Okay, so, how did it all start you ask? Good ol' Facebook. Yes. So I had a family friend growing up named Ashley, (SHOUTOUT TO YOU GIRL! ITS ALL CAUSE OF YOU. haha) and she coincidentally..? (I think NOT! (; ) married Jordan's cousin Matt. I had just recently moved up to Utah, in the fall of 2010 to attend Taylor Andrews, a cosmetology school in Orem, and Jordan was already attending the Paul Mitchell cosmetology school in Provo at the time. Ashley, aka cupid, wrote Jordan a little message on Facebook, (to this day the greatest thing ever,) trying to set us up. I had no idea this was going on but here's the message. January 1st, 2011:
And luckily, Jordan was interested enough in this message, that he texted Ashley! Now this is where I dont know what happened with them or what they talked about, but soon enough I heard from her about a guy named Jordan who I was told was really cute, and who supposedly thought I was too. So of course I find him on Facebook immediately, and sure enough it was private. SO..Who was going to make the first move of adding the other person. I mean neither of us wanted to be the one to do it, but lets be honest this was a rare occasion for me so I decided I would just add him. And let me tell you. When I started looking at his pictures I started laughing. I was seriously like hold on. There must be some sort of mistake here, because this kid is outrageously good looking. For a while we did the whole middle man thing with Ashley and he said she said deal, until one day we had a group of friends and family over for dinner at Ashley and Matt's house. This was basically a blind date and I remember it like it was yesterday. I got home from school and was hurrying to get over there but I had to change first. For SOME REASON, I thought it would be a good idea to wear a Victorias Secret sweat-suit...? Just dont ask. Maybe I was going for the whole "I'm trying...but not really...but my hair and makeup looks cute so im just comfy casual cute...but I'm still kind of trying..." WHO KNOWS. So I get there, and sure enough, he's FREAKIN HOT. (and yes I still remember what he was wearing too.) So we had both heard so much about eachother and it was practically like we were betrothed. When we first meet he goes "Hi, I'm Jordan" and goes for a hand shake. Really..? That's funny...(loser, haha) So I, once again being the move maker/mature adult...HA, say "Hi, I'm Makenzie, but ill hug you.." and gave him a hug. It was a dang good hug too. Nothing worse than an I'm-barely-touching-you-feels-like-air-hug. So anyway, we talked and ate and hungout with everyone for a while and it was really fun and luckily not awkward. So that was that. We would occasionally talk on facebook chat, or text eachother after that and I honestly thought nothing would ever ever come of it. I thought he was just a really cute guy that I didnt stand a chance with. Plus, come to find out, he and my roommate at the time went to school together and had kissed...its fine. (I wont name drop haha). So basically I had just never thought anything in a million years would happen.
We continued to chat here and there, and as months went by we would occasionally hangout with Matt and Ashley, watching movies or going out or whatever, and still nothing. This continued and went on and it started out as a once a month thing, then twice a month, then a few weekends a month, and so on. I was somewhat starting to develop feelings for him along the way but I still always just knew, or thought I knew, that nothing would happen. Knowing this at the time I think was only working out for my benefit. I was totally and completely being my loud, funny, outspoken crazy self...not holding anything back or sparing any details because I thought we were just friends. So why would I try to be anything other than myself when he's just a friend. Well apparently my extremely sarcastic, witty, sometimes dumb and crazy personality became something he liked and we started hanging and talking more and more. The time came in about April-ish of 2011, when he had graduated from Paul Mitchell and got a great job at a salon in Salt Lake. Needless to say he moved there, and I was still stuck in Orem going to school. We somehow managed to still see each other about once a week or so, whether I was babysitting Matt and Ashley's kids and he would come hangout with me, or I would drive up to Salt Lake for him to do my hair at his salon, or whatever. Around that time I had a family church event to bless my baby niece Harley, and I decided to invite Jordan. He came and met all of my family and close friends and I'm sure was scared crapless, (especially when he met my dad!) But while there, he just saw the family dynamic that I had and how close-knit we all were and it was something he loved and admired. My dad invited/forced him to come to dinner with us later that week while my parents were still in town. This was when it really hit me that I had feelings for him, but I never said anything because I just wanted to see what would happen. Heres a picture of him holding Harley on her blessing day. She was obsessed with him from day one.
Fourth of July rolled around, and he invited me to go spend the day with his parents and family up in Midway, Utah. It was the first time I would have met everyone, and I was trying to act like I wasn't embarrassingly excited but of course I was! I was trying not to tell myself that this had to mean he liked me too, but I mean come on. He did. So we go and spend the day there and it was so fun. We get back to my apartment that night and we pushed to couches together and made a couch bed, and we watched one of his favorite movies, Zombieland, which I had never seen. Well let's be honest, I watched it. He fell asleep. So after the movie, we walked out to his car and I thought hands down this was it. We just spent the day together with his family, watching fireworks, movies, hanging out, laughing...we were totally going to kiss. We walk out there and had another one of the many almost kiss, but dont moments. It could have been because a few minutes earlier, we had a spitting contest in the parking lot to see who could spit the farthest. Clearly one of my classier moments. I dont know HOW he didnt want to kiss me after that! But all I know is I was PISSED. What was taking him so long? Did he like me or not? Why was he wasting both of our time? You know, the common psycho girl thoughts. I was just annoyed. But still didnt say anything because I was having too much fun to ruin it. And its a good thing I didnt! Because the next day, July 5th was THE day! I drove up to his house in Salt Lake and we hung out, went to the Sugar House park that was right by his house, and talked and laughed for hours. It was starting to get late, and the only couple left were freakin old, and too busy straddling eachother and making out that we decided it was time to go. So as we stand up, he starts putting his Burts Bees chapstick on. I said "can I have some?" literally just expecting him to hand me the chapstick...and he was standing there weirdly, and said "yeah..." ..... so I said "okay then give me some!" haha like a brat, cause apparently I didnt catch his drift. So he says "I AM, you jerk!" and leans in and FINALLY kisses me!!! Apparently he was just expecting a peck and I wanted a whole lot more...so I went a little over-zellus and starting making out with him I guess. Sue me, I wanted to makeout. Whatever. But regardless, it was still amazing. For me atleast...
