Fantastic February

February is always a fun month for me. There's so much to celebrate. It's a month where I eat lots of chocolate and can always count on fresh flowers from my Dad. My birthday, Valentine's Day, and the date Travis proposed February 13th, are all part of what make this month special to me.

This year for my birthday we celebrated early and late. Usually there's too much going on with school and other activities to celebrate properly on the actual date, the 10th, and this year was no exception. As a result, I usually try to stretch my birthday celebration into a two weekend event. The first weekend we had Cheesecake Factory cheesecake and chicken strips with hot sauce. YUM!

The next weekend we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for more chicken and sauce (what can I say, you can't improve on that) and then hit the movie Confessions of a Shopaholic. I had so much fun with Travis who ended up carrying me on his back after the show with me holding onto my fashionable but uncomfortable purple high heels. I wish I had a picture of that.

Friday the 13th came this year in February for the first time in five years. I know that for a fact because the last February Friday the 13th was when Travis proposed. I asked him this year what he remembered about that date and he said: "My broken hand, and you being stressed out." I figured I would add to that description for those that are interested. If not, you can scroll on down for more pictures.

I remember being concerned about Travis' healing finger which he broke in a basketball game at BYU-Idaho. Now you know why Travis gets a lecture whenever he goes to play ball. Anway, I felt like Travis had been milking his injury. That weekend we were supposed to go to Phoenix to visit my future sister in law Lisa. I was nervous about this visit because we weren't technically engaged yet and I had reservations about the appropriateness of taking a trip with a boy I wasn't engaged to. I had a LOT of hangups while we were dating. The day we were supposed to leave I had to turn in and collect several of Travis' school assignments, walk from the Snow building to the Hinckley building 2 times, take a Chemistry test, get the Honda serviced, and pack. Travis was NO help. Little did I know he was getting a ring.

He had asked me meet him at his sister Yvonne's house so I could pick him up and we could make the drive down to Salt Lake to catch our plane. We were going to leave by 3:00. Well, the car wasn't finished in time so I ended up being a half hour late and very frazzled. Of course Travis was layed back about the whole thing. He wanted me to come in first so he could give me my Valentine's present early. Nobody else was home and I though he was looking for an excuse to get me alone on a couch. Kissing was another one of my hangups and before the ring, he didn't get a lot.

When he turned on the TV to a dvd slide show he had put together for me, I thought to myself: We don't have time for this. He sat down on my left hand side so I could hold his one uninjured hand. It was a cute show of pictures of the two of us growing up and then more pictures of us together. The music was cute and it was put together in such a funny way that I forgot about the time and just enjoyed my present. Then it ended with a picture of the Idaho Falls LDS Temple and my brain kicked in saying. It's late, you need to go NOW, you don't have time for this sentimental stuff. I couldn't figure out why he was on the floor in front of me. Then he got chocked up and Travis NEVER gets chocked up. I think he's cried a total of 4 times since I've known him. Then he said"Vickie, will you be my wife forever?" and pulled out a ring.

He did get a kiss for that one. I was so excited as we drove down to Utah calling everyone I knew to spread the news. Then I got a call from Chase Clark who before I could say anything asked me to marry HIM. Chase helped Travis put together the dvd and was the Best Man at our wedding.

So there ya go. Friday the 13th 2004. One of many reasons to make February a Fantastic Month.