Today I am 1/3 of a century!
weird.
I want presents.
Showing posts with label I Wanna Talk About Me. Show all posts
Showing posts with label I Wanna Talk About Me. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
25 of the most interesting facts you could ever wish to learn
My SIL tagged me. Gracias Andrea.
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged.
1. I have a pathological fear of waterfalls. They freak me out! Last week I took the kids to North Bend and we left town a different way. I missed my turn and ended up by Snoqualmie Falls. I had a panic attack. I was really scared.
2. I am a little OCD. I wish it was in a good way like having to have a super clean house but it's not. I can't go to sleep at night until all the doors are locked. Sometimes I have to get up 2 or 3 times to make sure they are locked, even when I locked them myself. I can't really explain why. I also check on the kids a few times before I finally fall asleep.
3. The other thing I'm OCD about is the fear of death. Ironic because of Ken's profession, I know. Ever since my grandma died when I was 11 years old I've been terrified about losing friends and family members. At night when I say my prayers sometimes the fear will be so intense that I can't sleep until I have prayed for each member of my family by name, including parents, brothers and sisters, their spouses, their children and sometimes aunts, uncles and cousins. I've been so scared of death for so long that losing my child and my mom were actually not as bad as I thought they would be, even though both events have been life altering for me.
4.Fabric softener makes me feel claustrophobic. Nothing like a downy soft towel to make it difficult for me to breathe and need to wash my hands or take another shower. I don't fabric soften my clothing. (more OCD? maybe)
5. I love to sew. I know I've said this before. But it's true! I love finding fabric and creating things with it. I love that I can make my own patterns and that they actually work! Store patterns are like recipes for me. Guidelines to help my creativity take over.
6. When I was a junior in high school my friends and I went bush jumping. There was a huge bush on the church grounds and after mutual one night we took turns running and jumping into it. It was fun.
7. I wish I knew my cousins better...on both sides of my family.
8. I take pretty much everything personally. Most times I can get over it quickly. I really do care.
9. I was uninvited to a private blog...of a relative.
10. I like tall skinny Christmas trees as opposed to full and fluffy ones.
11. This year for Christmas as well as all Christmases to come my motto when shopping for my family will be:
12. I don't know how to knit or crochet.
13. I love to throw parties and have people over. I don't love cleaning my house and getting ready for said parties.
14. I have 2 original paintings, painted by my grandma. I treasure both of them.
15. I love going on road trips to places I've never been. Spontaneity only makes them more fun.
16. I wear my bathrobe over my clothes. A lot. It is long and fleece and it keeps me warmer than a sweatshirt. I call it my fancy coat...an obvious misnomer.
17. I am going to see my niece get baptized on Saturday. I'm going to ask her sister, my older niece to repaint my toe nails. She did them a couple months ago and they now look like a french manicure. It's pretty special.
18. I'm in a book club and I never read the assigned book. We have a meeting today.
19. My favorite kind of snowman is the kind that are on green grass because all the snow around them melted.
20. I could easily become a person that never leaves their house. I love being at home and with my family. A random road trip here or there is, of course, acceptable and encouraged.
21. When I'm done with this blog, I'm going to fold 3 loads of laundry. I'm willing to bet there isn't a pair of matching socks in the pile.
22. Did I tell you I read the Great and Terrible book series? 6 books, they were a little too suspenseful for me but I finished them. I hated the ending. Did anyone read them that wants to discuss it?
23. I'm starting to get excited for Christmas...finally. I got a note from Santa and he told me he's ready to deliver his gifts to our home. Now I need to finish getting my part of the presents purchased.
24. When I get too cold I dry heave and throw up.
25. I am consistently inconsistent.
bonus
berber carpet is my favorite.
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged.
1. I have a pathological fear of waterfalls. They freak me out! Last week I took the kids to North Bend and we left town a different way. I missed my turn and ended up by Snoqualmie Falls. I had a panic attack. I was really scared.
2. I am a little OCD. I wish it was in a good way like having to have a super clean house but it's not. I can't go to sleep at night until all the doors are locked. Sometimes I have to get up 2 or 3 times to make sure they are locked, even when I locked them myself. I can't really explain why. I also check on the kids a few times before I finally fall asleep.
