How He Did It!

FINALLY I'm able to sit down and tell you fabulous readers how it happened. How Taylor finally asked me to marry him. I'm going to juggle typing out the story, eating my breakfast, and getting ready for church. So here we go!

The date was 12/22/11, a beautiful Thursday day date that he had spent an entire week planning and was so excited for, I was too! I had a tiny inkling in my mind that this was going to be the day and I had no idea what to expect. I was late gettting off of work (about an hour) and I rushed changing and heading over to his house. We drove off to a trail we had hiked before about 2 1/2 years ago during the summer; we hiked maybe a 1/6 of the way up the trail when he had us sit down on a rock and watch this amazing sunset! He pulled out two To-Go Nutella snacks and it was like having a dinner and a show. He took some amazing pictures of the sunset and us and we headed back as soon as we couldn't see the sun behind the mountains. Our next stop was to Carl's Jr. to have a delicious burger seeing as how I hadn't eaten since early that morning. Once that delicious burger was in my face, we went off to our next activity: bowling! The first bowling alley we went to was booked until 9:45 but he needed a lane sooner than that; we drove about 15 mintues to the next bowling alley and only bowled one game... in which he beat me barely. All of these things we were doing brought back so many memories of when we first started dating and I loved being able to relive them and just be with him that night.

Our last and final destination remained a secret to me... it was driving me crazy! We sang in the car along to songs from a playlist on his iPod that contained all of "our songs" We parked and started walking briskly to a destination that I was soon about to find out. Finally I saw signs for the Phoenix Zoon Lights. I was so excited since I had never been to see them and I LOVE seeing Christmas lights. It was a cold night and we walked close to each other all bundled up in jackets and hats. We walked around the zoo and saw these beautiful lights. By this time I was thinking when is he going to ask me?! what the heck?! but I enjoyed every minute of being with him and pushed my impatient thoughts to the side. Finally he convinced me to sit down so that we could watch a group of trees "dance" with lights to music; we sat by the lake and watched the lights. He asked me if my feet were hurting at all and I said a little... so he took off one of my socks and shoes and began to rub my feet right there. After a minute he looked at me and asked if I was having a good night and I said I was. He then asked "what are you doing every night for the rest of your life?" Then he got down on one knee and awkwardly {but very cutely} took the ring box out of his pocket and asked "Marlee Michelle, will you marry me?"

OF COURSE I said yes.... hello! I was beaming after he had asked and we hugged the whole rest of the night. I'm finally an engaged woman. I'm finally marrying my best friend and am so excited to spend the rest of eternity with him. I couldn't be happier!

Marriage date:

