Intervention

I thought and thought about how to possibly include a picture in this one, because pictures make every post so much better. But I couldn't come up with a way. So I decided to just put in a random pretty picture. But it is a hint of things to come.

Isn't that pretty!

After meeting Jared I was so excited about being able to see him a couple times a month. Everyone in my family knew about my interest in Jared. I made sure they knew. When they would come for institute he would sit in the back and I spent most of the time thinking about him. Once his dad gave a lesson that involved music. Jared played several samples of many types of music. I wondered what his style was.

A couple times Ray and I got a chance to have some very good conversations while Jared and Kathi had meetings together. I hoped that what we had talked about would get back to Jared. It did and Ray put in a good word for me. I think Jared would have been more interested in me, but he was still adjusting to being home from his mission. He had only been home a couple months.

Our parents and families were becoming really good friends and still are to this day. Since we have been married there is no feeling between the families that each other are "the in-laws". It is just family. I mean, Rike is living with my family in Utah right now.

Anyway...I did have just one hesitation about Jared. I was not sure how truly "American" he was. I love the germans, but I didn't want to be married to one. Growing up in Utah I always wanted to raise my future family there. But I realized how unlikely that would probably be. So I revised my guidelines. Almost anywhere in America was fine with me. Another thing about me is that I am fiercely patriotic. When we were engaged and Jared met my Gma (the one who got me to Germany), she asked Jared if she realized how lucky he was. She said that I was one of the most patriotic people she knows. Well, another criteria I had for the person I would marry was that if he wasn't an American he had to be willing to live in America. Well, now I am married to an America, but am raising my family in Europe. I learned to never say never, because Heavenly Father will teach you differently.

One in December Jared, Ray and Beate were in our ward for ward conference. I saw them when we got into the chapel. The row right in front of them was empty so I steared the family there. I decided this was a perfect opportunity to flirt a little and make him notice me a bit more. I had never met his mother before, so after the introductions I set my plan into action. I teased him about not tying our hair together during the meeting or something innocent like that. I did wonder what his mother would think about me.

By this time, my sister Kathi had gone back to Utah to live. So Jared was looking for someone to replace her on the Student Council. I didn't know it at the time, but he wanted me to do it. That was one reason why he was there...to talk to the Bishop.

This is Mike Yanez. He was my best friend at the time...still a good friend.

During Sunday School that Sunday I was sitting by him and he asked me why I didn't go out with Jared. Well, I didn't want to admit that I had already thought of that and wanted to. So my response was that he was a German and I didn't know how much of his American heritage he was in touch with. Then later I had similar conversation with a wonderful woman in our ward, but with Jared being specifically mentioned.

Jared had noticed me with Mike and wondered if anything was going on between us. (I didn't find this out until we were married) So he decided to test it out. My family, Mike and I all walked out after church to say good-bye to the Dautels. When Jared came to say good-bye to me he gave me hug, to see how I would react. Of course, I loved it. He says that I reacted well. I think this was to first time he really started to take an interest in me.

I didn't see Jared again until about 3 weeks later for our first date. But I made sure that my family knew I wanted to go out with him. Our first date was on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2005. Well, the Sunday before that the youth of the Stake had fireside at the Stake Center. I stayed home because I wasn't part of the youth, but my parents took Mandi and Melani. When they got home, the twins told me that Jared had been. I was so disappointed that I hadn't gone.

What I found out later was that after the fireside Jared had been playing the piano while his siblings and the twins stood around talking. Our parents though started talking. My dad told Ray that he had a daughter, me, who really wanted to go out with Jared. I guess I should have been embarassed by that when I heard, but I was just happy he had said something. Our parents decided that even if nothing happened between Jared and I, we could at least be really good for each other and good friends. So they came up with a plan.

My mom asked Jared to come to our home to help fix our internet (a 20 minute job that he ended up "needing" 2 days to do). And Ray told Jared he was going to arrange a date for him and I. So he called their friend, Rick Stafford. Shown here:Rick played for the Bamburg basketball team, one of Germany's basketball teams. Ray asked him if he could get some tickets to their game that Tuesday. So Rick has some set aside for us. Then Jared called, the day of the date, to see if I could go. I was at work, so he asked my mom if she thought I would go. My mom knew I would, so felt free to accept for me. Then she called me at work. I guess the phrase: "I came, I saw, I conquered" applies to me here.

As you can see I did find some pictures for you. Next time: The first date.