Our Story is my Favorite

Our Story is My Favorite: Jonathan and Kaleigh 

I never really considered myself to be beautiful. I have certain physical issues that have always made it hard for me to feel secure about who I am.  Candidly speaking I have a hereditary condition that has caused one of my eyes to not align properly, causing it to wander. My family has always tried to show me how pretty I am, but I never saw it. Neither did the opposite sex, it seemed. People have always asked awkward questions about my physical difference regarding vision, and I’ve always felt like an outsider looking in, never really feeling including in the whole game of romance.

                In short, I felt ugly.

                Until I met the person I knew I was going to marry.

We met when he was serving a mission for the LDS church in my home town and started corresponding with one another through e-mail.

I’d tease him about his red hair.

 
He would tease me about my habit of not wearing shoes.

 When he was released as a missionary, he returned back to his mission area to go to school, and to date me (he admitted later on that it was really to just date me). During that time he was sweet and a lot of fun to hang out with. Our first official date consisted of getting lost while hiking, and getting completely covered in dirt! I didn’t understand why he liked me though. I never really felt like I was attractive. His behavior confused me.

“You are beautiful,” he would always remind me, “You are so much more beautiful than you realize.”

He always tried to explain how special and unique I was. How he appreciated everything about me. How he believed I was beautiful inside and out.

It always brought tears to my eyes hearing those words. No guy I liked had ever said those words to me before.

                When we were pretty serious about each other, he hinted that he wanted to propose. Of course like most women I was excited and inwardly squealing (we’ve all done it!). He tried three separate times to propose to me, each on unsuccessful for various reasons out of his control. He felt so bad that things just weren’t perfect and romantic. I sort of just stopped expecting a proposal and was content with spending time with the guy I loved. When we got engaged things would be perfect I knew that.

                And they were.

                One night, during finals week, he took me to a reunion of several of his mission companions and then back to his apartment so we could work on homework. Being extremely tired from studying I assumed nothing was out of the ordinary and spent the evening perfecting an essay. When it was getting late, he offered to walk me home. I heartily agreed. I loved it when he walked with me.

                The night was beautiful. A light drizzle of ran pattered on our heads as we walked quietly back towards my dorm. It was all so peaceful.

When we reached the duck pond near my dorm, he pulled out a bag of bread.

                “I know I promised that we would feed the ducks,” he remarked with a smile.

                Call me corny, but I was thrilled! I love feeding ducks!

                So we spent the next ten minutes feeding ducks. We were swarmed by them! It was wonderful. Then, when the bread was gone, I started to chase after them so we could have a path to walk home on. And it was as I was chasing the quaking ducks that the person I love cleared his throat and softly said my name.

                When I turned around he was standing right behind me. He slowly got down on one knee, soaking his jeans with rain water and opened a small box.

                “I love you,” He stated hesitantly, “Will you…will you marry me?”

                My reaction?

                “Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!” I was so surprised! And overjoyed! I didn’t know what to say at first!

                I promptly tackled him repeating the word ‘YES!’ several times as he laughed and hugged me to him.

                “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered in my ear, “Never forget how beautiful you are to me. I love you.”