3. The other thing I'm OCD about is the fear of death. Ironic because of Ken's profession, I know. Ever since my grandma died when I was 11 years old I've been terrified about losing friends and family members. At night when I say my prayers sometimes the fear will be so intense that I can't sleep until I have prayed for each member of my family by name, including parents, brothers and sisters, their spouses, their children and sometimes aunts, uncles and cousins. I've been so scared of death for so long that losing my child and my mom were actually not as bad as I thought they would be, even though both events have been life altering for me.
4.Fabric softener makes me feel claustrophobic. Nothing like a downy soft towel to make it difficult for me to breathe and need to wash my hands or take another shower. I don't fabric soften my clothing. (more OCD? maybe)
5. I love to sew. I know I've said this before. But it's true! I love finding fabric and creating things with it. I love that I can make my own patterns and that they actually work! Store patterns are like recipes for me. Guidelines to help my creativity take over.
6. When I was a junior in high school my friends and I went bush jumping. There was a huge bush on the church grounds and after mutual one night we took turns running and jumping into it. It was fun.
7. I wish I knew my cousins better...on both sides of my family.
8. I take pretty much everything personally. Most times I can get over it quickly. I really do care.
9. I was uninvited to a private blog...of a relative.
10. I like tall skinny Christmas trees as opposed to full and fluffy ones.
11. This year for Christmas as well as all Christmases to come my motto when shopping for my family will be:
Something they want.
Something they need.
Something handmade and
Something to read.
More stuff does not make it more magical.
(taken from someones status update on facebook)
12. I don't know how to knit or crochet.
13. I love to throw parties and have people over. I don't love cleaning my house and getting ready for said parties.
14. I have 2 original paintings, painted by my grandma. I treasure both of them.
15. I love going on road trips to places I've never been. Spontaneity only makes them more fun.
16. I wear my bathrobe over my clothes. A lot. It is long and fleece and it keeps me warmer than a sweatshirt. I call it my fancy coat...an obvious misnomer.
17. I am going to see my niece get baptized on Saturday. I'm going to ask her sister, my older niece to repaint my toe nails. She did them a couple months ago and they now look like a french manicure. It's pretty special.
18. I'm in a book club and I never read the assigned book. We have a meeting today.
19. My favorite kind of snowman is the kind that are on green grass because all the snow around them melted.
20. I could easily become a person that never leaves their house. I love being at home and with my family. A random road trip here or there is, of course, acceptable and encouraged.
21. When I'm done with this blog, I'm going to fold 3 loads of laundry. I'm willing to bet there isn't a pair of matching socks in the pile.
22. Did I tell you I read the Great and Terrible book series? 6 books, they were a little too suspenseful for me but I finished them. I hated the ending. Did anyone read them that wants to discuss it?
23. I'm starting to get excited for Christmas...finally. I got a note from Santa and he told me he's ready to deliver his gifts to our home. Now I need to finish getting my part of the presents purchased.
24. When I get too cold I dry heave and throw up.
25. I am consistently inconsistent.
bonus
berber carpet is my favorite.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Birthday dinner
To celebrate my birthday which was last Sunday, the 24th, we went out to dinner on Friday to Red Robin--my favorite restaurant. I ordered the California Chicken Burger, something I don't usually order but used to often enough. It was not as good as remembered. They sang to me and we got a free sundae. I videoed them singing because, really it's no fun to watch a video of a person being sang to. My favorite part was when the waiter told the restaurant that I was celebrating my 21st birthday. That's correct too. 21 for the 12th time. Writing that makes me a little bit sad. I'm not going to lie.
Here are some pictures of Ken and me. The usual kind. The 2nd one reminded me of a Picasso painting...kind of.
The other thing I like about this video is Ken's face because he was embarrassed. muhahaahha Also, the singers seem to be SO excited, don't you think?
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Happy Birthday to ME!
Today is my 33rd birthday. It's not really a big deal, birthdays never really were in my family. Growing up we got a cake and an honorable mention and that is okay. As a gift I rewarded myself with a new package of vacuum bags...we've needed them for a while. Instead of gifts, I've found 33 things that I love and am grateful for...in no specific order. I tried to order them but that venture was unsuccessful. So, here goes!
Nicole Roylance Cheney. I love this girl! When I was pregnant with her we were told she was a boy. We didn't find out until she was born that the Dr. was wrong. (Huang, haha) What a great surprise!
Matthew Kent Cheney. I love this boy. I call him my best boy. He told me the other day he hopes we never have any more boys in our home because he needs to be the best boy.