March 10th, 2012

THE Reunion

Hey my wonderful readers! Over a week has past since the big even happened and I feel it's now time {rather, I actually have time} to blog about it. Aaaaand I have a surprise for you all!! My wonderful man that I waited for is going to help me tell the story!!! {hi TJ!} My narrative shall be in regular type and his shall be in italics. Say hi Honey...HI!
He will talk lots more I promise! On to the story of the blessed day of December 8th, 2011.
First of all, let me say how honored I am to be able to participate in the writing of this, the story of stories {for us, anyway}. Aside from all the days and weeks and months preceeding Dec. 8th, in which I HIGHLY anticipated meeting this girl at the temple for the first time in two years, I think a definite beginning came the night before, as I realized, "Holy Moses, I'm going to see her TOMORROW. ONE MORE DAY." I was still on the missionary clock so I had to lay that thought aside for a bit. Needless to say, the thought wouldn't give up and came to me many a time between then and the next night.
I slept less-than-restfully (but was more than happy to lose sleep over the occasion). Woke up, piled into the van with the other soon-to-be RM's to go to the airport, checked in, etc...flew to Atlanta, and had to say goodbye to two best friends before they left to wait at their gate. I felt a bit of sorrow saying goodbye because I knew I was saying goodbye, little by little, to the most important thing I'd ever done...but then had a bit of alone time to imagine her to whom I'd soon say hello. I waited less-than-patiently on the 4-hr flight to Phoenix, got to see Mom&Family, and (of course) secretly missed someone I wished I could be seeing. "Just a few hours away," I told myself. "She waited for me...We've made it...just a few hours longer."
Meanwhile.... I was increasingly becoming more and more a nervous wreck because MY MAN WAS COMING HOME!!!! I thankfully was able to sleep the night before by staying up late watching CSI:NY with my dad. I woke up a bit early in the morning and headed to the temple to do baptisms one last time before Taylor came home. Much to my dismay... the temple was closed! Whaaaaa?! Yeah... I was not happy in the least bit. I ended up walking around the temple nearly freezing and drove myself back to the house and changed into street clothes. After I had changed, I had to get my Rachel {my lovely car... why have I not posted about her yet?!} cleaned so that she wouldn't be a righteous mess when she and Taylor were introduced. Once she was washed, I headed to the mall to try to do some shopping... key word is try here... I ended up just walking around the mall for close to 2 hours, while being constantly texted by loving and supportive friends {especially Kendahl}. It was so odd to think that I was no longer counting down the days but the hours until I would be seeing him again! As each minute passed, the realization of my dreams for the past 2 years was setting in and I became more and more anxious to see him already.
1:18pm HE LANDED!!!!!!!!!!! or so I thought... nevertheless I got a mass amount of texts informing me of what time it was and what that time meant... How could I not know?! I had become a master time counter over the past year, I knew what time it was! But I appreciated everyones excitement! Once I felt that sufficient time had been wasted walking around the mall... I decided to make my way back to the house while stopping off at a few stores to pick up a few things {this time I for real shopped}. Once I was home... I began to freak out a bit. A lot actually... and decided to do my hair. Which only took me like 45 minutes to do... and I still had 5 more hours to go before he was released. What. the. heck! Thankfully, Kendahl never ceased to text me that entire day. I read my scriptures a bit and took a slight nap... but that was to no avail since people kept texting me congrats... ugh!
Around 5pm, a dear mutual friend of Taylor and I said that she was on her way with another friend to help me get ready. My butterflies were coming up out of my stomach and I could not keep still. I just wanted to see him already!!!! You'd think after 2 years, I would have the patience of a saint... HA! My two friends came over and started putting my face on. I was all nerves and was afraid my friend was going to poke my eye out with eyeliner from me trying to keep still. Out of nowhere, one of my friends ran over to me with my phone in my hand and it was vibrating... someone was calling. I saw his glorious face on the caller id and said ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah.... legit freaking out was finally happening! I answered and his mom's voice was on the other line saying she was calling in behalf of Taylor. I just about lost it. I didn't care really why she was calling because I knew why, I was just so happy to know she was calling for him. She wanted to make sure that I was still good to meet at the temple. I had to control myself from exuberantly exclaiming OF COURSE!!!! so what came out was "yeah I was still planning on going over there after he's released." She said that he would call me after he was released to give me the go. After we hung up, I had to pause the face-putting-on since tears were starting to make their way... and lets be honest, I had waterproof eyeliner AND mascara but I was taking no chances! It was really happening! Holy freaking cow!
Finishing touches were done on the face and hair and I then changed into the outfit I had planned for about a year in advance {us MG's do that type of thing... we're kinda excited for this day}. Everything looked great and I felt totally spoiled and a bag of nerves at the same time... at least I was a great looking bag of nerves. The girls decided to head to Arbys to kill time before the call... I hate Arbys. 'Nough about that. The fries I hungrily scarfed down were only because I had not eaten a single thing that day. I was grossed out... but whtvr. My right state of mind had been checked out a long time ago that day. After they were finished eating, we made our way to the temple thinking we could just hang out at the Visitors Center and wait for the call. We were 30 seconds from a parking space when.... THE BLESSED CALL CAME!!!!!!!! Hallelujah! His beautiful voice filled my ears and I almost dropped my phone. "Hey Honey. This is Eld... I mean Brother Brady." I kept saying ohmygosh over and over again on the phone... I was talking to him in real time! I didn't have to wait months for a reply on a tape cassette... I was talking to him on the phone. He told me that he had just been released and was on his way to the temple.
We finally parked in the parking lot across from the temple grounds and I immediately jumped out of the car. I had to wait for my friends to get situated and finally I asked one if I could go already and she said yes. I was off! In my boots, I still outwalked two girls taller than me. I was a woman on a mission to see her man! Nothing was going to hold me back. It was sinking in more now than ever that I was actually going to be seeing him. This figment of my imagination was becoming a reality once again.
I was relieved when I found out I'd be released at 7:15...plenty of time to go see my Marlee before the end of the night. Everything went perfectly...A few hours with the family, a bit of unpacking, return and report with the stake president, and then...I grabbed the keys (real smooth driving my mom's car) and made the call. I couldn't help but sigh as I heard her try to control herself on the phone, knowing how happy she was. Best day of my life, so far :) Then I was off. I suddenly had a bone to pick with whoever established the city speed limits, but got there at last. After a short walk, I finally saw her...extatic, beautiful...I felt on the inside the way she looked on the outside. She ran to me, I threw my arms around her & pickerd her up, and just like that, we were done waiting.

