Some of you may go "Wait. Leavitt. You have a boyfriend/fiancè? You are no longer single? When did THAT happen?" That my friends, is quite a long story, but one that's my favorite.
Jeremy (that's the guy I fell in love with) and I's story starts about 2 1/2 years ago. Jeremy had just come home off of his two year LDS mission in Idaho. He was called to serve as the Family Home Evening (FHE) Co-Chair. Basically, it's an activity for single mormon members (the invitation is open to anyone who wants to come, not just for mormons ;)) on Monday night. Basically, we play games, socialize, and the leaders hope that at some point we will flirt with each other and hopefully start dating, get engaged and get married... all because of one activity. Ok, maybe it's a little extreme... but for those of you who are LDS get what's I'm saying. When you're in a singles ward, it's pretty much setting you up to find your spouse. Sometimes it takes 2 weeks, other times, it takes 2 1/2 years.
Anyways. Jeremy was called as FHE Co-Chair and about 2 months later, I was called to be the other co-chair. Jeremy and I were just friends back then. We would talk about the activity, ask each other to bring this or that, make sure there were refreshments and pretty much call it good. We did this for a few months until one day, I decided that Jeremy was a pretty cool guy and wanted to see if he would go out on a date with me.
I had been asked to shoot the opening night of an improv comedy club called Jesterz (just helping spread the word. Click on the link!!) If you've never been, you have to go. It's the best abs and cheek work out you'll ever get! Since it was the opening night, I asked the owner if I could bring along a friend to help me, and so that I could impress him. (I distinctly remember having that conversation while I was driving around the Cafe Rio parking lot in Camelback... just because I don't want to forget that detail.) He said yes and cleared me for another pass.
The next week when I saw Jeremy, I asked what he was doing in 2 1/2 months. For those of you who know me, you know that I'm a planner. Due to taking photos frequently, I always block out dates and just plan. Very rarely do I not have something going on. Jeremy on the other hand, plans week to week (I feel like I'm a shock to his system sometimes!), so when I asked him if he had something going on in 2 1/2 months, he was like "Uhm. I plan a week, maybe two weeks out. So. No I don't. What's up?" I told him that I was shooting the grand opening of Jesterz and was given an extra ticket. I asked if he would want to come along and join me. He said that sounded like fun and would love to come. I grinned like the stupid little girl I was and said "Ok! It's a date!" and walked away. Secretly, I was trying to impress the guy hard core, and it felt like this was a great way to do it!
2 months and a week later I followed up with him at church and asked if he was still game to go to the show with me. Having completely forgotten about it, but not having any other plans said "Oh yeah! Yeah! I'm still game!" I was going to be house sitting for my trainer that week/end so I asked him if he'd like to come down to the barn and hang out for a little bit before heading up to the show. He said sure.
That Saturday (September 20th 2014) he came down to the barn, we played with some of the horses, fed them dinner, and then drove out to the show. Since it was such a long drive, I drove. When we got there, Jeremy was a huge help with everything. He came as a date, and an assistant, and was the best I could ask for. He handled gear, he handled people, we talked, we enjoyed the show (both shows!) and had a grand time. I made sure I balanced working with being a date too, don't worry Mom and Rob, it may have been a "work-date" but I balanced it well ;)
After the show I asked Jeremy if he wanted to go get a bite to eat. I was starving and was THISSS close to eating my arm. Also, I figured that since I had been working, he might enjoy getting some special one on one time and we could really chat and talk. So I said "Hey! Do you want to go get something to eat? Applebes or Chili's or something?" Jeremy on the other hand was thinking "It's 10pm. It's a 45 min drive BACK to the barn, and then another 45 min drive home. At this point, I'm not getting home close to midnight, if we go to a sit-down restaurant, that's another hour, and I'm tired and I like my sleep." So he politely declined and said "naw! I'm good!"