I LOVE this book! I've read it twice this year. You should too...at least one time.
BEST MOVIE EVER! This is the first movie I saw in the theater 2 times. I still watch it a few times a year and we quote it All. The. Time.
Duck. Tape. I had checks with this immage on them. It makes me happy. AFLAC!
I Love to sew. I love this sewing machine. It's not fancy but it does everything I need it to do plus it has a needle threader. I can't really ask for more than that!
My beloved cellphone.
Snow days! They're the best.
Willow Tree Statues...I love them all. I have this Nativity Scene. It's my favorite Christmas Decoration and I'm going to put it on my Mom's organ this year. A little rebellious way to honor
her. Maybe it should face the wall.
Whirlpool Cabrio washer and drier. Who knew laundry to could be tolerable?!
I'm glad we have a car that works. Before we got this car we were driving an OLD VW Jetta. It was a replacement car after Ken totaled ours. The Jetta was a money pit. The muffler was non existent. We lost the exhaust pipe driving down I 84. If we had too many people in it, the wheel well would rub on the tire. Any of our friends in the Columbia Ward in Troutdale can attest to this. They knew we were coming a couple miles away. They were all happy for us when we finally replaced it 4 years ago.
This is proof of the 1 and only time ever, that my mom went down a slide with me. Gina says the same thing. Mom freaked out going up the stairs and tried to turn around and go back down, but we wouldn't get out of her way. She had to go to the top them we reminded her she'd get down faster if she just rode the slide.
These are delicious.
Beautiful!
Love this camera.
The Seattle Temple. I did most of my youth temple trips to this temple. All my brothers and sisters went through for the first time here and were married/sealed here, that are of age. Ken and I were married here. It's BEAUTIFUL and my favorite.
Best hair gunk ever. LOVE IT!
Celtic Thunder. Guys in kilts. I like both.
The glorious Kitchenaid. Red just makes it better.
My Mom and Dad. I love them.
I LOVE KANSAS! I really miss my friends there and the awesome weather...minus tornado warnings.
Grandpa Price. Best. Grandpa. Ever.
I like google. This was their logo on an April Fools Day a few years ago. I also enjoy Topeka.
Do these next two pictures look similar to you? I love to blog. That's the one on the bottom. The picture on the top I took while driving home from the Wichita Airport in Kansas. It's somewhere between Sterling and Chase on a back road. Beautiful.
My piano. I enjoy the piano in general but this one makes me especially happy. I got an awesome deal on this almost new beauty and I paid for it myself.
I love him. (I tried putting him at the top and as you can see that didn't work well at all!)
28. I'm thankful for the opportunity I had to hold my 3rd baby, Robert, and for the knowledge I have that I am sealed to him forever.
29. I love the smell of Fall on the first day of school and the magic of Christmas morning.
30. I love living in the Pacific Northwest. It rains a lot. The tall trees bring me comfort. Knowing I'm so close to 6/7 of my siblings and my Dad also brings me comfort. I breathe much easier here.
31. I hate snakes and zoos scare me.
32. I am inept at the remote control and the microwave. I burn food and can't find my show even when I'm just trying to turn the volume up.
33. White Musk perfume is my favorite because #1 it is cheap and #2 it smells nice.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Othello-the game
Have you ever heard of Othello-the game? Not the Shakespeare Play. Not the town in Eastern Washington. THE GAME. I love that game! The slogan is 'A minute to learn, a lifetime to master.' As a child, I was convinced that my dad had mastered the game. He ALWAYS won! ALWAYS. Below is a dramatization of a game played with my dad as a child. I would be lucky to have 7 chips my color on the board. He kicked my trash. EVERY. TIME.
Holy Smokes! I can't believe I have more tiles than he does!
I'm still doing it! I just might be able to have 15 tiles by the end of the game after all.
BLASTED! I spoke too soon. But wait! What's that I see in the top left CORNER? A black chip! WOAH! How did I get a corner? I've never gotten a corner playing dad in My. Whole. Life.
Oh my word! This game is getting better all the time. Yes, it's true, Dad has the other corner, BUT at this point in the game, I am guaranteed at least 20 (TWENTY!) pieces. Could it be possible that I might win? Inconceivable!
HOLY SMOKES! I'VE DONE IT! I BEAT MY DAD!!! (Don't tell him, but I'm not sure how I did it.)
The poor guy is perplexed!