I got to the place where we agreed we'd meet and had to wait... ever more patiently to see him. We had no idea which side he would come from and my phone was going off the hook! My friends were taking test shots to get the lighting and settings right on the camera and I just rocked back and forth. I kept saying ohmygoshohmyogoshohmygoshohmygosh and trying not to freak out too terribly. Those 10 minutes had been the longest 10 minutes I had ever waited during the entire 2 years. I needed to see him as soon as possible. Suddenly, I looked to my right past two pillars and saw his shillouette... I had not forgotten what his walk looked like after all this time. My soul filled with delight and inexpressible joy as I saw the man I had waited for come my way. He looked amazing! He looked no longer like the boy I had fallen for over 2 1/2 years ago but he now looked like the man I had grown together with 2,000 miles away. The man I had become even better best friends with and grown even more deeply in love with over the 2 years was coming home to me. I began to walk to him and thought "why are you not running?!!!" So I began to run and I jumped into those arms that had been my support and protection for so long; the arms I had longed to be in for 736 days. I said to him "you're real! Oh my gosh! You're real!" He whispered back "Yes I am! I am never letting your feet touch the ground ever again." I hung there close to his body soaking in the moment that he was home at last. He was really... really home. Once I was back on the ground, I buried my face into his chest and cried tears of complete joy. My best friend was back and he was all mine. My friend continued to take pictures and Taylor kept saying "I love you" and "you are even more beautiful! How did this happen?!" (I was freaking out when I saw how good she looked ;) But soon much more cconcerned with just being able to hold her.) We finally pulled from each others embrace and kissed. Our first kiss in 2 years! How I had missed those lips {2 minute club ladies ;)}. Taylor then said hi to our friends while still holding on to me... we were now fused at the hip, never to leave each others side. We decided to walk around the temple grounds and look at the lights but... I honestly was not looking at the lights. I still couldn't believe I was holding his hand and looking at his face. We would stop and look at each other and just look into the other's eyes and live in the moment. We made our way to the Visitor's Center and listened to the Christus presentation; I had both arms wrapped around his arm and sat as close to him as possible. He was finally home...
After the presentation, we went to Dairy Queen for hot chocolate and blizzards. We all walked back to the cars, Taylor and I hand in hand, stealing glances from one another and getting to know one another again. Taylor and I went back to his house to pick up my last ever letter and he drove me back home. Saying goodbye that night was the hardest... I had just gotten my Honey back... and now I had to say goodbye again?! You kidding me?! Oh well... I did... and I was too excited to see him again the next day and the day after.... and many days after!
Life with him back home has been an adjustment but a wonderful adjustment. I have a man who insists on taking care of me endlessly and loves me unconditionally. Taylor was quite mature when he left for the mission but he turned into a real man by the time he came home. Our relationship has even more depth to it and we have a truer and deeper lasting love for one another. Waiting for Taylor Jordan Brady was the best decision I have ever made! They really do come home and it really is as if he never left! As we were at the temple the following Sunday, it really hit me how it feels so natural to be with him again and how everything is how it was before... only better! I do not regret a single moment I spent waiting for him because of all that I had learned during that time. The Lord knew who he would become at the end of the mission and I'm so grateful for the divine support I had felt during my hard times while waiting. He was definitely worth the wait and I would do it all over again!