We got in the car and started to head home. My stomach growling and everything at me. We have a great chat on the drive, talking about who knows what, but the entire time I'm getting irked with him. I'm thinking "Seriously. I take you a show and you can't even feed me? I'm gonna eat my arm! Jerk! Why don't you want more time with me? Are you done with me? Had you had enough time?" but he'd never know that because I was smiling and laughing the entire time.
When we got back to the barn, we side hugged, said good night, he got in his car and drove off. I waited until I knew he had driven far enough that he wouldn't see me, jumped in my car with sweet little Clover (Brooke's dog) and drove off to In-N-Out to feed my growling stomach.
You can't really see me, but this was that night. Clover and I looking at the menu, trying to figure out what we were going to get. While driving home and scarfing down my burger and fries, I thought "I will never date him again. If he can't even bother to feed me, then I'm done. Seriously. I'm done."
He went into the friend zone, where he would stay for a VERY long time. (Sorry babe! You know better now at least!)
That next week, our conversations stayed surface level. Pretty soon we talked very rarely and then it was only at church. For the next year, we just stayed friends. We would talk at church, but it was all surface level. During this time, I dated some total douche bags and pretty much lost faith that I'd ever get married. It was always the hope, but sometimes those jerk-wads can screw you over. I also decided to focus on my career. My photography was getting to the point where it was a make-it or break it moment, and I opted to go for it. Totally career driven!
About a year later in October, I was in church and was struggling about something. I can't remember what, but I was just hurt and annoyed. Jeremy saw me and being the caring guy he is asked what was going on. I told him nothing and that I was fine. He being smarter than your average guy said, "No, no somethings going on. Look, the stage is empty, let's go talk on the stage, so you can get whatever's off your chest..."
So begrudgingly I went on the stage. And we talked about whatever it was that was bothering me. While we talked I thought to myself "Man, whoever gets to marry this guy will be one very lucky girl. He's attentive. He's thoughtful. He's a great listener, and he has good advice." (couldn't tell you what that advice was now, but I just remember he gave me some good advice!)
Fast forward to early December 2015. I was getting ready to move because my roommate was getting married on the 18th, and needed me to scadaddle (she owned the house). I had looked for a new place and was planning on moving out of the ward (church congregation) so I could potentially open myself up to more dating opportunities, but as things got closer, I just felt like I shouldn't move out. Luckily I found a great place IN the ward boundaries, but I couldn't move into my new place until the week before her wedding (talk about cutting it close!) Unfortunately, I had triple booked myself in one weekend, and moving on a Saturday was no longer an option.
I was talking about it to a few select friends (Jeremy happened to be in the area) about how I would have to move the following Sunday, and he with a few others offered their brute strength. I graciously declined because it was a Sunday and I didn't want them "working" on a Sunday. Luckily my friends know me well enough and said, "No. If you could've moved on a Saturday, you would've, but you can't. So let us help you."
I figured out how to move all my other things minus my bed to my new place during the week so that when the guys came to help me move, it was easy and the least amount of work possible. They came, they helped me move and all was good.
The following week I was in church after yet again a very busy weekend, and was in the process of running out the door again to get to another shoot. As I was walking out I heard Jeremy say something about some stuff that had gone on with some others in the ward. I was intrigued and was like "Hey! What's this I hear going on!?" and he looked at me and said "Well, I'd tell you... except that the people I'm talking about, are all right here in this area. But how about we go get ice cream and I'll tell you all about it next week?"
My schedule was INSANE and I only had about 3 days that I was going to be in town for the rest of the month. I said sure and that I would figure out what my schedule was like and let him know.
I left for my shoot and to go out of town for the holidays.
When I was flying home, my ride bailed on me. So I texted Jeremy. Our conversation went like this.
I literally texted this as I was sitting on the tarmac and hurling down the runway. He had JUST woken up from a nap, which is why he wasn't doing anything. This text still makes me giggle.
He came and picked me up from the airport and took me home. When we got home, he said "So hey! About that ice cream. We don't have FHE (at this point, he and I had both been released of this calling) tomorrow because of Christmas this past weekend. Do you want to go tomorrow night? I said sure. He said "Great! I'll pick you up at 7!"
