Our Story

Ok, as a fair warning, this is my side of the story...which means it's kind of long and detailed. If you want the short version you can go to the "My Taylor & Me" page and click on 'his version'. I told this whole story at our rehearsal dinner and people seemed to think it was worth listening to so I figured I'd share it here.

Rewind back to February 2011. I was a sophomore in college and getting ready to apply to be a SOAR counselor at BYU. SOAR stands for Summer of Academic Refinement. It's a college-prep summer camp for multicultural high school students about to apply for colleges. I attended SOAR in high school and loved it, so I always wanted to be a counselor after that. I turned in my application and hoped for the best. At the time I had a serious boyfriend, and I planned to spend the summer visiting him as he was out of state, so I wasn't sure I would take the SOAR job if I was offered it, but I decided to just apply anyway.

On March 9, 2011 (don't worry I don't have these all memorized...I just figured them out for good story-telling effect) I went to a group interview where all of the applicants came for multiple different group activities and an interview. We got separated into three big groups for some questions. Taylor was in my group. He was wearing a red shirt. I remember listening to him answer one of the questions and talk about Hawaii and I thought to myself, that kid is totally going to get picked. He sounds really multicultural..I study linguistics so I guess I just noticed little bits of his Hawaiian pidgin thing he has going on which I don't really notice anymore, but I noticed it distinctly in that interview. Kind of racist for me to think that's why he'd get picked? Probably...but really, he seemed perfect for the job. I mean, I grew up in Provo. And although I'm half-Mexican it's not like I walk around bustin' out Spanish all the time. Let's just say I was a little intimidated as far as where I stood on the multicultural totem pole. (ps there is WAY more they look at when they pick counselors than how multicultural they are...I was just being dramatic and paranoid in my thoughts).

On March 17, 2011 our letters telling us if we got the job were ready to be picked up. I went and picked mine up and read it on the way to class...I got the job! I was so excited about it, especially after learning about how many applicants there were. I had a week to decide if I really wanted to take the job. The relationship that I was in at the time was here, there, and all over the place basically so I didn't want to bank on the fact that I'd be leaving for the summer, so I did some praying and lots of thinking, and I decided to take the job!

On April 8, 2011 we had an orientation with all of the counselors. My mom being my mom asked if thought any of the boy counselors were cute and I just blew that idea off because I had a boyfriend (though things were pretty rocky at that point), so I didn't really pay attention to any of the guys.

A month passed by and that said relationship was completely (and finally) over. (No hard feelings towards him at all. It just wasn't right for either of us).

At the end of May, we had a camping retreat with all of the counselors after a few days of training we'd completed. By that point I had noticed Taylor and thought he was kind of cute and I called him (to myself and to my roommates) my "mini crush" ("mini crush" to me and my friends meant that it was a crush because I was intrigued by that person but did not know them at all so it wasn't exactly a real crush). My friend Bri dropped me off at BYU where all the counselors were leaving for the retreat. I told Bri about my mini crush and pointed Taylor out as we drove up. I remember he was wearing long sleeves which I thought was strange because it was May and it was quite warm that day.

On the retreat we all saw each others' true colors as we were doing various "team building" activities. At one point we had to get all 14 of us across these tiny logs just using 3 big planks (see above and below). I had come up with some awesome idea for us and Taylor kept hating on it saying he thought it wouldn't work. We tried my idea and low and behold we got everyone across! I definitely wasn't mad at Taylor but surprised that this kid didn't even know me and he was cool just telling me what he really thought. Later he came up and very cutely (not a word but I'm using it) told me he was sorry for not believing in my idea. I died inside. Who apologizes about silly things like that? I thought it was cute and funny and we all had fun the rest of the retreat.

Fast forward a few weeks. As counselors we spent almost every day that summer together. If we weren't at SOAR we were out Latin dancing, watching movies, going out to eat, and everything else in between. Taylor and I became really good friends. Such good friends that I was definitely....in the friend zone. STORY OF MY LIFE. However, that's all it really could be at that point...