My Darling Taylor,

We did it!

Yours Forever,

Marlee Michelle

This Is It!

Holy cow! Holy cow! Holy cow!!!

Now I know this isn't THE post ya'll are waiting for... that'll come within this coming weekend... It's slowly but surely hitting me that he is coming home tomorrow.. I'll see him tomorrow and he'll be here!! I can't believe it! It's such a surreal thing to experience, I'm slightly freaking out {in a good way though!}. Lately I've been thinking over the past two years and all that's happened to me to make me who I am today. Just wanted to share with you wonderful people the things on my mind in hopes that it might be of help to some of you in whatever situation you may be in.

I've learned how to live for me and put myself first. My biggest dream was to go to culinary school to launch my path into becoming a chef and you know what... I did it! I finally let go of the path that I was on, which wasn't making me the happiest, and embraced the career I wanted since I could remember!

I grew some tough skin over the past two years, let me tell you. Quite a few people shared with me their "opinions" on my decision to wait for my boyfriend on his mission. I got the classic "arguements" against it and I realize that some were said in my best interest and because they just want me to be happy. In the beginning, I took it all too personal... then I realized I just needed it to roll off my shoulders and keep going with what I felt was right despite what others said. I learned to stand on my own two feet even if I was alone. Over the months and years, I've learned how to filter through everyone's two cents and who I needed to listen to. I'm grateful for everything that I've had to go through to get to be where I am today.

Going into this, I knew waiting was going to be hard... really hard. I never knew how much though. Yet, I never knew how much of a blessing this would be to me. I could never fathom the kind of growth I've experienced over the past two years. Nobody ever told be this side of the story... the ones who make it, the ones who found the two years to be worth it... I never knew. I'm so glad that I've had this time to get to know though, that this can be done!

There were a few time where I wanted to hang up my hat and count my losses. There was just something about that boy and this whole thing that kept me from doing it. I realized that you don't give up when times get tough, you put your head down and get to work. When things get hard... that's when you need to look at your other and figure out if it's worth it. Let me tell you all... it has been more than worth it!

So tomorrow, I'm going to have quite the day. Hopefully I'll be able to sleep in a bit, go to the temple, do some shopping for me and my bro, then go home and work on his Christmas present, then get ready... my heart will be making it's way out of my chest right around then and I'm sure legitmate freaking out shall commence. I get to see my Honey in less than 24 hours! 2 years has been a very long time and I never thought it would ever be over... and yet here we are! My post that I've been waiting to write for a long time! Our Forever After will start to begin soon and I can't wait!

A big thanks to all who have stood by me through all of this. Friends, family, MG's... even those with disparaging comments who have turned around to support me in the end. Those comments never gave me the fire to prove them wrong but just helped me develop into my own person. To learn to think for myself and really know what I truly know. These 2 years have been such a journey and I'm so thankful that I've been able to take it with the man who would stay by my side through thick and thin. He's been such an amazing example to me and I love him with everything I have. He has been worth all the wait and I can't wait to see his amazing face and move forward with us now!

T-minus 22 hours and counting. Stay tuned.

Dearest Missionary Girlfriends,

This post is for you, my girls! As the days are quickly approaching, I have felt that I needed to post specifically for you, to give advice, hope, consolation, stories... you name it, I would like to give that to you ladies. Let me just tell you all how much I love you... I love every single one of you! Those who I've known the entire time I've been apart of this process and those who are just now entering as I am making my exit. Each one of you girls has a special purpose and a special plan that only you can figure out.

