Settled down.

I used to have a thousand blog topics running through my head. That was, until I got married. I know, you hear it from everyone, "Once you get married your life will change. You'll never have the same life again." And you know what, that's exactly right!

Those six years I had of being single and free were amazing! I got to travel across the country, answer to no one, make my own schedule, and life was so fast-paced. I remember performing every other weekend and going home on the other weekends if I didn't have any food left.

Now I have certain amount of vacation days, and a hungry husband at dinnertime. You're probably thinking the negative way. And I'm sure some people take it in a negative way for their own lives! But me--not a chance. Getting married was the best thing I've ever done. 

I love having someone to take care of me--and only me. (While that lasts!)

I love not going to bed alone. 

I love going on crazy adventures because we aren't in the dating stage anymore. 

I love having someone that counts on me for their everyday life. 

I love decorating our own place.

I love staying up late and laughing about weird things.

I love having someone to talk to when things don't go as planned.

I love dreaming about what our future will be like.

Now, even though I loved my life before I met my husband, I couldn't imagine life without him. He's been gone on a business trip these last couple of days, and man--his personality brings so much joy into my life! I'm that wife that counts down the hours to when I can see him again. Only 24 more to go. So many people tell their friends their husband is their "best friend," but when I say he's my best friend--for real, HE IS MY BEST FRIEND.

I've finally settled down with my best friend.

Love notes.

Without looking at Pinterest, (because let's be honest all he looks at on that site is truck stuff), Kasey totally made my whole day. Look how cute he is:

My love language is obviously "words of affirmation." And girls, whoever might tell you it's a sign of weakness, it's just our womanly nature. Don't feel stupid if you love those three little words. Because it's cool. Anyway, I really love my hubby. Sometimes I have this weird mind game where I think it's too good to be true, and sometimes, I even wake up and think it was all a dream. 

I hope I do the same thing for him. I hope I'm a good enough wife and future mommy that Kasey thinks he's in a dream for the rest of forever. I guess this is what our Heavenly Father meant when He tells us that our dreams can become a reality! 

Ok, long rant for just this, but I'm just so happy I scored on the whole "marriage" thing.

Married life.

It's time to update this thing. Kasey has been a great husband and has motivated me to start back up again.

Wait, husband? I know. I can't believe I have a h.u.s.b.a.n.d. It's just as weird for me as anyone else, I'm sure. Well, I thought I should update my friends and family on what we're up to, because I've been the worst and haven't talked to anyone yet. I'm really sorry. Don't take it personally!

Let's go back to June 19, 2015.

While it truly was one of the greatest days of my life, the best day of my life keeps happening time and time again with this guy. Butttttt, it was an undescribable day, that's for sure! It was everything I was expecting and even more. It's like your birthday, and ten Christmases rolled into one day. The presents that you are promised in the temple are INSANE! Marriage really is ordained of God, and it's obvious that Heavenly Father has plenty of rewards to help you think so. 

Well, that day was great. I could post more pictures of that day, but that wouldn't leave room for other pictures to be posted, plus I put about a thousand of them on Facebook. Now, onto our first adventure as a married couple...

ROAD TRIP!

Rapid City, South Dakota was our first destination. Yes, we drove that whole day the next day. But it was so great--we were able to talk about our day, share our feelings, (Okay, let's be honest...I talked to Kasey most of the day while he listened. But he LOVES listening!) So, once we rolled up into town, all of the hotels were booked because there were two simultaneous softball and gymnastics tournaments. Of course. There was no room in the inn for the newlyweds. We called all around, and the only place we found was the handicap room at the Holiday Inn. All of the doors were extra wide and the bathroom was almost bigger than our own room, with lots of little gadgets. It was actually quite fun!

The next morning we woke up and rented our own Harley and took it out for the day!

Man, that thing is fun. We zipped around to a few different cities, and finally ended up at Mount Rushmore. South Dakota is the Wild, Wild West! It was perfect weather and just holding onto my husband while driving a motorcycle...every girl's dream.

Next to...

Nashville! This was my part of the trip, because we got to do everything "music." Seriously, if you're a country music fan, you have to go there. At night walking down lower broadway where all of the HonkyTonk happens, they have some of the BEST amateur vocalists I've ever seen. I mean these people could easily get recording deals...and some of them do! It was a blast.