I must tell you a little about our "forbidden love". Yes, it was {technically} forbidden. There was this rule nicknamed "G4" (long story) that basically said we were not allowed to date our fellow counselors or the SOAR students (duh...gross). I think they had issues in years passed with counselors dating, and the rule obviously helped with keeping everyone focused and there for the right reasons. This rule basically gave me this internal conflict because I had a little crush on Taylor but we were just really good friends, and we couldn't be anything more even if we wanted to be, so basically it didn't matter that I kind of liked him because there was no room to progress. This made me just really enjoy our friendship (we seriously were such good and fun friends) because that was our only option at the moment.

About the friend zone thing... All my life I'd been the girl who guys ask for advice from, tell their girl problems, show pictures of girls they like and ask for opinions, etc... which is cool...except if I liked the guy! And now I was that girl for Taylor. I liked Taylor at this point because we were such good friend and he was {super} cute, but there was nothing I could do about it because I wanted to be good and follow the rules and do well at my job. I tried my best to give my best advice or opinion when he talked to me about different girls he was interested in, but I just wanted to be like......um, yeah I don't think she's the best for you..but I am! haha, just kidding. But seriously, cue "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift. I loved that Taylor truly valued me as one of his close friends, but it was obviously a little hard. However, I didn't want to ever lose that friendship because I had a little crush on him.

Ok look at him in this pic. Stole. my. heart. 

The summer went on and I just focused on my girls at SOAR and my job and just hoped that things would maybe work out later. I tried to ignore Tay's amazing smile and silly jokes, and I just kind of tried to move forward. I went on a lot of dates that summer and little by little Tay seemed more interested. He'd randomly text me and ask how I was doing, he'd offer me rides or invites to our outings as counselors, etc. I remember the first time Tay texted me and used a few smiley faces (not something he normally did when texting) and of course it made my day!

Some of my SOAR girls took what we call this "paparazzi" photo of Tay and me. They kept telling me how our "sizing" is perfect together (they totally called it, I wasn't quite convinced yet). They were so excited when we later ended up together. 

At the end of July SOAR ended. I had created amazing memories, made so many new friends, and learned so much about myself. The next day Taylor came to my house to "do laundry". Ok, he really did bring laundry to do (his apartment didn't have washer/dryer), but he had other motives as well :). Tay sat down and told me he had to tell me a secret. He told me that he liked a girl who "wears comfy comfys and rocks mowgley hair" (comfy comfys=my word for sweats & mowgly=my nickname at dance when my hair would get crazy after practice).

A few days later he asked me to be his girlfriend (OK so my little dream was coming true but I was a little overwhelmed at the speed of things especially since I'd just come out of a long relationship. I found out later dating in Hawaii is a little different than in Provo, go figure). But I was excited that he wanted to be with me. Cue the prom scene from "You Belong with Me" music video.

We went up to Deer Creek to swim and have a picnic before Tay went home for a month

A few days later Taylor went home to Hawaii for a month. We basically just Skyped a LOT and talked every day. It felt like the longest month ever (good sign, right?). Taylor got back right before school started and I was smitten.

...On November 13, 2011 Taylor asked me to marry him. I cried, and he cried, and my little sister Lydia (who doesn't cry) cried. My family got it on film, but the mini dvd they used is apparently "corrupt" so our recording is still on the disc but it's just trapped in there without us being able to view it. I'm seriously willing to pay whatever it takes to get that back so if any of you have ideas or the talent for it, hit me up!

Right after he proposed. 

Some engagement photos we took when I went to meet his family in Hawaii (yes, we were engaged before I had even met his family. Talk about intimidating!) 

We were married on March 15, 2012 in the Provo Utah temple. It was honestly such a perfect day. I love my Taylor so, so much. He has helped me through so many struggles and has helped me to become a better person in many ways.

Found this photo. Thought it was hilarious. He stepped on my dress.

And that's our story! Hope you liked it!