Kyler and I first met at a singles ward service project on the first Saturday of March in 2011. I had wanted to start attending the singles ward but I was a little nervous since I only knew a handful of people. I drug my friend Caitlyn with me - she was a trooper to get up at 8 am on Saturday with me!
We drove down to Salt Lake to make humanitarian kits. Caitlyn and I walked into the building, and that's when I first saw him. He had a hoodie over his head and he was slouching/laying in a chair, and I thought to myself “oh he’s cute, but he looks like a punk.” You know, I was just being real classy with my instant judgement and all. ;)
Our group moved upstairs to start folding blankets and Kyler moved over to work by Caitlyn and I. He was friendly and flirty, and he asked us how old we were. I felt sheepish as we both said 18. He said he was 24. My heart instantly sank because I just knew he would NEVER want to date a little girl like me.
As I started getting more involved in the ward, I heard that basically every girl in the ward liked Kyler. I also heard that he dated a lot, so in my silly head I took that to mean that he was a player. Heaven forbid he follow the prophet and try to date and meet girls, right? However, I decided to keep my distance.
The second Sunday in April I was asked to give a talk. Kyler kept making faces at me and smiling widely at me. I mean he was really beaming people! He also gave me his undivided attention. He was the Sunday School President at the time and taught the lesson that day, and he quoted me 2 or 3 times. I couldn’t help thinking.. “ha! he’s so interested in me!"
The following Wednesday we had institute, and I was finally able to rearrange my work schedule so I could go! After an awesome lesson from Brother John Roe (he’s a great teacher!) I debated staying after to talk to Kyler. However, a huge circle of girls formed around him as soon as the class ended and I just left because I didn’t want it to seem obvious that I was interested. (if you think I’m kidding about tons of girls always talking to him, texting him, or flirting with him, you’re crazy. :) They did it even when we were boyfriend and girlfriend and even when we were engaged. It was pretty clear what a great catch he was so he was pursued by many!)
At about 11pm that night after I was already in bed, my mom walked in and said “Chelsie, I think someone is trying to text you on my phone.” I was quite confused! I looked at the text and someone was trying really hard to get me to attend the ward’s teacher improvement breakfast that upcoming Saturday. My heart started to beat a little faster.. I had remembered Kyler talking about that teacher improvement meeting. Maybe this was him?! I text him back and asked who it was, and lo and behold I got the beautiful answer of “Kyler McCarty!” I guess since I had left institute so quickly that night he wasn’t able to get my number, so he looked it up on LDS tools. The phone number listed was my home phone number, which we had just switched over as my mom’s cell phone. I still tease him to this day that he hit on my mom first. :)
After that we had our first date the next night. It was an evening of great conversation, silly farm animal noises, and skateboard roller coasters. He was the epitome of perfection, and I was an idiot who stuttered and tripped and did awkward things because despite my attempts to avoid him, the truth was I really, really liked him. And even though I was the biggest dork, somehow he asked me out on a second date.
We had a wonderful month of learning more and more about each other and falling for one another. The day he held my hand I ever so suavely said “That was random!” to which he sweetly responded “it was time.” (I wasn’t kidding when I told you I was always doing and saying awkward things. Boy am I glad he looked past that!) Then we had a perfect first kiss, to which I said “Ladies and gentlemen..” I think that’s all my brain could muster before I went woosey. I literally couldn't walk a straight line after that kiss. I. Was. Smitten. :) When he took me to my door that night I asked him if our kiss meant that we were officially together. He said "As far as I'm concerned it's just you and me now!" And he kissed me again.
Then about a week later, confusion hit. Kyler McCarty had not been apart of my life plan at the time. At least not that soon. I had fully intended to graduate college, serve a mission, and THEN find the man of my dreams, not the other way around! I was really confused and didn’t know what to do.
We broke up for 2 long, awful, difficult months. However, I’m grateful for them because they helped me realize that I didn’t want to be without Kyler. I decided to ignore my other plans and accept the new one that Heavenly Father had placed in my life. We got back together at the end of July, and I just knew that we were never going to be apart ever again.
In November 2011 we were engaged, and in January of 2012 we were sealed for time and all eternity.
I am forever grateful that I have Kyler in my life. He is my best friend and has been such a great supporter of me and my goals. He loves me for all the awkward, weird things I do. He has always accepted me for who I am, and he helps me to want to become better. I have been exceptionally blessed.
That is our story of how we became “us”. I just love it, and I just love him.
The night we had our first kiss :)
Before a trip to the temple!
For our 6 month anniversary Kyler took me to "Prom" :)
After one of his triathlons
One of my favorite engagement pictures
The picture we had on our wedding announcement
5 years after we reunited after our break up - we have come so far :)