Happy Anniversary, Honey!! A Stroll Down Memory Lane...

Our first memories.....




Last night, as I was telling the girls that the next day was their mom and dad's 15th wedding anniversary, it brought up a thought in Sierra's mind. Sierra is a very sensitive, kind, and forgiving person. She's also a very deep thinker. Simple but deep...is that possible? All these things have become much more apparent to me as she's gotten older. Anyway, she made a comment to Cheyenne that made me think how lucky and grateful I am for this whole union between Bryce and I. This is what she said..."Cheyenne, do you know that if mom and dad never got married...we wouldn't exist??". My jaw dropped and it really opened my eyes to think that her thought is SO true!! It made me sad to think that if we never met, fell in love, and got married...we wouldn't have the beautiful kids we have!
So now as I go "down memory lane", it takes me back a little over 15 years ago......First of all, I had been back from my mission about a year. I had moved to Utah from Hawaii in the summer of 1991, and lived with my sister, Leila, and her family which was only her husband, Sonny, and her first child, Matthew, who at the time was about 10 months old. Matthew was "the apple of my eye"! He pretty much was the reason I moved to Utah. And then of course, it felt right to be in Utah.
I got a job as a teller at Bank of Utah sometime in 1992. I didn't do very much outside of work. I hung out with some friends, from my mission, on weekends. I had been on a few dates here and there but none at all serious (I'm so glad!). But I mostly hung out with a great friend, Luisa Pope. She and her family lived just a couple houses up from Leila. She had five little kids, and I'd always be there, helping her out and whatever. They were a Tongan family, and one of a very few "Polynesian" people I knew. We became very close. In fact, we confused the ward members a lot...I guess because Luisa and I hung out most of the time, they thought I was Luisa's sister instead of Leila's sister. I was just glad to be acquainted with other Poly's. At work, everytime a "Poly" walked in, I'd get so excited! Finally, people I could relate to in some way! Sometimes I'd talk to them, but I would mostly acknowledge them, and they would seem to have the same reaction towards me, which was nice.
One day while at work, in February 1993, I was at my teller station, and I noticed a Polynesian man walk in. We weren't busy at the time, and I don't think I was helping a customer, but I looked over and acknowledged him. I smiled and he smiled back. I saw him sit at the New Accounts desk so I assumed he was opening an account. A little while later, he came up to my teller station. He introduced himself as Saia, said that he lived a couple blocks away, that he had a construction business, and wanted to open a business account at the bank. If I can remember right, I think he asked if I was Samoan. I told him no, that I was Hawaiian, and he told me he was Tongan. We talked a little bit about Hawaii because he said he had lived there before. He seemed like a real nice man...I didn't feel afraid at all. Slowly, other customers started to come in, but there were other tellers that could help them so Saia and I continued to talk. Then came the more serious questions...Saia asked if I was LDS. I told him yes. He asked what ward I went to and I told him that I was going to a singles ward. Then he asked that ever uncomfortable question, "Do you have a boyfriend?". I told him no. So now here goes...he said he had a son that just got back from a mission a year before, and that I should meet him. "Oh no!" was my thought. He continued to say that maybe he and his son would be interested in coming to the singles ward. I thought, "whatever" and gave him the directions to and information of the ward. I told him that I had gone on a mission, too, and he said that it was perfect, that I should for sure meet his son. I was very hesistant, but I said, "Why don't you bring him in so I can meet him. He said, very excitedly, "Okay!". Two days later, Saia walked in to the bank, and a few steps behind him comes walking this very handsome guy with the most beautiful eyes! Saia introduced his son, Bryce, to me. Bryce stuck his hand out to shake mine and I couldn't help but notice the biggest forearms I had ever seen on a guy!! WOW!! What a hunk!! In my mind, I thought, "Okay, I could do this!!" heeheehee I think for me, it was love at first sight! In fact, my co-worker, Megan, said "Hey, if you don't want 'em, I'll take 'em!" I said, "No, it's okay. I'll take 'em!". The rest is history...or maybe not.
It was now about May 1993. Bryce and I were dating and stuff, but nothing serious. It was more like friends. We'd also go out with a bunch of my friends. But I could never figure Bryce out...if he liked me, or if he just liked the company. I was getting frustrated because I was liking him a lot, and could even see myself marrying him, but of course I was older than him. At that time I was 25, three months shy of 26. I was ready to settle down and get married, but Bryce was only 22, very young, and I don't think he was ready to settle down. I talked to Luisa many, many times about this whole situation with Bryce, but felt helpless. I finally decided that I was going to move back home to Hawaii. It felt good, and I thought that maybe the reason why I wasn't finding anyone to marry was because I was in the wrong place, that maybe my future husband was in Hawaii. So that was it...I was going to move back home. Luisa and I were sad about the decision...I didn't want to leave such a dear friend, and I also didn't want to leave my sister or Matthew. I was torn, but what do I do! Then one night in early June, Bryce and I went on a date. He took me up to, gosh what do they call that place, the hill overlooking Salt Lake City, up by the state capital. Can't remember what it's called. We talked, and talked for a long time. Then all of a sudden, out of the blue, Bryce asked me to marry him. I was shocked!! I wasn't even expecting it, but I was so happy! I, of course, said yes! He didn't have a ring for me, which was perfectly fine. We were both poor anyway. I was just happy he proposed to me. That night after our date, I had to tell Luisa the good news so instead of going home, I went over to her house. She seemed happy for me, but in an unusual way. Then she told me that she KNEW he was going to propose. I was confused. She explained to me that she had told Bryce of my plans to move back to Hawaii. Bryce wasn't very happy about it, so she said, "Bryce, if you want Luana to stay, the ONLY way she'll stay is if you ask her to marry you. I promise you, that is the only way she'll stay, but I know she'll say YES.". And it WAS!! Now the rest is history!!
Bryce and I had talked about it later...the morning after he proposed to me, he woke up thinking, "What did I do?", "What am I getting myself into?". I felt kinda bad for him because I know he was young and wasn't quite sure if he was ready to settle down. But I was so sure, and now I'm just glad he took that great big leap of adulthood and responsibility. Now look at us...15 years later. Oh, of course, we've had some rocky times. We've had our ups and downs, more ups than downs. But we've hung in there, and we keep working things through. I have to always remember and be grateful for all the UPS! We're happy and we have such a wonderful family! I love them so much!! I don't know what I'd do without each one of them. Like Sierra said, "if mom and dad never got married, we wouldn't exist", and OOHHH is she right!! To my husband, Bryce...I love you so much!! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your hard work all these years, to provide for our family, for your constant willingness to serve others, and for the joy and happiness you've brought to my life! I love you, honey! Happy Anniversary!