Before I ever became a missionary girlfriend, I thought that the entire thought of "waiting" was, quite honestly, the stupidest thing a girl could ever do. Yes... I was a dreaded waiter hater. I never shared my views with girls who I knew were waiting vocally, I always kept them to myself. I never thought I'd understand why girls would put their lives on hold... for a boy! Come on! A boy... then again, I was slightly a boy hater at the time too. I was brought up and taught to be independent of the male species and to rely on only myself to accomplish anything or for happiness.

My whole world and thoughts then changed when I met this boy and he kept being reintroduced into my life. I had sworn that I would never wait for a missionary, even when I was writing 8 of my best guy friends on their missions. I would never put my life on hold for someone, I was living for me and going to accomplish what I wanted to in life, whether or not I had a guy with me. However, I fell in love with this boy and fell hard. Now I know that we all have control over our feelings and emotions and that we are never forced to be with someone... yet it felt like falling in love with him was what was supposed to happen, that becoming close with him was what I needed to do. I had thought about him and myself a lot! I knew he was going to go back on his mission and that he was going to be gone for 2 years... I would not see him for over 730 days. As time passed, I felt certain that waiting for him was the best choice for us, him, and me.

After he left for the MTC and 9 weeks later, his mission, life for me changed and I had to figure out how to live without him and what exactly was "waiting" for me. I still was not going to put my life on hold... but was I going to wait? What was I going to do for school? For work? What life experiences would I embark on? All of these questions came up to me and I started my journey as a missionary girlfriend. I made some major life changes, moved home and lived for me. I made friends, working an awesome job, joined the MG group on Facebook, and got to do some incredible things!

Girls, I never stopped living while he was gone! Yes we wrote each other every week and sent tapes and packages and things of that such but I still did what I had to for me to be the best I could be for my future. I prayed a ton! I cried a ton. I worried a ton. I laughed a ton. I learned a ton and I'm so grateful for these past two years of my life being away from him. I do love him dearly, I truly do. But I would never regret a single thing I've done or haven't done during his mission; it all happened for a reason.

There were quite a few times where I wanted to write him off because I was hurting so bad, having crazy doubts, concerns, and dwelling too much on the past. I wanted it all to stop, for all the bad things to go away and for me to have some sort of sanity again but there was always something that kept me going. Every time I went to write him and tell him I wanted to stop... that's when the Lord stepped in and consoled my aching spirit and gave me the comfort and strength I needed to move on and keep supporting one of His sons doing His work. Girls, don't ever give up! No matter how hard times get, no matter how much you hurt or think you can't go another day waiting... remember why you are in the first place. Remember your missionary and what he's going through everyday trying to share the gospel with others. They need our support and our love.

Once, in institute, we were talking about why men carry an older picture of their wives in their wallets instead of current ones. My institute teacher explained that for them, that was their "Day One" the day when they knew she was "the one." I shared that with Taylor when he was on his mission and when I was going through my period of tough times, he would always say "Marlee Michelle, remember our day one..." Girls... if you know that this is what you need to be doing, remember! Remember your Day One with your missionary... that day will get you through the hardest periods of time of the mission.

Grow with your missionary!!! Learn and share with him what you're doing in your letters. Taylor had his first interview with his mission president when he got to the field and after he told president he had a girl back home, the mission president expressed how important it was for the girl to grow with the missionary. If you want this to work, grow like he is! Taylor and I made it a goal to read the entire Standard Works during his mission, we read from the Missionary Reference Library together, I studied Preach My Gospel the first 6 months of his mission every single day to connect with him and get a glimpse into what he was doing everyday! I shared with him what I was reading in my scriptures, what verses stuck out to me; I shared with him my pondering and my thoughts on gospel doctrine and principles that I had studied out further. I would go on my little soapbox and be Missionary Marlee for a paragraph or so and he loved it! Grow in the gospel with him! Make sure that you two can talk about gospel topics with one another and have serious spiritual discussions... make sure that you two are at the same level as one another.

A goal I had made once he left, was to go to the temple as often as I could. When I moved home, I tried my best to go every week and do baptisms. There was a point where I didn't go for 3 months because I thought that I "didn't have enough time." Ha! You always have time to go! Make the time. There is nothing like stepping into the temple and just setting time aside for yourself in the middle of the week and feeling of the spirit there. Going to the temple truly helped me unwind and get a grip on my life to take on the following week.

