I have all these ideas in my head!

I came home from our cruise and went directly to a GREAT bridal shower for Auntie Doris where my sisters and I were singing 2 songs! 15 minutes practice time for me paid off. :-) Then Sunday was our primary program (a church meeting in which the 3-12 year old's recite parts they've written and sing beautiful songs based on a theme we've been studying all year), where thanks to my amazing counselors and chorister and pianist, went so smoothly and beautifully. And Monday, I was off in the Disneyland shuttle (aka Ditte's van) and straight to Palm Springs for Tuesday and Wednesday.

When I got home Wednesday night at 10 pm, I sat down and wrote 2 pages of things that I needed to do that were swimming in my head: people I needed to call, bills to pay, things to clean, and stuff under categories like Wedding flowers, Church jobs, Mom duty (Jonathan was pointing out that I didn't include Wife duty!), Piano teacher, and Other. Please laugh at me. I'm crazy, right? But it has felt great to start checking things off the list and adding more to it. It just feels so good to not have it swimming in my head.

In summary: I want to blog about our AWESOME cruise (can't even begin to tell you), our fun-filled (most of the time) fall break, and YES we are having another GIRL!!!!!

What to name her? I want it to be Danish this time: some ideas so far: Birgitta, Alina/Illena, Gretta. Jonathan likes the name Chloe, but I don't think that's Danish. Please send your ideas. We need help!

I'll post soon...

Jesus and Kari, this one's for you. Larry, are you jealous? :-)

Reunion and the Proposal

The next time I saw Jonathan was at the Los Angeles Airport on July 7, 1999. He was there with about 20 of my LOVING family members, immediate and extended. My brother Steffen was the first to rush me with a big hug, followed quickly by Mette, and then others all hugging me. I came to sweet Jonathan and stuck out my hand to shake it. What a brat, right? Well, I was still a missionary at that point and not supposed to be hugging men I wasn't related to.

Awkward moment between Jonathan and I at the airport

My parents had arranged a picnic lunch at a park along highway 1, so I could say "hello" to the ocean again. I was a bit uncomfortable with how I should act around Jonathan, but as I sat next to my Bedstemor (danish Grandmother), she nudged me and said I better go sit and say something to Jonathan! So, I did. After lunch we proceeded to play a game of Frisbee football. I think by this point I had at least changed into jeans and a t-shirt! Somehow, I was in charge of guarding Jonathan and my thinking was that I wanted him to feel like I was comfortable with being with him, so I would pat him and shove him if he was getting in the way! He later told me I was making him crazy. He came home from the airport, and told his mom he needed to get away to think, so he grabbed a surf board and headed for the beach. Poor guy.

Well, my family was aware of the fact that Jonathan was hoping to make things in our relationship rather serious and permanent :-), so they nicely arranged SEVERAL dates for me to go on with other guys that first 2 weeks I was home. All the time, I was thinking I was such a hot commodity, when really my family, especially BEN was probably paying all his friends to take me out.

I just have to share my favorite story from this mad dating interlude. I was staying in my Mission President's home with my great friend Tara for our last night on our mission. We were to have a BBQ in his backyard but were late getting started. Something was holding up the secretary at the mission home. She was waiting for a FAX to come in. Everyone there found out this was a FAX for ME from a very nice, cute guy I admired in our church who wasn't Jonathan. He was asking me in this FAX to go on a date with him to the LA Philharmonic a few days after I got home! I was scared to DEATH. For 18 months I had been focused on serving people around me, serving God, and now on the last night of my mission I was slapped across the face with what lay ahead for me once I left my beloved mission. I remember sitting across from Tara in our beds that night talking forever. I was so distraught. "What are we doing, Tara?" "What comes next?" "Can't I stay a little longer?" Well, my date with this very nice guy was so well planned and thoughtful, but I couldn't help but think of Jonathan and missed him the entire time. That's when I began to KNOW, and I mean REALLY know, I wanted to be with him forever. Often times before, when we were dating, and when we were apart, I would start to pray to Heavenly Father, "Father, should I marry Jonathan, is he the one for..." and it was like I would be interrupted with a thought in my head that it was not yet time to ask. But the right time to ask was quickly approaching.

