfriend. I was over the moon!! This guy was moving a little fast for me, but sparks were definitely flying and I just had this feeling about him and wanted to find out more.
He then put on some romantic thai music for us to dance to. The song was called, "Tee Waang". Talk about a good wooer. In one date, we became a couple, held hands, had our first dance, found "our song", I met his mother, and already we were hinting at temple plans. Crazy! (If you're wondering about our first kiss, that didn't come until date #2 at the top of the ferris wheel at the Western Idaho Fair. Still moving along at a clipping pace. Lol.)
I went home that night, upstairs to my room, and over to my mom who was asleep in bed to tell her I was in. But instead of the usual "I'm home, goodnight", I said, "Mom! I think he's the one!!" She said all groggily, "Good. Go to bed." Ha ha. I went to my room and prayed about Ryan. I couldn't sleep all night long!!
The next morning my parents woke us all up for scripture reading. I came down the stairs, tired yet wide awake at the same time, all giddy and smiley. I went right over to my dad and told him that I think I met my husband last night, and I'm sorry I didn't date more guys first. He was surprising not mad. He probably thought it would blow over. Boy was he wrong.
Ryan proposed to me on December 12, 2005, just 2 days after my 19th birthday. We were married May 13, 2006, a total of 9 months after we met. After 14 months of fun married life, and just days before our first trip to Thailand, we found out we were pregnant with Gabriel. He was born March 21, 2008. A month after his 2nd birthday, we found out we were pregnant with miss Lorelai! She was born January 26, 2011. Both of my kids get most of their looks from Ryan's side of the family, but have a great deal of my personality to make up for it. They bring me so much joy, worry pains, laughter, and blessings. We are a happy little Lott family.