Here is the board with all the white ones removed so show my awesomness even better. 2 days later I still can't believe I won this game.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
In memory of...(don't worry, no one died)
When I had only been married about a year my mom gave me a waffle iron. I LOVE my waffle iron! Do you know what you can do with a waffle iron? A lot more than make waffles, that for sure.
A little over a year ago, June 9, 2009 to be exact, our ward did an Enrichment Meeting (now known as Relief Society Meetings) where each sister brought their favorite gadget from home and gave a little 'infomercial' on it. I was stumped on what to bring until my genius friend, Liz, suggested I bring my waffle iron.
Why do I love my waffle iron so much? Because, like I said only 2 paragraphs earlier, you can do a lot with a waffle iron. Here is a short list of the things you can make/cook/iron in a waffle iron:
A little over a year ago, June 9, 2009 to be exact, our ward did an Enrichment Meeting (now known as Relief Society Meetings) where each sister brought their favorite gadget from home and gave a little 'infomercial' on it. I was stumped on what to bring until my genius friend, Liz, suggested I bring my waffle iron.
Why do I love my waffle iron so much? Because, like I said only 2 paragraphs earlier, you can do a lot with a waffle iron. Here is a short list of the things you can make/cook/iron in a waffle iron:
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Fried Eggs (not with a soft center)
Cake
Chicken (boneless)
Cookies
lastly, but not most importantly...
waffles (I don't heart waffles...unless they have my sister's homemade blackberry jam on top of them. Last night I heart-ed my waffle!)
At the Enrichment Meeting I decided I was going show the world (The Great Bend Ward) how to make cake in a waffle iron...german chocolate cake to be exact and I even bought the yummo frosting to go on top. When it was my turn to present, a horrible thing happened. My beloved waffle iron of 11 (ELEVIN!!) years would not heat up. It was a sad moment. Luckily because of the interest my friend Gloria had in my waffle iron demonstration, she quickly produced hers for me to borrow. (We were in her home. No, she doesn't just carry her waffle iron around with her. BUT, if she did...I'd love her even more.)
Her waffle iron was a fancy belgium waffle maker and it quickly heated up, much faster than mine ever did...even when it wasn't ancient. The german chocolate waffle cakes were a hit. There may have even been a run on waffle irons that evening at the local Wal*Mart. The only sad part of the evening was I left with no waffle iron, only the memory of it, and later a picture that was emailed to me by Liz...or Ben.
NOW, imagine a whole year without a waffle iron. I missed it and wanted to make lovely waffle-ey treats and lunches for the famdango, but alas, we were unable to replace it. When I moved out of Kansas, a few of my closest friends threw a little going party for me. We all wore aprons and ate delicious food outside in Linda McCowan's lovely yard, including waffle cakes for dessert. My going away gift, from Gloria, was A NEW WAFFLE IRON! (Say it like Rod Roddy used to say it on The Price is Right. RIP Rod.) Not just ANY waffle iron either, it was a fancy belgium waffle maker. I love it. I've had it for 4 months and used it many times already. We learned last night, that it does make good waffles.
This is my old waffle iron...post mortem.
This is my new waffle iron, after it made lovely waffles last night. I tried 4 times to get a picture that would show how shiny it was, but the only thing it really shows is the dirt spot on the bottom left side. Whatever. I love it!!
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Ceramics Classes at the Rec. Center
My friends Ashley and Liz and I are taking ceramic classes at the Rec. Center. So far I've painted a Turkey and a Santa. Ashley and I took a toll painting class and we painted Reindeer. I never thought I'd enjoy classes at the Rec Center but I LOVE THEM!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
12 years of AwSoMeNeSs!!!
Today Ken and I have been married for 12 years. It is hard to believe that we have made it that far and it's also easy to see that we have. Sometimes our wedding day feel like it was just yesterday and other times I feel like it was 50 years ago. The only reason I can tell you that is because I know pretty much every married couple has had both emotions. Luckily for me, I feel like it was just yesterday A LOT more often that I feel the other way.
I know this picture is a rerun but I LOVE IT!
*In 1 day Ken and I ate breakfast is Lehi, Utah, lunch in Newport Beach, California, and Dinner in Bremerton, WA. We were tired when we finally got home.
So often when people find out how we met, they want to know the whole story with all the details...In honor of 12 years, I'll tell all my reading audience...