Jonathan and I started spending all our time together and it felt so comfortable and right and good. I was so happy when I was with him. I was fasting and praying a lot at this time that as we started to discuss our future together that I would feel peace and know what was right for us.

Another cool experience during this time was that on July 25, my youngest brother Hans was born...at HOME...on accident (I mean the "I'm having a baby at home" part). Mom had always had long labors and thought baby number 9 would be the same, but he was a little too quick in coming and so Else and I got to help deliver him, though Mom and Dad were the real pro's. It was a special experience, seeing a loved one give birth. I was absolutely amazed. Mom warned Else and I that most deliveries don't go quite this way!

Look at me, checking out how well Jonathan can hold my baby brother

I thought I would quote from my journal about what happened the week following Hans's birth.

Aug. 3, 1999

"...Yesterday was the most perfect day of my entire life. What helped me prepare for it was Sunday night, after Jonathan left, I read my scriptures, had a nice prayer to Heavenly Father and...had an answer to my prayers. Jonathan is the one I love, my best friend.

I went to bed at 1 am Sunday night and woke up at 4:30 am. Jonathan came by at 5 am and took me to see the sunrise. I thought maybe he'd propose but I didn't want to get my hopes up and then get discouraged. We drove to Sycamore Canyon and parked in their day parking. We walked through the campground and turned down a trail to the left. We hiked a bit, 'til the sun came over the mountains. Jonathan stopped and we watched. We could see and hear the ocean and the beautiful mountains. As he held me he talked to me about a dream he had in a high school about me. When he was in the Missionary Training Center, he had the same dream and he knew all would be okay. He told me how much he cared for me, how I am his best friend. I could tell he was nervous. He turned me around to look in his eyes, he got down on BOTH knees and asked me to be his wife. I said, "of course, Jonathan", then I got down on my knees and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then he kissed me on the lips -- first time EVER! The whole moment was so perfect and beautiful. I cried in his arms. I was just so happy. He wants me to pick out my ring, but he wanted me to have something to wear. His mom had a turquoise ring handed down from his dad's great aunt. It's from the Navajo reservation and is just beautiful.

Bags under my eyes from 3 1/2 hours of sleep the day we got engaged, but can my smile get any bigger?

I still can't believe I'm engaged to my best friend. Gosh, we just glowed all day. We went straight up to Carpinteria and told Ditte first. I promised her I would. Then we made breakfast for the crew, called our parents and announced it to the extended family.

Our engagement photo. My little Navajo friends thought Jonathan looked like Ricky Martin! :-) I married a male model!

We've already started planning lots and now that Jonathan has asked me to be his wife, it seems other things are falling into place. It was like that leap of faith we had to take.

Gosh I love him SO much -- always have! Things are perfect (not necessarily, but we get to be together forever)."

So, the date was set, October 16, 1999, the 6 year anniversary of our first date! Plans for the wedding went well. I have to laugh because I got out my plans I made from that lonely year in college with my roommate Jen, and we went off of a lot of those ideas. My mom, dad, Jonathan's parents and Auntie Doris took my ideas and did ALL the work; mom with her new little FUSSY baby and everything...what a trooper!

We loved our wedding day. There was an earthquake the morning of October 16th. Aunt Elaine whispered to Jonathan in the temple that "even the earth shook for joy at our marriage!" I thought that was a pretty positive way to look at it. We were just trying to show our out-of-town guests a good time! The weather was beautiful. The air had that crisp but comfortable fall feeling to it. We spent a nice amount of time at the temple, taking pictures and enjoying the peacefulness that was there. The actual ceremony in the temple was indescribable. We were surrounded by many people all dressed in white, who loved us. The ceremony was performed by Bro. McQueen. He gave us some wonderful advice about loving each other. He told us to let our children see we love each other. He talked about us both serving our missions and how that would help us. Jonathan and I both cried at that part. When the ceremony was finished, I remember sitting just inside the temple with Jonathan waiting for our turn to exit. We were smiling and couldn't stop. We were MARRIED!