Well, we rounded up the trip and finally got to our home sweet home in San Antonio. Both of our parents were there to help us unload our car and get as many things ready as possible. It was so nice of them. We went the next day out on the boat and gave my parents a view of Clearwater Beach in St. Pete. My husband was loving that trip.

Starting normal life was really fun, but also really hard. Getting back into the groove of things is very difficult, when you're used to spending all of your time getting ready for the wedding. 

So....we weren't ready to get back into the groove yet...so we went to the Florida Keys! (I had to get SCUBA certified, okay?)

What a great trip. It is picture perfect down there. And only an afternoon's trip from our house! 

I have quickly learned that marriage is not a one-time event, it is a daily occurrence. I mean, we've only been married 6 weeks. Of course this "marriage" thing would come easily to us. But right now, we are building the blocks that will help us get through the hard times. 

But from what I hear from everyone. It's totally worth it. 

The best year.

One year ago today I was sitting at the Salt Lake International airport refreshing this screen every ten seconds:

I felt all of the emotions at once. Scared, excited, nervous, crazy, confused...all of them. Some random guy that I met three weeks prior was coming to my house for a week to (pretty much) meet me and my whole family. It took me forever to try and pick out what to wear and how to do my hair; the whole week before he told me he had booked a flight! (I guess telling him I wanted to kiss his face without really saying those words got him here a bit quicker.)

Well, after he landed, it took all of about five seconds for me to realize it was a good idea that he came. But for him, he was as calm as a cucumber the entire time. I took that the wrong way the first day, but after getting a post-goodnight text saying, "So, did I pass the parents test?" I thought he might actually like me. Imagine that, flying across the country for a girl he doesn't know? Yeah, definitely not his normal personality. Looking back, this was a huge deal.

We decided to be tourists in Salt Lake for our first date the next morning, after my dad took him for a man-to-man horseride. (Poor guy.) I had a feeling we should just take a picture in front of the temple...

And now, one year later, I'm sitting here staring at my left ring finger, and looking at a picture that he sent me of our beautiful backyard sunset in our new house, wondering where the last year went. Time is going by way too fast. And I'm staring at this picture on my background. 

He's going to kill me for this! But it's just so cute.

College grad.

How in the world did I get here? I thought this day would never come. Well, that's it. I'm done. Just like that. I feel like I've been running a marathon for the past six years, and now, I never have to run the rest of my life! Wouldn't that be great. 

It just feels really good to be done. Now, the only thing I have to do is perform in Nauvoo, get married and move across the country! Okay. 

...and, I still have the cutest fiance in the history of fiances.

We keep snapchat in business at all hours of the day.

I guarantee no one is more in love with anyone than I am with him.

Beach kid.

I'm sorry, but this is so cute. 

His current favorite hobby is scuba diving...and he's pretty darn good at it!

However cute this may be, my favorite thing about this picture is that he now always
remembers to lift up his glasses so I can see his eyes. Score!

...and he's rubbing in the fact that it's snowing in Utah right now and absoutely GORGEOUS in Florida.

No more apartments for me.

House hunting is pretty fun. Oh wait, I'm not even there. I have to rely on text messages, pictures and videos I get while sitting in class. This is the definition of feeling helpless.

The luckiest.

Man, he makes me weak in the knees. Honestly guys, that's a real thing...didn't even know that until I started dating my man! My legs give out mostly when he talks about what he's going to do with our kids, and then when he talks to other guys about cars. I know, the second one is kinda weird--maybe not--but he just knows everything about them. Mmm.

Speaking of engines, I have to brag. I just heard this last week. When he was just a kid, he got an old riding lawn mower that didn't work, researched every detail, took it apart, put it back together and got it working all by himself! He keeps telling me he's some normal guy, but I don't buy it.

I'm just so proud of how hard working and super dang smart he is. I always tell him I feel like I'm 10 years younger than him just because somehow he always knows what to do and is way more mature than I am. What a catch.

It's so funny how it took him a few tries to get into that little car!

My own little (big) mechanic/financial extraordinaire/real man.

95 days!!!!!!

Love is a battlefield.

...quite literally.