When I was a senior in HS, Ken was a Full Time Missionary for our church. Missionaries are not allowed to date while they are serving and I wasn't interested in that anyway. The first time I saw him, we were sitting in Sacrament Meeting on a Fast Sunday and he stood up to bear his testimony. The first things he said were, 'Hi, My name is Elder Cheney. I'm from Provo, Utah, please don't hold it against me.' At that moment, the spirit whispered to me, 'you're going to marry him.' My response back (in my head) was, 'what about him companion? He's really cute!'
After I had this experience I non chalantly asked my Mom if we could have the Elders over for dinner. She agreed and we signed up only to have them cancel the night before they were supposed to come to our home. When they canceled, we didn't invite them again for over 4 months. During this time I continued with HS and taught my Primary Class every week. Occasionally the missionaries came in for Sharing Time, but Ken and I never had 1 conversation.
About 4 months later, Ken and his new companion approached us, asking us to sign the dinner calendar. My mom did and they came over later that week. I was so NERVOUS!! For no good reason. Beside the one thought I had 4 months earlier, there was no indication that he even knew who I was and if he didn't, that would have been completely appropriate since he was a missionary!
A couple weeks later, after Garen had been hanging around with them A LOT, he announced one afternoon, 'Elder Cheney said when he gets home off his mission, he's going to come back and date Dedra.' I WAS FLOORED! How many times in a girl's life is she certain she's going to marry a certain boy? ESPECIALLY in HS? Since my experience in the dating department was being friends with my guy friends and not being the girlfriend, it would be putting it mildly that I was nervous and didn't really know how to respond.
After this announcement was made, I told my mom about the experience I had when Ken was first transfered into our ward. Shortly after that, Ken had written me a long letter that was kind of a getting to know you letter. I wrote one back. He gave me a picture of himself and wrote me a lovely little poem. I said thank you and giggled a lot. While he was in our area, I graduated from HS, started working my PT job FT and we wrote letter back and forth, even though he was in my ward.
Near the end of his time in Bremerton, I started having trouble with gall-bladder, but couldn't have surgery since my insurance hadn't kicked in yet at Fred Meyer. I was off work for about 10 days, which allowed me more time to know Ken, as a missionary. I was able to drive them to appointments when my brother was on splits. On a p-day they came to our home to do laundry. 2 days after he went to a new area, I went back to work.
That was all! We wrote a couple letters back and forth and then he got a new Mission President who wouldn't allow us to converse. We spoke on the phone I think 3 times for about 5 minutes each time...he was calling to talk to my Mom and I answered the phone. All of our communication ended in July 1996.
We did see each other 1 more time before he went home but I don't really remember it. I had my Gall Bladder out in October of '96 and he in town for a Zone or District Conference. My mom was at the church dropping something off and saw him. He got permission from his president to come to the hospital and give me a blessing. That took place approx. 40 minutes after I was woken up from being under general anestesia.
Ken got home from his mission January 1997. My mom had been in contact with his mom and she had volunteered to cater his homecoming party, so we went to Utah very shortly after he got home.
January 24 was our first date. I was really sick when he arrived to pick me up but I went anyway. We went out with Ken's friends, the Darringtons, now our friends, along with a few other people that I don't remember. We went ot Mexican, my favorite, but I was too sick to eat. I had a temperature over 100 degrees and secretly just wanted to go home. After dinner, we drove around looking for something to do, the bowling alley was packed so we went back to Randy's parents house...they were out of town. Everyone started doing their own thing, so Ken and I left and went back to his hose and watched a movie with his parents.
The next night we doubled with his Brother and Sister in Law, Brian and Susi. Went to the movie, 'That Thing You Do' at the dollar theater in Provo.
The next night was his homecoming talk at church and his homecoming party that night at his home. That night we played phase 10 with 6 other people and ate a lot of good food. When he drove me back to the house we were staying at that night, I told him that I got my temple recommend but didn't have a date set yet. He told me that night that he'd fly up when I went through. While he was driving me home that night, he ran a red light ON PURPOSE and I told myself when I got out of the car I could never marry him.
The next morning I flew back home and we talked on the phone every night. I set my temple date on February 15 and flew in on the 12th. On the 14th we ate dinner together at Heather and Farrell's house. He spent the night in my parent's living room and the next morning I went through the temple. On the 16th, we went to church together in my ward, the ward he served in. That night around 10 we went for a walk around my neighborhood and down to Lion Field, about a mile away...