Our exit from the temple: smile, smile, smile

The reception was a big party celebration, just what we wanted. There was delicious food thanks to Auntie Doris, beautiful flowers thanks to Lindann Chenney, all the decorating done by family that loves us too much! We had to have dancing. Jonathan's only request was that we have a disco ball, which we did. The dancing was probably our favorite part of the evening. Jonathan flipped me while we were swing dancing in my wedding dress and ALL. I was so afraid I was going to embarrass myself by falling on the floor, but it was flawless. I like to joke that I was on cloud 9 and I didn't come down from cloud 9 until morning sickness hit. Jonathan's quick reply to that is that he is still on cloud 9. He always says the right things.

One BIG happy family: the Kents and the Lassens

So, that's our story. There are MANY details I left out and still, I hope this wasn't too long and boring.

Our lives are not perfect. Our family is not perfect. We have struggles, just like everyone. It's meant to be that way, but our love story, Jonathan and Kirsten Kent...now that IS perfect.

Kirsten and Jonathan
Oct. 16, 1999
Los Angeles Temple

College and Mission Madness!

As I started to jot down notes about this time period in our relationship, I realized there was a lot that happened, so even though I am going to simplify, this one may be a little more lengthy.

Some memories of our love story after I left for BYU...I cried...I was lonely...the end...

Just kidding. BYU is such a great school. I was so grateful to be there, but felt like quite the small fish in a big pond of really talented and smart people. Note to others: do not take Calculus your first semester at BYU with 200 other students at 8 am every morning, even if the teacher does start the class with a prayer. Minus the prayer, that combination just doesn't work!

In the spring of 1995, Jonathan came to BYU for a Ballroom dance camp that he participated and competed in. He is such a good dancer. Ahhh...I was able to see him once or twice that week. He came to visit me at my dorm and meet my roommates. I snuck into the Marriott center the night of his competition and watched him having fun from high up in the bleachers and for the first time, I started to feel jealousy towards the girls he was dancing with. In fact, to be honest, I was so lonely and jealous, I left and walked back to my dorm, crying. I knew then I wanted to be more than friends.

Jonathan being crazy Rambo or something in my dorm

While he was there, we hung out with my good friend from home, Jennifer Pettingill. We all went to a religion class together. After that class, Jen told me, I needed to marry that guy, or she just might snatch him up. I always loved her opinion and her advice and again started to think of what a nice future I could almost picture with Jonathan as my husband.

I went home to work for the summer and Jonathan and I started spending a lot of time together. I went with him to his Senior Prom. We were dressed 40's swing style. We had Bro. Daily's 1941 Oldsmobile, a "stake-out" in a back alley, and dinner at a hideaway. After his Prom, we went to the "After Prom Party" which went from 1-5 am. It was great fun. After the party, we had breakfast at his house. We were pretty excited to calculate that we had been on an 18 hour date! After that, we became pretty much inseparable. Jonathan was working construction for Dave Maddux. I was working at Lassen's. Sometimes we'd get up at 6 am to say "good morning" before he'd head off for work. Often we'd go running together in the heights after I got off work. We went to a lot of young adult activities together provided by our church. It was a lot of fun.

Jonathan and I at Prom 1995

The gangsters and their get-away car

As a side note, many of you may not know that Jonathan set a goal as a boy around 12 years old or so not to kiss a girl until it was the girl he knew he was going to marry. That probably sounds really crazy to most people, and my brother Erik likes to tease us about how he'd spy out the front window of our house to see Jonathan kissing my forehead, or me kissing his ear, but we never kissed on the lips until the day he asked me to marry him. I laugh at that now, and yet deep inside, I wish I could inspire my kids to do the same thing! A goal like that keeps a relationship at a different level, one that was good for us, since we were going the distance on this one. :-)

At the end of the summer, I received an acceptance letter to attend BYU Jerusalem Study Abroad for 6 months. I needed to quickly defer a semester of school so I could save money for the trip. It gave me more time with Jonathan and I was happy about that. I left for Jerusalem in January of 1996, thinking Jonathan would be gone on his mission by the time I returned. His 19th birthday was in April. I cried A LOT on that plane trip to Tel Aviv. I loved loved loved my experiences in Israel, Egypt and Jordan. It was an amazing trip, to say the least. I missed Jonathan though, and wished I could share it with him. I remember asking the Linford's (my parents away from my parents for that time) their opinions, crying a few times to them about how I felt. They were so comforting and neutral. They were wonderful. It seems I cried a lot during this time in my life. Is that normal?

