meet my man: Kristen and Glenn

Glenn and I grew up within two miles of each other, went to the same high school, and both were extremely social... but somehow we seem to have had only one mutual friend.  A fact that served us well.  

After graduating from Brigham Young University, I had resigned myself to the fact that I was destined to be single. As a university graduate, I was sure there was no way I could have interest in any boys going to a 'community college'- and elementary teaching didn't lend itself to meeting many guys.  About this time, I was dating a friend from high school and on occasion would end up hanging out with another friend of his... Glenn Harmon.  I knew Glenn by face- he was 10th, 11th, and Senior class president in high school... but we really hadn't ever talked with each other before this.  Problem was, I was catching the Glenn bug.  Gasp- a community college guy...

Realizing he deserved more from someone's heart than I was giving, I stopped dating the mutual friend.  Problem was I still wanted to see Glenn.  What's a girl to do... throw a few parties and hope to get him back around the house!  It worked and by Christmas, Glenn and I had made plans to go serve at the local Boy's Ranch since some of the boys didn't get to go home for the day.  I had the vibe Glenn still only saw me as a friend and I was surrounded by girls who called me excited to be going on dates with Glenn- even when he would postpone them for three months later when he had an opening in his schedule.  You could say he was a bit of a work-aholic.  Still, I loved being around him, so I took the friendship deal.

Must be the magic of the holidays, but when we went to that Boy's Ranch- Glenn suddenly realized I was girl!  And what's more- he liked that!  We spent most of the day together drinking hot chocolate, watching old claymation classics, and building a large snow sea serpent in my front yard until 2 am.  On the way out, our mutual friend asked Glenn if he was digging me (I wasn't the only one who had noticed the new attitude!).  Glenn nodded and I think panic ensued for our mutual friend who had hoped I'd come around on the idea of us dating.  

I figured I'd have to wait a few weeks to see Glenn emerge from his work again, so I was surprised when the next morning my phone rang.  Mmm, Glenn.  He'd lost his cell phone the night before.  Shrill ringing from the snow in the front yard confirmed it.  Heaven must  have  been on my side, because when he came to pick it up on his way to work, his car got stuck in the snow and he was left all to me for the day!  I remember watching Lord of the Rings as we laid down on the TV room floor and being so excited when our feet touched!  I was in heaven. 

When our mutual friend called me to say hello and learned Glenn was snowed in at my place, it wasn't 30 minutes before he was over with a shovel to try to dig Glenn's car out and get him on the road (and out of my house!) again.  I laugh every time I remember his face.  He was not going to lose this battle sitting down!  

Glenn and I made the transition from friends into daters over the next couple of weeks.  This fact was a little awkward considering he was living with our mutual friend and another guy I was dating at the time.  With a little work we all settled into the idea. And I loved that I got to drive over to see him at his place on Orion Drive, since I had chosen the constellation Orion as my back-up boyfriend in college (he was said to be the most handsome of hunters).  Glenn also unknowingly chose the Orion cut for his wedding band.  How apropos. 

By Valentine's Day Glenn had said he loved me and I thought we were on the fast track for a proposal. But... the following week he was completely different and I knew it.  We had a talk, I told him I wanted him to be where he really wanted to be- even if that wasn't with me, and sent him off on a business trip with ring I wore around my neck that I had promised myself I'd give to the person I knew I wanted to be with.  We prayed together and cried together and off he went.  The next morning I went out to my car to find two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together on the driver side window.   Glenn had always said that "We just fit" and it was his way of telling me we were staying together.  When he returned from his business trip, all his feelings had returned even stronger.

We happily spent every day together and hated saying goodbye more and more.  As we got closer to being engaged, I began to wonder if I was really ready to leave the fun of the dating world for good.  Sensing a change in me, Glenn went out with his friends to skim board in the Virgin river (shallow, red, muddy, muddy water).  He was horrified when he looked down and saw he had lost the ring I gave him.  I really would have taken it for a sign that we weren't meant to be together since it correlated with my resignations about eternal commitment.  Glenn and his friends looked and prayed and looked and prayed for about 2 1/2 hrs.  Nothing.   About to leave, they decided to pray one more time and as they finished- they looked down and saw the ring sitting there in the mud- a real deal saver!   

On Easter Glenn proposed, and June 17th we were married in the Salt Lake Temple- in love and happy to start this adventure together. Seven years later we have three children, got Glenn through college, and live in LA where Glenn is a professional artist.  To my surprise he has been an even more wonderful father and husband than I could have ever dreamed of or asked for.  I definitely feel like I've won the lottery! Here's to the next 77 years....