The Jon and Carrie Love Story, part 7

The year that followed (2003) seemed pretty tame. I had a few crushes, went out on a few dates, avoided a guy or two to avoid being asked on dates with them (Sorry! I was picky, ok?) .... but mostly I just focused on work at the magazine, my new apartment, HGTV, Tori, traveling for work, hanging out at the Singles Branch, and working out. I was pretty content with life.

My new group of friends, which developed thanks to Tori's outgoing personality, revolved around a certain group of people. Naturally, they turned out to be the polar opposites of Jon's friends. Jon's friends = loud and crazy and preppy, and Carrie's friends = reclusive and funny and grungy.

I further realized how different Jon and I were at Family Home Evening. Summertime meant warm weather, which meant Monday night soccer. Jon, who was the FHE coordinator for a little while, didn't like this idea but went with it because the majority of people wanted to play. I on the other hand, couldn't get enough of kicking the soccer ball down the field. I've always been pretty athletic and love exercising. Jon prefers socializing and being the center of attention.

One night, being one of the only girls running up and down the field with the boys, I noticed Jon on the sidelines with the rest of the girls. My good friend June had worn her bright red high heels and had taken them off to sit down on the bleachers and watch/talk. So then Jon (those of you know know him, you probably already can guess...) decided to make a spectacle of himself and try on the high heels and walk around in them. The girls all giggled uncontrollably, and from across the soccer field, I shook my head. That guy is so weird.

My friend Tori liked a new guy almost every week, and one particular night after a Singles Branch activity, she invited "guy of the week" and Jon over to my apartment (our friend Trisha came too). It seemed a little odd at the time, having Jon there since we were so vastly different, but pretty soon we were all in my living room laughing so hard, I thought Jon was going to pass out (another trait I would come to know and love). The late night turned into an early morning, and I think around 3am Jon feel dead asleep and started snoring. We giggled and figured it was time for them to head home (Jon & Tori, this one's for you: Jazz Up Your Junk :).

Sometime during the year, Tori and Jon and I all exchanged email addresses. I think we figured we were among the few in the Singles Branch working full-time (many were attending school or whatnot). So we'd forward each other funny things or just bug each other. Looking back, I wonder if Tori had a premonition then, like if she was already playing matchmaker. Hmm.

Eventually I was called to be Institute President, which I was actually excited about. One of my life goals was to become an outgoing person who could talk to crowds and strangers easily. Up until then, I had tried and felt I failed miserably, still being so nervous around new people or crowds (my palms would sweat and my hands would shake). Especially in high school, when I was Seminary President, I never felt like I measured up to the calling because I was so shy. To combat this, I became a member of my high school Speech Club, and I took a speech class at BYU. Those experiences helped and slowly I was making progress. Later becoming a news reporter, hours of constantly talking to people turned my shyness around. Now in Yakima, being Institute President, I felt like I could redeem my shy past and become the outgoing person I always wanted to be.

In my new capacity, every week my goal was to talk to every new person. And then if there was time, to anyone who was sitting alone. Having been a shy person, I knew how they felt, and I wanted them to feel welcome and come back. It felt so good, and every week I went away feeling like I had accomplished my goal. For a while, our attendance numbers were very good and I like to think that I helped in that.

One week I remember deciding it was time to talk to Jon. He was always chattering with someone (during and after the lesson), and so I didn't think he needed me to help him feel welcome. And what could we even talk about? What did we have in common? I saw he had a Palm Pilot, and my brother had given me one, so I sat by him and asked him about his.

All I remember was a very scattered conversation, us "beaming" each other our info, and then him running off. Whatever. He's sooooo ADD. What a scatterbrain.

That confirmed it. Jon just couldn't sit still. I had no love interest in him whatsoever.

Pretty soon, during the fall of 2003, a trip to the fair and then the emergency room would help me change my mind. >>Continue to Part 8