Every night before we go to bed, Kasey and I talk on FaceTime for at least an hour...closer to two. What do we have to talk about you ask? That question never ceases to amaze me. You'd think after ten months of talking every day for that long you would run out of things to say, but it happens on a rare occasion. You'd think we haven't seen each other in a year. Like, only when both of us are falling asleep and are too lazy to say goodnight is when we are both pretty quiet. (That's when I knew I found "the one.") Yes, we have fallen asleep before while still on the phone!

Anyway, right before we end our FaceTime dates, we always have our "I love you more than," battles. Winning constitutes as topping the other and hanging up before anything else is said. We get really creative, even down to making our own rule book. Because apparently I cheated tonight...?

I guess I can handle this kind of getting beat. 

So little time.

As of yesterday, we only have four months left! That seems like an eternity in engagement months. 

In between classes, rehearsal and shows, we spent lot of time together this time around. What's interesting is when we are together, I don't feel like we live so far away! It's like he never left. Although, if he did live here, I might be less of a monkey on him. 

Eh, maybe not. He's really handsome.

We had a packed week (partially my fault) because of all the planning we had to do. He is so sweet and most of the time, says I can just do what I want...about the house decorating. But when it comes to the insurance, bank stuff, and of course the garage, he's already gotten that taken care of. There's a lot of things you have to think about, 

it's not just wedding planning that takes forever! That's the easy part.

118 days until we'll be in here together!

Which is crazy to think about our first date 10 months ago...

We also went up to my cabin again, and shockingly there was two

feet of snow! Snowshoeing was pretty fun to get to the front door. No way my Buick would make that.

And of course had fun on the way there...

"Love does not appear with any warning signs. You fall into it as if pushed from a high diving board. No time to think about what's happening. It's inevitable. An event you can't control. A crazy, heart-stopping, roller-coaster ride that just has to take its course.” -Jackie Collins

And then...he leaves me love notes to find after his flight leaves. He loves to make me cry.

...is for the way you look at me.

Sometimes I can't even make anything come out of my mouth because of the ridiculous English language that doesn't have words even close to being strong enough to describe how much I am in love.

Many people skeptically ask me, "How can you be engaged to someone that you don't even live in the same state?" Well, my friends, love knows no boundaries. No, it's not because I couldn't find anyone here at BYU. (Yes, I've been asked that! Haha...) Of course we entertained all options of me moving there, or him moving here. But I'm in this thing that takes over my life called Young Ambassadors, and with his new job...until June 19th, it just would not be practical. Plus, long distance really does have it's pros! When we see each other, we are able to put everything else aside and focus on each other. I'm never stressed as to how to balance my time with him. Bottom line: it works perfectly for us. It's not like we planned it this way, but from our very first conversation on the phone, we realized we had to make it work from so far away.

I know, I know...I'll have some cheesy posts. Despite what I thought about myself before I met Kasey, I just want to shout it to the world. (And, I know I loved reading posts like these in my earlier college years to keep hope on flowing!) I do realize, that I'm still four months away from being married. What could I know about love? Well, I really don't know too much yet. All I know is that this is love, and I just care about making him happy.

Two more days.

New Year.

I'm seven days too late for this post, but who keeps track of that anyway? 

This will most likely be the most new year I will ever experience. I will get a new home, gain a new family, write a new last name...I would say get a new husband, but you get the point. Only 160 days left until I get to write a "Mrs.," in front of my name, and absolutely I have NOT practiced that if you're wondering! Please detect the sarcasm.

Anyway, I will experience change much more than I have in the past. Sure, the past three years I've moved seven times, but I'm sure nothing compares to marriage. It will be such an exciting year, as it has been already this past week! I also am graduating from BYU, which back in 2009, I thought would take an entire lifetime. I'll never have a "first day of school" again, that is until I mercilessly take pictures of my children on their first day of school! 

I've been pondering a lot on what I can do in 2015 to set the stage for an ideal home to raise our children in. I keep coming back to the family Proclamation, and realizing over and over again that each key ingredient to a God-centered home is written out plain and simple in that thing. One phrase that has been highlighted in my mind lately is:

"Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ." -The Family: A Proclamation To The World


What gets me every time is the word, entitled. That's right. Each child born, no matter what circumstance, has a right to be born to a mother and a father who love each other. There are things only a mother can do, and there are things only a father can do. It is absolutely essential for children to be raised in a home where the father has the Priesthood, and the mother is always present in that child's life. Obviously, not very many of the children in this world get that. I'm willing to bet it's less than a 2%. But that doesn't mean that 100% of our children can't have that. 