He helped me unload all my bags, take things in and left.
Sometimes I can be dense and stupid. Fully aware of this. Jeremy saw this as a date. I saw this as hanging out with a friend. Yes he offered to pick me up, but I just thought that it was him being smart and capitalizing on our time together. Everyone knows I hate to drive, so I thought he was also being smart doing that too. Later that afternoon, I got this text.
Here's the truth. I had just gotten home from the barn and was COVERED in sweat/dirt/barn life. So I wanted to get clean. He's a good sport and said sure.
When he arrived, because I thought we were just going as friends, I had just jumped out of the shower, put my hair in a wet ponytail/bun at the top of my head, threw on some jeans, a sweatshirt (not even a cute one mind you), and walked out without a stitch of make up on. So beautiful. #facepalm
As we were leaving, because I thought this was again, JUST FRIENDS getting together, I said that I needed to get my wallet. He said "You don't need your wallet" (YO LEAV!!! THIS IS A DATE LADY!!!!!). I responded with "Well, yeah. We're going to get ice cream right? I need my wallet!" to which he responded "No you don't..." and I just said "Yeah I do..." at which point he finally says "Ok, go get your wallet" and realizes that I have NO IDEA this is a date. He walks me to his car and opens my door for me, and I think to myself, "Wow! His mama raised him right! I'm impressed." (Yes, I realize I'm totally dense. It doesn't get better unfortunately...)
We get to the ice cream place and we start getting ice cream. I'm pretty much going to town on everything. You know how you get fro-yo. I'm dropping it and getting everything to settle, putting toppings on, the whole 9 yards because I think I'M buying my fro-yo. Well, Jeremy get's his goes up and pays for his and says to the cashier "I'm also getting hers..." and points to me while I'm still doing my dropping thing. Once I get up to the cashier, I weigh and I pull out my wallet to pay and the cashier goes "He's already go you covered."
I turned and looked and Jeremy and gave him the dirtiest look. I said, "Why would you do something like that?" He responded back with "Well, I can and I have a good job," and walked away to a table nearby. Still in complete stupid and dense land, I still haven't figured out that this is a DATE. And I should've at this point you'd think.
We sit down and eat our fro-yo. We start talking and he tells me this whole long story. About 1/4 of the way into the story everything starts dawning on me.
He asked you out. He specified a time. No one else is here. He picked you up. He paid for you... HOLY CRAP WOMAN!! YOU ARE ON A DATE!!! AND YOU LOOK LIKE THIS!? WOAHHHH!!! You are being a horrible datee, you better step it up!! Pay better attention!!
(sometimes my subconscious takes a min for everything to catch up. She's a little slow sometimes...)
He finishes telling me the story and at this point, the fro-yo place is closing. He takes me back to my place and I invite him in (I mean, come on, I gotta make up for not being a good date in the first place!) and we start chatting. While we are sitting there, both of our phones start blowing up for different reasons. I had clients texting me with updates for shoots, and Jeremy's friends were wondering why he wasn't with them.
Well, pretty soon, they FT him. He looks at me and says "Is it ok if I take this? If I don't, they won't stop..." I said sure and he answered it. All of his friends were together and they immediately said "He's not at home! He's not at home! Guys, where is he? Dude... he's with a girl. He's at a girls house!" at which point Jeremy goes "Hi guys!" and they start talking. After a little bit he introduced me to everyone and we all started talking for a few min. At about 11:45 he realized that it was midnight, gave me another side hug, this one lingered longer, and then he left.
Later that night this was our conversation.
The next day I headed out to Vegas to work for New Years Eve. The entire trip we were texting and then when I was driving home, at like 10pm, I called him and he talked to me for 4 out of the 5 hrs I was on the road. Talk about dedication.
Slowly, I started to realize that I liked him. Probably more than a friend. I didn't know where he stood... but I started falling.
To be continued.....
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