I have never prayed so much and had long sincere prayers before in my entire life but I needed it if there was any hope of me making through this mission with my sanity still in tact. I learned so much about the Atonement, forgiveness, Heavenly Father's perception of me, about my Savior and how much I need them whether I was waiting for a missionary or not. I learned how to really listen to the Spirit and receive the guidance I needed for my life and what directions I needed to take. I learned how to keep going when it felt like everything was against me. Even though times got hard, it didn't mean it was a sign to end things... just a sign that a lesson was headed my way. I took this opportunity to learn what my Heavenly Father needed me to learn in these two years and apply it to my life.

You girls feel like sisters to me. I was directed to this secret world of MG's by a good friend who married her missionary. I was hesitant to join, thinking that if I did so... I was jinxing myself. However... this group has saved me! I always felt like if I ever needed to hear something to help me, I could find it on one of your girl's posts! I admire how you girls are going through what life is throwing at you while your boys are away. I admire your faith, your strength, your desire to do righteous things and support your boys. You are all such an inspiration to me and I thank you all for your love and support in the past 16 months I've been apart of this group! I enjoy this secret sisterhood we each have with one another! Keep cheering each other on, consoling one another, supporting one another, rejoicing with another, and keep loving each other! We need each other to help grow and get through this time apart. You will never regret the days you spent as an MG, you'll only regret the days you never lived as an MG. May God bless everyone of you girls and whatever your desires may be! I love you all and hope this post could be of some help to someone reading it. I'll always be here if any of you need me.

Love you ladies!

Marlee Michelle

The Lasts

This is a quickie dear stalkers. This is the last week of him gone. I wrote his last letter tonight. This is the last of a lot of things... but I'm quite excited for the beginning of a whole new rounds of firsts and news... it's incredible to think that I'll have to get used to a boyfriend again... that I'll actually have a date on Friday and Saturday nights. That my plans, desires, and wishes will all be following through with now.... the way I've come to look at it is that I'm leaving one way of life in exchange for another. Granted, it's a much better life I'm exchanging for, don't get me wrong; it's just an adjustment of going with the familiar on to something new and spectacular. I'm feeling all sorts of emotions and thinking all kinds of thoughts all at the same time... it can be quite exhausting let me tell you. But I'm grateful for everything that I have been blessed with. I see him in 7 days. At this moment in one week, I'll be in his arms again... seeing him, touching him, and knowing that he's real and does exist after all this time! It's been a wonderful ride and I'd like to leave you lovelies with a poem I wrote almost two years ago about my decision to stick with him through this mission. Enjoy.


Voices (Safe at Sea)

Voices carried in the wind
Are rushing, pounding in.
I am out at sea,
Everyone is trying to save me.
Safely in Poseidon’s net am I found
Yet they all try to come around.

Too many voices inside my mind
Drowning my confidence I had fought to find.
Doubt, question, insecurity cloud up my clear sky
Now make me look at my perfect picture and ask why?
Tis not good fortune to make the Creator question her work
For she followed exactly, her Masters perfect book.

The sea was to liberate me
Free to wait and see
Gain the freedom to say “let it be”
I know I am incomplete
For right now it seems
Night can hold my worst dreams.

Faith, hope, and love
Memories, letters, and songs
Will keep me safe, make sure I hold on.
“Have trust in me,
Doubt not, can you not see?
I will last, I am strong
I will prove faithful, I will not be torn.”

The winds yell out “you cannot know
You are too young and still need to grow.”
To them, time is far
Distance too long to make the bar
If my journey be safe at sea,
Do not save but oh, please, support me.

For while my love be in a different clime
Calm the rushing wind and the boisterous chime
Crowd me not and make me not ashamed
Do not discourage but uplift the unmaimed.
“You’ll make it, ‘tis not a long time,
He told you “our lasting love is true
It is what will see us this journey through.
We both know for certainty
It is you and me for eternity.’”

Special posts to follow in the coming week.