2015 will be a year of lots of fun and lots of learning. I'm so ready to start!

Surreal.

I still wake up every morning wondering what this shiny thing is on my left hand.

But then I look at it, and I get reminded that I get to marry such a handsome boy! I've been gathering pictures to do what I will with them at the wedding, and I've gotten an overload of fantastic pictures that I just have to share.

From what I hear, this was a daily (hourly) occurrence.

I really needed a haircut.

GQ anyone? My heart.

Don't mind the 90's non-digital camera problems.

And he thinks I have granny panties!

Okay, sorry. I just needed to show him off for a second. I'm really in love! And I don't care who knows it!

The Proposal.

18,046 miles traveled. 

Two road trips across six states and 16 boarding passes later, 

I somehow snagged myself a fiancé!

I’ve never been engaged before (thankfully) so I didn’t really know how this all worked. Every girl imagines it in her head, but somehow you still just have no idea what to think or where to start. I’ve had my phone blow up with people asking for details, so I decided just to write it up and put it on here! Plus I forgot my journal (LAME) so this counts for that.

The story starts Christmas day. We had such a wonderful morning, with me and Jordan going to wake up Kasey like little kids on, well...Christmas morning...and then we all surrounded the tree to open presents and be together in our PJs. 

Christmas morning at the Hess Home

Well, the usual Christmas happened, and it was so peaceful. But the story you really want to hear starts Christmas night. Kasey’s brother and sister-in-law had just left and I went into the kitchen to get something to eat. He followed me into the kitchen, wrapped himself up in me, and started heckling the heck out of me about my feelings of possibly being an engaged woman. Since heckling is his best talent, I really didn’t think anything of it…for the first half hour at least. He said stuff like, “Mon, I bet you really wish I would propose to you on Christmas. I’m sorry, there’s only an hour and a half left, so just don’t think anything okay? You wouldn’t want to marry me anyway.” Of course there was (play) slapping and hitting and me trying to drop the subject…but he kept saying, “MONICA what do you want for Christmas?” I kept on saying, “Kasey how many times do I have to say this. You are all I want!” And since I already was dating him, I was content and everything was great. I knew it wasn’t going to happen because it was just way too obvious.

The half hour went by and by this time I was thinking that he wouldn’t be doing this for just anything. After laughing and heckling, it did cross my mind a time or two that tonight might be the night, but then he grabbed my shoulders and said, “In all seriousness, I’m just tight on money. Can’t do it right now. I’m sorry, babe.” I smiled, kissed him, said that was okay, and went back to eating whatever I was eating, fully knowing that in order for him to succeed I had to be at least a little bit ticked. So, of course he wasn’t happy with my content answer, so of course…more heckling. “Mon, don’t you want to go for a walk? I don’t have anything, but don’t you just want to go? Just me and you?” I said, no, it’s okay…but he kept asking and so I just let him succeed. He mostly loved that he had to make me ask if we were going anywhere. He pulled out this white box, shook it, and said, “let’s go for a walk.” Of course I went.

We started on this walk around the neighborhood with this white box obviously in the front pocket of his sweatshirt. Kasey did not let me even anywhere near it, so I just decided to let it go and just enjoy the walk. About every five steps he kissed me, and kept squeezing my hand. Not that normal, but okay! (The only reason I didn’t catch on to this obvious hint is because this guy is smarter than smart, and he knows exactly what I would read into and what I wouldn’t. I honestly didn’t think anything was going to happen…I thought he was just going to trick me by going for a walk with this box in his pocket and not mention it once the whole time.) We kept walking around and as we got to a little open spot with just one street lamp he stopped and grabbed both hands. He looked at me and told me seriously that he knew what I was thinking, and he felt bad it just wasn’t going to be at this time. Money really was tight (he just bought new “socks and shoes” for his truck) and he probably would propose over my birthday when he could afford a ring that I wanted. Kasey did tell me he wanted to get me something, that it wasn’t much and not very big, but it was an expression of his love. He slowly pulled out the white box from his front pocket, put it in my hands, and asked me to open it. Remember, there was just one street lamp and so I couldn’t really see anything anyway. I opened it while looking at him skeptically and out of the corner my eye saw something really shiny. I opened it quicker and inside revealed…

A Hershey kiss.

