Catch up and Family Reunion

So as you have probably noticed, those of you who faithfully check (and those who are doing their monthly check) it has been a while since we have checked-in with the cyber-world. We have been having a pretty busy time of it. Some of the highlights have been that Danielle sold her house, we bought a new one, and moved, all the while Danielle has been diligently working at Clear Creek. Well we have finally gotten some time off and will do a bunch of blogs so that we can then take another break when things get busy and school starts. So on the 2nd of August we left home and drove to Depoe Bay Oregon for a Kennedy Family Reunion. It was a long drive but a nice one. I think that one of the best ways to keep up and explain what is going on is with pictures. So enjoy and I will just provide some commentary.




These are some of the pictures that we took on the first day that we were here in Depoe Bay, we went to church (it took for ever to find) then came back and had a relaxing day. This is the picture off of the balcony from our room. We are on the second floor and it looks right over the ocean (I know I know that was a Captain Obvious statement), but it is a really beautiful scene and we can hear the ocean all day when we are here.

Also on the first day we had a pod of grey whales that decided to put on a show for us. There were (at best count) 4 whales that were rolling around for a long time, this is a picture of a couple of them waving at us.

Up in the left hand corner is one of the sprays from the whale, at the bottom is someones head that was sitting on the rocks right outside the room. They were so close, really it was a stone throw away from us, they were very close and were doing lots of things.

This is another shot from our balcony along the coast, one that we get to wake up to each day we are here. We will try to keep you caught up and let you know what is going on; both with the trip and with our first anniversary (pictures from the day are coming).

While up at Clear Creek, we are at the mercy of the weather. The first week of camp we were bombarded by very, VERY large snowflakes. We had to come up with some fun things to take place of our regular outside activities. We did some really fun and creative stuff, but my favorite was when John Jay showed these videos on the projector and we just has some laughs showing then to the kids. I laughed, so you will too, unless you have no heart, or funny bone! :)

Here are some fun pics for ya!

Isn't my husband so cute! I gotta admit, he is the best! You know now why I love him so stinkin' much!! :)

My Side of the UnKnown Story

Once more, a shocker of all shockers, Bryan is actually going to BLOG. It is about time, I guess, but my wonderful Dani does such a wonderful job, I did not want to (and hopefully don't) bring down the high quality of this blog. If you have not noticed, we have been writing down a bunch of things about when we met, at least we will have them written down in at least one place. So I am going to chime in with a little bit of the story from my point of view (since it happened to me).

My first trip to Utah to meet Danielle was pretty darn good. I loved her before I came, I really wanted to be near her, and it was far being such a distance from her. Our first visit only increased these feelings, I loved her even more after it. Some of the highlights of that visit were first of all meeting her (see earlier blog for details), others were going to the Temple together, and meeting her family for the first time. At my first family "Sunday Family Dinner" just about everyone in the whole family was there, and not only did I get to meet them, but before dinner started, I "got" the "chance" to go around the room and name everyone by name. Now for those of you who do not understand the magnitude of this, you need to take into account a couple of things. This was the first time that I was meeting 75 percent of the people there, and there were over 25 people there. Lets just say it was a pretty nerve-racking event, I really did not want to mess up on anyones name. This was not, however, the most stressful/harrowing thing that happened.

Nope, having to name everyone in the family was pretty easy compared to what went on the day that I left. By the end of my visit I new that I wanted to ask Danielle to marry me, but that she wanted to meet my family before we got to that point. So we knew that she would meet my family the next month when we went to Oregon, but that it would happen before I came out to Utah again. When I came out from California to visit Dani the first time, my wonderful sister Kristen, pulled some strings and got me a room at the Deseret Towers (where she worked), so I was staying there by myself. On the morning that I was going home (a wonderful wintry Tuesday) before Dani picked me up, I knew that I wanted to talk to Danielle's Father, and ask him if I could ask for Danielle hand in marriage. This was the first time that I had ever come near this point, and was very very nervous. In fact while cleaning up my room to leave, and for Dani to come pick me up, I was so nervous that I threw up twice. When Dani picked me up I told her that I wanted to stop by her parents house and talk to her Dad, as we walked from her house to her parents, Dani thought I was going to pass out. She told me later that my hands were all clammy and I was as white as anyone she had ever seen (Jon, so white someone could consider me a snow demon). That was before I ever got into the house. I was so very lucky, because when we got there the only people around were Dani's mom and dad, so I went and asked Joe if I could speak with him, he smiled his knowing smile and said sure while escorting me to the music room. He, being the very wise person he is, knew what was going on (I guess it has happened enough times), so to help me out he first shared a story to try and help me calm down, (or to stretch out the torture). The story had to do with the fact that sometime the time leading up to an event is worse that the event, and it was. I told him that I loved his daughter and wanted to ask her to marry me, and he just smiled and said that it would be a wonderful thing. I was so happy, it was one big step towards Danielle and I starting out our lives together and being together for the rest of eternity.