This is how our engagement came to be...We were walking and talking and it was mostly Ken doing the talking. He was saying things like...I don't want to be engaged a very long time. I'd like to start a family soon. I think I'll probably live in Washington. I don't want my wife to have to work after the kids get here. I think getting married in Seattle would be perfect. Finally I asked him, 'are we engaged?' His reply??? 'Yeah, I guess so.' YOU CALL THAT AN ENGAGEMENT? HMPH! But that is how it went and we were engaged that night. We got home around midnight and since it wasn't Sunday anymore, we went to Shari's the celebrate. The next day we set our wedding date. He called his mom and told her he was moving back to Washington, and 3 1/2 weeks later, he did. He lived with my sister, Wendi and her family while we were engaged except for a short week or so where he stayed with Heather and Farrell...but they moved out of their hosue.
August 9th, we got married in the Seattle Temple. I was 19, he was 21 and had been home from his mission a short 7 months. We lost our clutch in my clunker car on the way home from Bellevue, so we ended up piling Ken and me, the Darringtons--Jessie was 8 1/2 months pregnant, along with Mom and Dad and 4 siblings into their car and drove home on one of the hottest days of the year with no AC. It was AWESOME.
I know this picture is a rerun but I LOVE IT!
In honor of 12 years married, here are a few fun facts about US!
*We stole salt and pepper shakers from The Old Spaghetti Factory in Seattle, WA the first time we went there. We were with my sister, Heather. After about 4 years of holding said shakers hostage, I confessed to a manager and asked if we could pay for them. He said no, and told us to buy a dessert and we'd be square. I don't know how that can be the case, but we did and my conscience is clear-er now.
ps, the reason we stole them in the first place is because we thought they looked like Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper from Blues Clues. Today, the kids don't watch that show anymore and ironically, we don't use the shakers either.
ps, the reason we stole them in the first place is because we thought they looked like Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper from Blues Clues. Today, the kids don't watch that show anymore and ironically, we don't use the shakers either. *In 1 day Ken and I ate breakfast is Lehi, Utah, lunch in Newport Beach, California, and Dinner in Bremerton, WA. We were tired when we finally got home.
*This is our 12th anniversary and our 5th that we have actually spent in the same state and or town. For many years I was working summers with my parents and I had jobs away from home over our anniversary. Our reasoning then and our belief now is still the same...it's okay if we aren't together on the 9th of August every year. Although that is our anniversary, we love each other every day and don't need 1 special day to celebrate it.
*We take a separate vacation every year in July. Typically Ken goes and visits with his family and in years past I have gone and spent that time with my family. For many it wouldn't work out, but for us it does and we look forward to that time. Let it be known that we also go on vacations together every year as well.
So often when people find out how we met, they want to know the whole story with all the details...In honor of 12 years, I'll tell all my reading audience...
When I was a senior in HS, Ken was a Full Time Missionary for our church. Missionaries are not allowed to date while they are serving and I wasn't interested in that anyway. The first time I saw him, we were sitting in Sacrament Meeting on a Fast Sunday and he stood up to bear his testimony. The first things he said were, 'Hi, My name is Elder Cheney. I'm from Provo, Utah, please don't hold it against me.' At that moment, the spirit whispered to me, 'you're going to marry him.' My response back (in my head) was, 'what about him companion? He's really cute!'
After I had this experience I non chalantly asked my Mom if we could have the Elders over for dinner. She agreed and we signed up only to have them cancel the night before they were supposed to come to our home. When they canceled, we didn't invite them again for over 4 months. During this time I continued with HS and taught my Primary Class every week. Occasionally the missionaries came in for Sharing Time, but Ken and I never had 1 conversation.
About 4 months later, Ken and his new companion approached us, asking us to sign the dinner calendar. My mom did and they came over later that week. I was so NERVOUS!! For no good reason. Beside the one thought I had 4 months earlier, there was no indication that he even knew who I was and if he didn't, that would have been completely appropriate since he was a missionary!
They ate dinner with us. My parents videoed them so they could send home a tape to each of their families. Garen and Adam, 2 of my little brothers, agreed to go on splits with them. (Splits is when 2 non-missionaries volunteer to work the full time missionaries so they can creat 2 companionships and cover more area. They now call it exchanges.)