Me and Angie Edwards with the BYU Jerusalem Center behind us

Well, Jonathan was still in Camarillo when I arrived home. He was waiting for his braces to come off before he could serve his mission. I was so happy to see him, but this was a bit of a tough time for us. He was preparing to serve a mission for the Lord for the next 2 years and was trying so hard to prepare well. We decided, though I cried AGAIN, to bring our relationship to a "friend" level again so he could prepare for his mission. This was a good but not an easy decision. I left again for college in the fall. Jonathan reported to the Missionary Training Center on Sept. 11, 1996. Consequently, this was just up the street from my dorms. He was there for 3 weeks and then left for Toronto, Canada. At that time, people would trek up to the Salt Lake City airport at 5 or 6am to wish their missionaries off. I was a little unstable about where we stood in our relationship, knowing we wouldn't see each other for at least 2 years, and were we just friends? What does that mean? When I saw Jonathan at the airport, which was really fun, he told me he just knew things would work out, but he wouldn't go into specifics. It was good he didn't. I needed to trust him and Heavenly Father with whatever that meant.

Jonathan and I at a dance the night I got back from Jerusalem

My roommate, Jen Johnson, also had a missionary out. We were SO silly and a bit lonely. We would sit in our rooms and plan our wedding receptions. My theme song for this period of time was Tracy Chapman's the Promise. It's on my play list posted on this blog. Again I laugh at our silly sentimentalities now. Jonathan was really enjoying his mission. Three months into his mission, he was switched to Spanish speaking and so for the rest of his mission, he taught and learned Spanish via Toronto Canada! He loved those people he met and taught in Canada.

Jonathan's mission

I learned from my 6 month trip to Jerusalem that writing was not one of Jonathan's strong traits. This continued on in his mission as well, but I decided to TRY and overlook that, and did date quite a bit that year and a half at BYU and at home.

Lucy, Me, and Cristin (who later became my sister-in-law!!!) on our way to a costume dance

During that time, I also received a strong impression that I should serve a mission. In October 1997, I turned in all my paperwork and a few weeks later, I opened my mission call on the grounds of the Provo Temple. I thought at first I was going to Mexico and was so excited. That was a dream! But then I read that I would be teaching the missionary lessons in English, and quickly realized my mistake. I was going to Albuquerque, New Mexico. I really thought I had pictured myself in every corner of the United States and the world as a missionary, but I had NOT thought of Albuquerque, New Mexico!

I left for my mission January 28, 1998. I loved my mission. I am so grateful I got to serve Heavenly Father at that time in that special capacity and I loved that it was something Jonathan and I were doing together though we were in our separate parts of the world.

My mission

So, the next time I saw Jonathan....To Be Continued...

First Flirtations--candy corn and Sadies Hawkins

My first date with Jonathan was to a Sadie Hawkins school dance. My friend Melissa Meline was starting to like Jonathan's best friend Adam Reeder, and since she wanted to ask Adam to Sadie's, she asked me to ask Jonathan so we could double. I don't know if Sadie's is a common ritual, but when I was in high school, it was a dance in the fall, where the girl asked the boy, and they came in casual clothes wearing matching shirts.

Our first date

To back up a little...this was fall of 1993, the beginning of my senior year in high school. I had endured a rough summer where all my friends, who happened to be a year older than me, left for college. This included my BEST friend, my cousin Ben. I was so lonely and determined that going to live in Snowflake, Arizona with Grandma and Grandpa Beecroft would be a great alternative and a good place to end high school, a time period in life I was not too fond of. My mom did not agree with my alternative plan and through prayer and persuasion taught me a great lesson I continue to re-learn even today. My mom talked to me about her and dad's role of being my parents. They loved me and felt it was their job to raise me, not grandma and grandpa's and even though I was terribly lonely, if I could look for the "green grass" (sound familiar????) in Camarillo and change my attitude, I might end up having a really good senior year. It wasn't easy, and I'm sure I cried quite a bit, but I decided to give it my best shot, and prayed a lot that I would make some new and really great friends.