Our Song!

After my long hiatus, let's continue with our walk down memory lane. Where were we? Oh yes, the first date. (Byran only let me put that comment of me being flat on my back as long as I PROMISED to explain it) So we left the airport and hit 5 o'clock traffic heading back into Orem so we got to talk a good while on the drive home. It was easy conversation, we had been doing that much in our relationship for months now, and it wasn't weird yet cause I couldn't look at him
because I was driving. But Bryan got to just stare at me while I was driving, and it started to unnerve me a little bit. We finally got into Provo and we went straight to where Bryan was staying. His sister, Kristen, worked at the Deseret Towers and they have guest rooms on the bottom floor of the towers (which no longer exist!) She had arranged for him to stay there. So we went to the DT to check him in. While climbing out of the car we noticed that we were parked on a sheet of black ice. It had been snowing on and off, so there was a light dusting. I told Bryan to be careful, and walked to the back of the car to help him get his bags. We got the back door open and he grabbed his stuff, and seriously I was standing up right, nothing happening, and the next thing I knew I was FLAT ON MY BACK!!! We had already talked about how much of a clutz I am, falling down mountains, and so on and so forth. I burst into laughter, and Bryan being really concerned tried to help me up. He almost ate asphalt then too! but I got up, and we headed in to the DT.
We were supposed to go to the Olive Garden for our first date, since it was my favorite restaurant, and Bryan had never been there. When we drove up, it was so packed we decided to go somewhere else. Neither of us were really hungry (too nervous!) so I took Bryan to Sensuous Sandwich and had dinner there. It was the first time I got to sit down and really talk to him face to face. He wouldn't stop smiling, and KEPT STARING!! It made me really nervous, so after a unhuman amount of staring, I finally said, "Why are you staring? He said something to the effect of , "I want to look at something beautiful." Dinner was perfect.

Here is one more tibit. Bryan's mom had heard about Bryan and I and was probably on 7th heaven that one of her kids might actually get married (no offense to the rest of you fabulous soon-to-be married Kennedy's) and she heard this song on the radio and thought of us. She told Bryan about it and he told me, and I did a little itunes searching. It really is the perfect song. It is "our" song. It just fits us so well! Here are the lyrics so you can see why it fits so well.

Chris Rice - When Did You Fall
From the album Amusing

You’re all smiles and silly conversation
As if this sunny day came just for you
You twist your hair, you smile and you turn your eyes away
C’mon, tell me what’s right with you
Now it dawns on me probably everybody’s talkin’
And there’s something here I’m supposed to realize
‘Cause your secret’s out, and the universe laughs at it’s joke on me
I just caught it in your eyes, it’s a beautiful surprise

Chorus:
When did you fall in love with me?
Was it out of the blue
‘Cause I swear I never knew it
When did you let your heart run free?
Have you been waiting long?
When did you fall in love with me?
When did you fall in love?

Make your way over here, sit down by this fool, and let’s rewind
C’mon, let’s go back and replay all our scenes
You can point out the hints, the clues, the twists and the smiles this time
All the ones that slipped by me
I bet my face is red, and you can hear my heart poundin’
Well I guess it don’t matter now that I realize
‘Cause baby I missed it then, but I can surely see you now
Right there before my eyes
You’re my beautiful surprise

Chorus:

Was it at the coffee shop
Or that morning at the bus stop
When you almost slipped, and I caught your hand
Or the time we built the snowman
The day at the beach, sandy and warm
Or the night with the scary thunderstorm
I never saw the signs
Now we’ve got to make up for lost time
And I can tell now by the way that you’re looking at me
I’d better finish this song so my lips will be free

Have you been waiting long, when did you fall in love
I kept you waiting so long, when did you fall
Have you been waiting long
When did you fall in love with me
When did you fall in love?


Now, here is Chris Rice doing a live version of the song. It is a bit different from the CD version. Enjoy!


Download now Chris Rice lyrics on Lyricspy.com