The Girl, The Boy & Their Happily Ever After...

There once was a very shy little girl(the girl) who dreamed of growing up, meeting her "prince charming" (the boy), getting married, having children and living happily ever after. The little girl had the typical elementary school crushes on boys(that changed at least weekly if not daily.) The girl and her friends would fight over who could like which boy. Hand written notes requesting to mark yes or no to the question "do you like me," were passed on a regular basis. There was one boy from the girl's childhood that lived around the corner that would visit his mother during summers. The girl had a long time crush on this boy. This was the first boy the girl ever kissed. Those were the days of "innocent kisses." The little girl would sneak out of her house to play "truth or dare" in which the "dares" almost always consisted of kissing. This boy's little brother(who was 5 years younger than the 12 year old girl) also had a huge crush on the girl. The girl knew this boy was too young but the girl was nice to him because she didn't want to hurt his feelings. The younger of the brothers would always buy the girl presents like rings and candy from the local candy store. In middle school the girl met a brand new bunch of boys. These boys had gone to elementary school in the next town but had to come to her town for middle school. There is one particular boy from that other town that gave the girl one of those "yes or no" notes asking her to be his girlfriend. The girl didn't really know this boy but thought he was cute and wanted to be cool like the rest of her friends and have a boyfriend. The girl and boy were too shy to talk to each other in person so they just passed notes and talked for hours on the phone. At the school dances during the slow songs they stood and hugged(which was called dancing during those days) for the duration of all those sappy(which she loved of course) love songs. Eventually, as is always the case with "puppy love" this boy and the girl went their separate ways. It had finally come time for the girl to go to high school. The girl was so excited and of course high school brought a whole new bunch of boys, most of which were older than the girl. The girl had crushes on lots of these boys and lots of these boys chased this girl...most of which she ran from. Among these boys there are several that stand out during the girls high school years...

This boy was a nice but shy boy. This was the girls first official "date dance." The girl didn't have a crush on this boy but wanted to go with her group of friends to this girls choice "Drill Team Formal" dance. This boy was friends with the boys that the girls friends were taking to the dance. After an outdoor candle light dinner and lots of games this boy and the girl went to the dance. They had a fun time but this shy boy and the shy girl found it hard to even make small talk.

This was one of the boys the girl had a crush on during the first couple years of high school. This boy took the girl on her first official date after she turned 16. Eventually this boy asked the girl to her Junior Prom. For the girl the sparks had already fizzled but they still had a fun time. This date was one of those marathon all day dates and they headed north an hour or two. On the way this boy's Bronco ran out of gas on the freeway. Eventually after this boy tried to push the vehicle while the girl steered, a police officer took this boy into town to get some gas. After an art museum, dinner, mall and a movie they were off to the dance. The girl and this boy enjoyed the night but spent most the night in line waiting to get pictures done.

There was a boy that had a locker next to the girl and was constantly flirting with her. At the New Years Eve dance this boy begged the girl for a kiss on the cheek and when the girl finally gave in(so out of character) and went for it this boy tricked the girl and turned his head and got the smooch right on the lips. Eventually this boy asked the girl out and they had a snow ball fight in the canyon and then attended the concert of a local band(who had a really cute lead singer that the girl had a secret crush on.) At the end of the date this boy laid a "real" kiss on the girl. It was much more than the girl wanted and it was the girl's first experience with the kisses that aren't so innocent. However it wasn't quite as scary as the girl thought it would be.

This boy was a fun outgoing boy. The girl asked this boy to the "Sadie Hawkins" dance. Before the dance this boy and the girl went bowling with a group of friends, had dinner and played fun games like "gestures." After the dance this boy and the girl watched a movie and had ice cream sundae's. This boy and the girl had a fun time at the dance and even got plastic rings and a pseudo marriage license out of the night from some crazy hippie man.

