It is known that I struggle with remembering things. My mom also has a bad memory. She blames her bad memory on living under the power lines growing up. I tell everyone I get my bad memory from her. In an effort to combat this, I try to write things down that are important to me (when I remember to). One such event was my wedding/sealing to Courtney.
Courtney and I met at BYU our Freshman year in 2003. I was attracted to her the moment I met her. We started hanging out. Then we dated and soon we were boyfriend and girlfriend. There are many fun details to our meeting and courtship but that is for another story. Before I left on my mission to Russia in 2004, I asked that she not wait for me. I told her that if she were around when I got home I could/wanted to marry her. Turns out after dating some while I was gone, she decided to wait for me.
After my mission she convinced me to come to back to BYU early rather than wait until my classes started again in the Fall. January 13th, 2007 I proposed to her and we planned to be married May 04, 2007(which later became May the 4th be with you or Star Wars Day).
We planned to be married in the Boston temple, which was in her temple district. She would have loved to go to the DC temple, but logistically it was tough to plan for. That was her temple when she was younger.
For the wedding or temple sealing, we stayed with her family. My family flew in and stayed in nearby hotels. We even had many of our BYU friends come out too. The morning of we got up and got ready. I remember our friend, and Court's roommate from college, Marilyn helping Courtney do her hair. Once we were all ready we got in the car to drive the almost 3 hours to Boston. On the way we hit really bad traffic and we were panicking that we were going to be late, which we were. We worried about all the family coming for the wedding and missing it and many other bad possible scenarios. When we got there, we rushed to enter the temple. At the doors was a woman who greeted us so kindly and sweetly. She asked for us to relax, we were the only sealing that whole day. We could be at peace and know that everything was going to be just fine. It felt like we were the most important people at that moment. What a huge relief was lifted from our shoulders. We were able to focus on what we were doing, the feelings that we felt and the spirit that was there.
We got dressed and they brought Courtney and I into the Celestial room to sit together while we waited for everything else to be ready. I remember being so happy to be there with Courtney. Happy for the covenants we were going to make. No one else was there with us. It was so peaceful. Then we were led into the sealing room where our family and friends waited for us! No one prepared me for what would happen and I remember saying the wrong words and people fighting back laughs. I remember looking into Courtney's eyes across the alter and being so happy. I remember exchanging rings afterward. I remember everyone congratulating us and hugging us as they passed by us on the way out of the sealing room. I remember Court's aunt calling me by the wrong name. I don't remember much of what was said. I was so happy my family could be there with me in the temple to share in this special moment. I was happy to be sealed to my beautiful wife and best friend for time and all eternity.
Court and I stayed the night in Boston, while everyone went back to Connecticut to get ready for the reception the next evening. The reception the next evening was great. Then Court and I went on our honeymoon to the Dominican Republic. We had a blast. Someone asked if we were honeymooners because we were so white (never got out of the room). We did get out of the room, but also have a history of getting bad sunburns so we were smart and stayed in the shade or wore tons of sunscreen. Still makes me laugh to think about it. I even took the time to write in a journal about my thoughts, feelings and experiences in the temple. However, I forgot to grab my bag when we left the resort and lost it forever.
I see now the importance of recording those things when they are fresh. Now I only remember small pieces and wish I could reread and remember those experiences again. Still, it was one the best days of my life. I'm so grateful I married Courtney. I love her more now than I did that that day.
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