Monica: “KASEY I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!”

Kasey: “WHAT, IT’S A KISS! Don’t you love me?! You can have a real one if you want!!”

I was laughing so hard. He played dumb, asked why I was laughing and said, “What, you weren’t expecting anything else were you?” He looked so confused that I was laughing and was “offended” that I didn’t want that piece of chocolate. We walked a few more steps when he grabbed both of my hands and again said, “Ok, Mon. In ALL seriousness. I’m just not going to give you what you really wanted. And I know what you wanted. You wanted me to propose to you on Christmas night because it’s all cute.” After me saying, “are you being serious right now?” about fifty times, and me still laughing, he whispered into my ear that he wanted to be with me forever. Then he just kept talking gibberish knowing full well that I would say after the forever comment, “WAIT. Wait…what did you say? Did you just say you wanted to be with me forever?” Well, of course I said exactly that.

Right after I did, I hear a big, “OUCH! Agh! Ouch!” He bent down to check out the problem. “There are ants in my boot!” (Legit though…there are crazy stinging ants in Florida. Hurts for weeks.) But he wasn’t taking his foot out of his boot! I was still laughing uncontrollably and as I threw my head back, he took my hand and slowly put one knee on the pavement. He said some cute stuff like he wanted me to be his wife, and again that he wanted to be with me forever…and I STILL didn’t believe him! He took the other hand to open another box, one that I hadn’t seen before.

Like I said, there was only one street lamp. Everything else was pitch black. When that box opened, I swear to you that box was glowing. It was only out of the corner of my eye, because again, I did not want that to be a figment of my imagination. I stopped laughing, and so did he. The next thing I heard were the words I was hoping for. And so sweet out of his mouth was,

“Will you marry me?”

“Wait, baby, are you still kidding?” At this point, I could see the seriousness in his face, and I just lost it. I didn’t even dare look at the ring because I was scared it was going to disappear and this moment would go away. I kept looking straight into his eyes, said yes, and just cried. (Oh yeah, and we kissed a lot. Of course.) It was longer than usual before he asked me if I wanted to even see the ring! I looked at it and definitely gasped…I couldn’t have designed it better myself. I still didn’t believe it was mine, so I asked through my tears, “Is this for me??” He laughed at me while I asked him if he would put it on my finger. I was still in shock walking back to the house to tell everyone…and slapping his arm on the way back because he tricked me so bad! I’m so glad he proposed the way he did because I wanted it to be just me and him, and the fact that it was so simple just down the street was that much more romantic. This is a perfect example of something I really like about our relationship; we are able to be best friends playing around one second and then immediately pull out the romance card.

Kasey also knows how much I like pictures, so he pulled out his phone and took one right after we were made official. 10:50 p.m., Christmas night.

After we went back to tell the family and of course the whole Facebook/Instagram thing, we just sat on the couch staring at the ring, yes, but mostly each other. I can’t believe I’m engaged to such a hard working, family wanting, God loving man that will always live up to his priesthood duties. I’ve always wanted to know what my husband will look like, and now all I have to do is look at my screensaver to see who that is!

Well, as Kasey could tell you, he is all I asked for. And I got exactly what I want. Forever.

-The future Mrs. Hess

Monday mania.

Contrary to what I planned, this has been the easiest finals week in the history of my college career. (All four years.) I finished two finals by noon today, and to reward myself on this fine Monday, I've done absolutely nothing. I painted my nails, does that count? 

I'm just trying to focus on one more final that I'll get started with tomorrow. It's an open book, online take home test, which in college speak means I can do it in my sleep. Once I'm done with that...and a few projects later...I'm on a plane to Tampa. Florida. No cold. No ice scraper needed. 

As much as I love snapchats...

I'd rather have this:

(It's hard to part Kasey from his glasses.)

In other news, This semester has actually flown by. 

I feel like I was just in Florida last month, and now I'm going again! 

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy.

I saw this quote and thought about him...maybe if he ever reads my blog he'll be pleasantly surprised.

“You are my best friend as well as my lover, and I do not know which side of you I enjoy the most."

-Nicholas Sparks

Merry Christmas!