So There's This Boy...

So...there's this boy. Well, more of a man. And he has unconsciously pushed my blogging down off my list of priorities. For all my friends, family and faithful readers, I'm still here and I've still got lots to say, but my now boyfriend tends to hear more of it. Let me repent of that and give you a little update.

I have to back up a little actually. Beginning of this year I was a little frustrated with the dating scene in general. I was going to all the activities and places I should be and only found the same group of people (including boys who never asked me out and the one who broke my heart in January). So I decided to take matters into my own hands. In addition to my regular institute class, I signed up for a Spanish institute class at another institute I'd never been to. Then I started volunteering at other places in an effort to meet more people and put myself in new situations. It was fun. In my process of working on me and healing, I let myself just have fun. And that's when I met M.

We met at institute one week and his friend invited me to family home evening the next week. From there I was invited to the Latin dances and other activities. One night after institute a group of us went to grab a bite to eat then the week after as well. Then one week it was just the two of us. And the week after that. In all honesty I didn't know if I liked him at this point- he was great and we were becoming good friends and I could tell he liked me. Maybe because I was still nursing a broken heart or I just needed to take it slow or what, but I told a friend of mine that I didn't know how I felt about him but I'd give him a chance. So the following week when he went with me to see a chick flick he'd already seen (Cinderella), I knew something was going on.

Then one night, after going to a fireside together, we were walking around the Mesa temple playing 20 Questions. He asked me, " If there is something challenging in your life that you would like my advice about, what would it be?" Moments of clarity and stillness are rare, but everything went quiet for me as a little voice inside my head whispered, " Well, Kristi... you can be brave here or you can chicken out. You decide." You will be excited to know that I was brave. Sometimes all it takes is 30 seconds of insane courage, right? So I told him that there was this guy who I was great friends with and enjoyed being around and I didn't know how he felt about me or what was going on. The look on his face was priceless. I could tell he wasn't sure if I was referring to him and he kept his answer pretty diplomatic by telling me that I should be honest and ask him directly what this guy thought and felt about me. I waited maybe two heartbeats before turning to him and asking, " Well, M, what do you think about me?" Long story short, he asked me to be his girlfriend that night.

It was unexpected. And it's wonderful and different. Before in relationships there was always a bit of a frantic feeling, excitement and nervousness all the time. With M, there's a lot of peace. Sure, we disagree on things, especially considering that we come from two different cultures, but overall there is just this peace. He makes me laugh and he challenges me to think differently. He is so respectful and caring. He loves the gospel and has one of the most generous hearts I've ever seen. Early on, we are both aware of potential challenges or obstacles we will face, but he's worth fighting for.

"A lasting relationship is...about compatibility and communication. And you both need to want it to work. If one person does not want it to work, it isn't going to work,...Intention is the key. It's also about not losing yourself in each other. Being together, two pillars holding up the house and the roof, and being different, not having to agree on everything, learning how to deal with not agreeing. Everything's a choice."- Goldie Hawn

And love is a choice, but the choice that makes everything else worthwhile. I will keep you updated.