My decision to ask Jonathan to Sadie's seemed reasonable considering I'd always thought he was a really nice guy, and I was on the look out for some new good friends. Jonathan was a lot of FUN in high school. He and his buddies got into a little mischief sometimes but for the most part, they loved planning crazy creative dates with big groups of people and were always up for having good fun.

Jason Reeder, Randy Porter, unknown friend :-) and Jonathan showing school spirit

Jonathan's first ski trip with me as an instructor, (true test of a relationship!)

Our date to Sadie's happened to be October 16th, 1993, which NOT coincidentally ended up being the date we were married on 6 years later.

After our first date, we started to run into each other more at friends' houses. The first time I remember "flirting" with Jonathan (gosh I hate that word. :-) was at a birthday party for a girl who lived down the street from me. It was Halloween time, so her mom had set out a bowl of candy corn. A big group of us were there watching a scary movie, and Jonathan and I started throwing candy corn at each other. Later that night, Jonathan had snuck down to my house and left candy corn all over my porch. That started our fetish with candy corn, and thanks to Jonathan's creativity, made for some great sentimental memories. He turned the candy corn into people one time, with toothpicks for their appendages, and had them bungee cord jumping from the antennae of my 1965 mustang, ski sloping down my windshield, sunbathing on the hood, etc.

At this point, we started to mutually like each other, but I didn't realize that Jonathan was "liking" me more than I was liking him. I still wanted to be friends, but his feelings for me were growing deeper and stronger. Around Christmas time, I started to date another guy seriously, and it hurt Jonathan pretty bad. I didn't realize how bad, until later when I saw some artwork he had made during that period. He now fondly refers to that as his BLUE PERIOD! :-)

Throughout the rest of the year I kept busy as most high school seniors do. I got my acceptance letter for BYU, I was in a school play, I was working at Dad's health food store, cruzin' in my 'Stang, and thoroughly enjoying the new friends I had made. The grass felt pretty "green". Jonathan was enjoying his friends and sports, too. He played varsity volleyball and football that year. I enjoyed going to a few of his games. He is good at whatever he does!

Near the end of the school year, Jonathan left me a t-shirt he had created that he wanted me to wear to seminary choir the next morning, signifying that I would go to his prom with him. I was a bit distraught because I knew my cousin Jennifer was planning to ask him, so I didn't wear the shirt. I watched his disappointed face as I walked into seminary and quickly tried to explain. He sighed relief and explained to me that I could go to his prom with him and he could go with my cousin to our high school's prom! We had a great time at his prom. We had a delicious dinner at a friend's house out in Somis. He looked SO cute that night with his vest and pocket watch, two-toned shoes, and really great attitude. Jonathan was content with us just being friends for the present time.

Jonathan's junior prom Spring 1994

I worked hard that summer preparing to leave my family for college far away. I was about to start a very different season in my life, that Young Adult season. It was a very lonely time for me again, and my heart turned to Jonathan, who was never too far away, waiting to be the good friend I needed and wanted. I'll always feel pretty bad for the up's and down's I created in our relationship during the 6 years of dating and not dating and yet, through all the up's and down's, I feel like they happened for a reason allowing growth to occur in both of us.

My "serious" Senior photo, because I am SO serious!

Up close candid photo of the two of us. We both have HUGE eyebrows (poor kids!)


Next segment: BYU and Pre-mission Madness!

Our love story

Well, I am insecure at what will follow and have a disclaimer (mainly for my brother and sister-in-law) for those who do not like cheesy romance, please don't feel obligated to read, but with Jonathan and my upcoming 10th anniversary, I wanted to document the finest love story I've ever heard! This will be posted in several segments and hopefully end somewhere close to October 16th, our actual anniversary. Even if you don't like cheesy romance, you may have a good laugh at some funny photos, and maybe even enjoy hearing MY side of what has been the BEST thing that ever happened to me!