Anyways, months go by and I took a leave from school to go to California for a month or so, and we missed eachother lots. We were constantly talking all the time and it was really hard! There was a Hair awards show in Las Vegas, NAHA, in August that we were going to both be attending, me with my school and him with his salon, and it wasnt coming soon enough. The week before NAHA I was already in Vegas with my parents and siblings for a family vacation and he ended up coming early and surprising me. It was so cute, obv. So at the hairshow we became an "official" couple and it was the greatest day of my life! I was already in love with him.
October comes and his family was doing a vacation in California and I was lucky enough to be able to come with them! His brother, sister in law, three nieces, Mom and Step-Dad planned out to go to the beach, Sea World, Disneyland, and lots of other super fun things. Jordan and I flew to California a few days earlier than they all did and spent time with my family. One of those days I went to LA for a little photoshoot, and Jordan and my Mom just spent the day walking around and hanging out. Towards the end of the photoshoot, Katie Halchishick Willcox, (the owner and founder of Natural Model Management, Perfectly UnPerfected, and Healthy is the new Skinny,) was doing a video interview with me and asked to meet with/interview Jordan for a little bit too. He was nervous and had no idea what he was getting himself into, but he was a good sport! Here's the video interview Katie made that day...
I know you guys, I KNOW. He's so perfect is stupid! He really is the best guy ever and I am SO BLESSED to have him. But anyways, while Katie was filming him I was in the other room and had no idea what was going on or what he was saying. I didn't see this video until after we were engaged. To this day I still Thank Katie SO MUCH for making this video..I don't think even SHE knew what he was going to say, but I'm so grateful I have this forever because it was a part of the happiest time of my life and without her, I wouldn't have it! So THANK YOU KATIE!
So after his family came, we went to Sea World one of the days and the second day we went to Newport Beach. It was the day before halloween and I had a feeling he was going to propose sometime on the California trip, but i had NO IDEA whatsoever that it would be the day we went to the beach. (oh and P.S.- for the Howa/Huntington family, Halloween is like Christmas people! Its a HUGE deal for them!) But anyways, I looked gross and had been swimming and sweaty and just not cute...haha but apparently my family, his family, and the audience on the beach knew it was happening that day! He (with the help of his family) spent hours on a sand castle, (if you know jord you know he loves making sand castles...and he's pretty good at it! haha) He was just SO excited to make a sand castle. Like would not stop talking about it. I was laying out after we got done swimming, and he had asked me to come help with the castle. I was like "mmm no thanks. I'm good!" haha like a brat, again. So after LITERALLY hours and hours of him at this castle, he had his nieces come up to me and say "Jordan wants you to go look at the castle.." So I went down, thinking nothing of it, and was very impressed! It was the best sand castle I'd ever seen. So we're standing there admiring it together, like hugging and and he starts talking to me and telling me how much he loves me and goes into "the speech" and his hands were shaky and his heart was POUNDING. Once again, I didnt understand what the freak was going on, (nor did I get the hint when I noticed that the sand castle he had made looked alot like a Temple.) So I just said "why are you being so weird?!? Are you okay?! your heart is like POUNDING!" And before I knew it he was on one knee asking me if i would "make him the happiest man in the world and marry him". I FREAKED out. I was in such shock and so surprised (especially when he pulled out my unFREAKINreal ring!) that I guess I never answered! I just kept saying "OH MY GOSH! SHUT UP! OH MY GOSH!" and he put the ring on my finger and stood up and said "so is that a yes...?!" I then of course said yes and we hugged and kissed and I was so shocked and so happy. Then i turn over and there's a CROWD of people watching, cheering and recording it, along with our families. It was the cutest thing ever and the best day and decision of my life.
(....the castle looked ALOt better in person okay? haha seriously though I swear. bad lighting?)
So we were engaged at the end of October and we got married on June 9th, 2012, and we got married in the Newport Beach LDS Temple. Now THAT was the best day of my life. I wish I could go re-live that day, just like every other bride I'm sure..and I know it sounds so cliche but it was so perfect.
I couldn't have imagined marrying someone more perfect for me. Even though Jordan was my very first boyfriend, and only person I had ever been on more than one date with, he was everything I had ever wanted in a husband. He truly makes me a better person and I grow more grateful and realize that more everyday. Even though the past year has had its ups and downs, and it wasn't always sunshine and butterflies, we are so in love and I feel so truly blessed to call him my husband.
I Love You Jordan and I thank Heavenly Father for you everyday! You are my favorite person in the world and I fall more in love with you every time I see your cute face. Even though my parents laughed out loud on the phone when you asked for their permission to marry me, and my mom basically tried to talk you out of it, you still went through for some reason! And for whatever reason that was, I am forever grateful! You make me the happiest I've ever been, and Thank You for everything you've done. You have done more than you know, and more than you ever will know for me and I feel so amazingly blessed that I get to spend forever with you! I LOVE YOU BABY! One year down, eternity to go. Can't wait to see what else life brings us.