This boy was a complete gentleman in the sweetest way. This boy was the type that went out of his way to open doors for girls. This boy picked the girl up(in his old model Porsche) for school almost every day and even though this boy didn't have a class 7th period this boy would wait and drive the girl home from school. After not being able to take the girl to a previous dance(this boy showed up on the girl's doorstep one day too late to ask her to the Homecoming dance) this boy asked the girl out on a couple dates. Since the girl had to turn him down the girl happily returned the favor and asked this boy to the girls choice "Drill Team Formal" dance. This boy was even brave enough to tell the girl in person that he wanted to go to the dance with her. Instead of the expected corsage for the dance this boy gave the girl 5 long stemmed roses(all her friends were jealous.) They had a great time at the dance and really enjoyed each others company.

This boy was very fun to be around. This boy had lived around the block from the girl for a couple years. Eventually this junior boy asked the senior girl to his "Junior Prom." This was another one of those marathon all day dates. This boy and the girl took 4-wheelers to the sand dunes for the day. This boy and the girl had a picnic and had a great time. Later this boy and the girl enjoyed a romantic dinner and were off to the dance. At the dance the girl noticed another girl had her eyes on this boy. After the dance this boy and the girl watched a movie and then this boy took the girl home and left her with a hug and a sweet, but not so innocent good night kiss on her door step. Shortly after the dance this boy and the girl both quickly moved on, this boy with the girl from the dance(who he later married) and the girl with a boy that she had been secretly admiring for a while...

This boy was one of those boys that had long hair and probably played a little too hard. This boy played the guitar and was a DJ. The girl had always noticed him but when this senior boy started school the girls junior year with a hair cut and a cleaned up image the girls head turned wondering who the new boy was. This boy and the girl had shared a few dances, conversations and "dragging main" games. After this boy graduated and the girl was a senior the girl finally decided to ask this boy to the Sadie Hawkins dance. Over the airwaves and with a song dedication(which of course happened to be her favorite song) the girl got yes as the answer. A couple days before the dance this boy asked the girl out to break the ice and put the shy girl at ease. After rock climbing, pizza and the mall(this boy loved to shop) they were off to the dance. This boy and the girl hit it off immediately and had the best time at the dance. After another ring and marriage license was added to her collection, this boy and the girl ended the night with a bonfire with friends and of course a kiss or two. There were many more dates after this one, but no matter how much the shy girl liked this boy she still wasn't ready to open up and give her heart away...

After lots of fun the summer came to an end and the girl was off to college. The girl dated lots of boys and kissed a few but with the exception of one(think "Disastrous Drive by") the girl didn't get too serious with any of them...

This boy was one of those boys that she didn't get too serious with but that was just playful and fun to be around. This boy and the girl had a class together and became really good friends. This boy and the girl went on a couple dates and had a great time at the dance.

Then one summer day after the girl's first year of college her whole world changed. The girl was attending a summer singles ward and noticed a new boy in the ward. The boy was strikingly handsome and caught the girls attention right away. Later that evening at a fireside the boy and the girl(along with their two friends) managed to sit by each other. They all knew there was something special beginning. After the fireside the girl and her best friend as well as the boy's friend decided to take the boy up the canyon and introduce him to the "swinging bridge." The boy claims the girl was acting scared so that the boy would hold her hand, the girl claims that this was just the boy's excuse to hold the girls hand. Either way you look at it the boy and the girl really liked each other. The boy called the girl the next day(and pretty much every day after that) to ask her out. The girl knew this boy was "the boy" and that he was different than all the other boys that had crossed her path. The boy was from a big city in California and had just returned home from serving an LDS mission. The boy was the first boy that waited until the third date(it was definitely worth the wait) to kiss the girl. The girl had finally found the boy that she had been hoping and searching for and was finally able to give away her heart... Lots of kisses and dances later the girl realized that her journey to find her "prince charming" had finally come to an end. Nearly eleven months later they were married "for time and all eternity," started their life together and are living "happily ever after..."

*Based on a true story.

*References: The Girls journals, The Girls photos, The Girls memories.

*Names were left out to protect the privacy of others.