It started in November of 1988. My family just moved from 449 Belden Street to 1422 Palmer Avenue in Camarillo, CA. This move placed me in a new junior high school as an 8th grader (Monte Vista), and our family moved into the Camarillo 2nd ward. It was the week before my 12th birthday, so with trepidation, I put on my light blue gunny sack dress, lace ankle socks, white patent leather shoes, and did my hair in an oh so tight french braid that definitely accentuated my large ears. I was to attend Camarillo 2nd ward primary for one week before entering their Young Women program. I didn't look around much that Sunday because I was a pretty shy girl, but Jonathan loves to tell the story of how he was sitting in the front row and turned around to see the new girl being introduced as Kirsten Lassen. What he saw was "a really cute girl with BIG ears"! That was his first impression of me. I, on the other hand, can't remember my FIRST encounter with Jonathan, but I remember the times I would run into him at church for our weekly activities and I thought he was pretty cute. Too bad he was so short! As I got to know him better at Junior High school, not only did I think he was cute, but I thought he had to be one of the nicest boys I'd ever met. And that part has never changed.

I had a typing class with Miss Loretta that year and I would go home and practice typing on my parents computer keyboard, when the computer wasn't on: "I love Jonathan Kent", "I love Jonathan Kent" over and over again. I can still type that phrase pretty darn quick! I was worried my mom and dad would be able to see the imprints in the keys, or that the computer would accidentally be on and my big secret would be out. I was one of those girls who NEVER told who I liked. I used to babysit for Bro. and Sis. Speakman (who were high school sweethearts). Bro. Speakman asked me once when I was about 13 if I thought I knew the boy I would later marry. I quickly replied, "NO WAY, I don't want to marry someone who knows me at this age!" Well, that came back to haunt me!

Between our first encounter and when we went on our first date at age 16, I can't remember a whole lot. Jonathan and I were in different grades, and went to rival high schools. I'd see him at seminary early in the mornings. We had youth activities at church together and sometimes were in the same Sunday School classes. His older sisters, Stefanne and Angie, were some of my best friends.

One other significant memory from this time that I can remember was when Jonathan came to hang out with my brother Erik. I don't know where Erik went, but Jonathan and I were playing in the backyard with my little sister Mette. He was so sweet with her and as I hope a lot of young silly girls do, my mind started to go into fast forward mode... THIS guy would make a great husband, and let's see, he's 15, I'm 16. He could go on his mission, I could go on my mission, we could get married when I get back. This could be a really nice plan! Little did I know how nice this plan could really work out!

Cute Jonathan in his 7th grade yearbook

Me in one of my MANY gunny sack dresses

Next segment: "the first flirtations, flying candy corns, etc..."

A New Addition to our Home

Primary Summer Camp

This year our primary summer camp theme was "Building an Eternal Family".

We had 6 mini classes that the children attended on the first 2 days:

Scripture Study/making scripture journals/Jaimee and Bonnie were the teachers

Prayer/painting Prayer Rocks/Sara and Nana were the teachers

Following the Prophets/Melanie and June teaching the Latter-Day prophet song

Family Home Evening/Melissa and Debbie Hager had the room decorated like a family room

Family Fun and Games/Sis. Fenske and her friend Debbie had all kinds of games to teach the kids

Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy/Debbie Morris and Kimra helped the kids put together cups of ideas for Sunday activities.

These were 6 things of MANY that help to build eternal families. We had about 50 children there between 1st and 2nd ward. Sister Fenske started the camp off as Sister Builder.

Half the kids really thought her name was Sister Builder after that. Isaac definitely thought that was the greatest! She had big blue prints of our Eternal Home. She had the greatest "tools" in her tool box: goggles to help us watch only good movies, gloves to help us pray, ear plugs to block out bad music, boots to help us run away from evil. The kids had building permits with their names on them and they earned a sticker for each class they attended. So many people helped! How grateful I was for everyone's help. Saturday was our last day and we traveled down to the LA temple where the children got a tour of the grounds and then were invited in the waiting area to talk with Bishop Hales and Pres. Murphey from the temple Presidency. Then we went outside to take pictures, sing "I Love to See the Temple", and have sack lunches. That was a great treat for me. The children were all so well behaved the entire time. I feel so fortunate to get to be in Primary.


The "Wedding Tree"!!!

Uncle Hans and Isaac

Part of my eternal family