A couple weeks later, after Garen had been hanging around with them A LOT, he announced one afternoon, 'Elder Cheney said when he gets home off his mission, he's going to come back and date Dedra.' I WAS FLOORED! How many times in a girl's life is she certain she's going to marry a certain boy? ESPECIALLY in HS? Since my experience in the dating department was being friends with my guy friends and not being the girlfriend, it would be putting it mildly that I was nervous and didn't really know how to respond.
After this announcement was made, I told my mom about the experience I had when Ken was first transfered into our ward. Shortly after that, Ken had written me a long letter that was kind of a getting to know you letter. I wrote one back. He gave me a picture of himself and wrote me a lovely little poem. I said thank you and giggled a lot. While he was in our area, I graduated from HS, started working my PT job FT and we wrote letter back and forth, even though he was in my ward.
Near the end of his time in Bremerton, I started having trouble with gall-bladder, but couldn't have surgery since my insurance hadn't kicked in yet at Fred Meyer. I was off work for about 10 days, which allowed me more time to know Ken, as a missionary. I was able to drive them to appointments when my brother was on splits. On a p-day they came to our home to do laundry. 2 days after he went to a new area, I went back to work.
That was all! We wrote a couple letters back and forth and then he got a new Mission President who wouldn't allow us to converse. We spoke on the phone I think 3 times for about 5 minutes each time...he was calling to talk to my Mom and I answered the phone. All of our communication ended in July 1996.
We did see each other 1 more time before he went home but I don't really remember it. I had my Gall Bladder out in October of '96 and he in town for a Zone or District Conference. My mom was at the church dropping something off and saw him. He got permission from his president to come to the hospital and give me a blessing. That took place approx. 40 minutes after I was woken up from being under general anestesia.
Ken got home from his mission January 1997. My mom had been in contact with his mom and she had volunteered to cater his homecoming party, so we went to Utah very shortly after he got home.
January 24 was our first date. I was really sick when he arrived to pick me up but I went anyway. We went out with Ken's friends, the Darringtons, now our friends, along with a few other people that I don't remember. We went ot Mexican, my favorite, but I was too sick to eat. I had a temperature over 100 degrees and secretly just wanted to go home. After dinner, we drove around looking for something to do, the bowling alley was packed so we went back to Randy's parents house...they were out of town. Everyone started doing their own thing, so Ken and I left and went back to his hose and watched a movie with his parents.
The next night we doubled with his Brother and Sister in Law, Brian and Susi. Went to the movie, 'That Thing You Do' at the dollar theater in Provo.
The next night was his homecoming talk at church and his homecoming party that night at his home. That night we played phase 10 with 6 other people and ate a lot of good food. When he drove me back to the house we were staying at that night, I told him that I got my temple recommend but didn't have a date set yet. He told me that night that he'd fly up when I went through. While he was driving me home that night, he ran a red light ON PURPOSE and I told myself when I got out of the car I could never marry him.
The next morning I flew back home and we talked on the phone every night. I set my temple date on February 15 and flew in on the 12th. On the 14th we ate dinner together at Heather and Farrell's house. He spent the night in my parent's living room and the next morning I went through the temple. On the 16th, we went to church together in my ward, the ward he served in. That night around 10 we went for a walk around my neighborhood and down to Lion Field, about a mile away...
This is how our engagement came to be...We were walking and talking and it was mostly Ken doing the talking. He was saying things like...I don't want to be engaged a very long time. I'd like to start a family soon. I think I'll probably live in Washington. I don't want my wife to have to work after the kids get here. I think getting married in Seattle would be perfect. Finally I asked him, 'are we engaged?' His reply??? 'Yeah, I guess so.' YOU CALL THAT AN ENGAGEMENT? HMPH! But that is how it went and we were engaged that night. We got home around midnight and since it wasn't Sunday anymore, we went to Shari's the celebrate. The next day we set our wedding date. He called his mom and told her he was moving back to Washington, and 3 1/2 weeks later, he did. He lived with my sister, Wendi and her family while we were engaged except for a short week or so where he stayed with Heather and Farrell...but they moved out of their hosue.
August 9th, we got married in the Seattle Temple. I was 19, he was 21 and had been home from his mission a short 7 months. We lost our clutch in my clunker car on the way home from Bellevue, so we ended up piling Ken and me, the Darringtons--Jessie was 8 1/2 months pregnant, along with Mom and Dad and 4 siblings into their car and drove home on one of the hottest days of the year with no AC. It was AWESOME.
and that's our story...12 years later, I wouldn't change any of it. I LOVE YOU KEN!!
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