While baby Megan contentedly nursed during her mom’s lunch break, 4-year-old Jeff worried that the seeds he spilled while following his dad across the street would sprout trees. (Call it – Maple Avenue?)
While Mom coaxed Jeff for hours on end to take his insulin shots, Megan ran marathons around the house to escape her own Mom and the icky medicine she was holding.
While Jeff and his best friend, Michael, played GI Joes in Michael’s bedroom, Megan was on the other side of the wall with her best friend, Melissa. They were playing with dolls, too.
While sixth-grade Megan practiced lines for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Jeff practiced driving. “Forget taking my kids for ice cream,” Jeff says, “because I for dang sure can’t park the car.”
While Jeff sang in the school choir, Megan-the-rebellious got her first (and last) C grades. Seventh-grade French class? Oui.
While Megan drank in drama, debate, AP classes and college pamphlets full time, Jeff skipped town for San Antonio to serve a full-time mission. Spanish-speaking? That language he hated in seventh-grade? Si. Si.
As Jeff boarded a plane to return from his mission, Megan disembarked a plane in Europe for a nearly monthlong tour with sister Amy.
While Jeff downed macaroni and cheese at the Hillers’ home, the guys tried to persuade Jeff to ask a girl out. Megan listened from across the table, quietly eating her own mac-and-cheese.
Jeff moved from studying medical school prerequisites, to architecture, until he (finally!) landed on urban planning at the University of Utah. Megan studied theatre and moved from Tacoma, to London, and back to Tacoma – only to land a summer internship at Lexington Children’s Theatre.
As Megan moved back home from Kentucky, Jeff and Megan’s moms discussed their kids at a bridal shower. The moms decided these kids should get to know each other better. Both moms hinted (not so subtly) to Jeff and Megan about it.
The reaction? A little bit of eye rolling. Jeff thought dating Megan would be strange since he remembered her as “Zack’s little sister.” Plus, “Megan wouldn’t be interested anyway.” Just around the corner, Megan thought Jeff sounded interesting, but “nothing will ever come of it.”
After that, Jeff happened to see Megan walk past his house one evening with her parents. Hmmm, maybe she isn’t too young after all.
As Megan related the story of an unfortunate date with a pirate she met at a Halloween dance, Jeff listened intently from across the crowded room, secretly happy for evidence that Megan was unattached. Jeff Facebook-stalked the pirate to see how he measured up.
Megan told her mom she would become friends with Jeff: “Mark my words.” (Well-marked now!)
While delivering cookies during a church Christmas activity, Jeff and Megan rode in the same car and performed a Christmas rap for the recipients.
While attending a friend’s wedding reception, Jeff jokingly practiced asking the girl on his left, “Will you marry me?” Megan sat, laughing, on Jeff’s right.
While Megan was in Philadelphia last Christmas, Jeff sent her a “Merry Christmas” text. She happily texted back. Text mania took off from there as they conspired, via text, to jointly take over the world.
Jeff wanted to suggest that he and Megan perform the “Double Dream Hands” dance at the ward talent show, but was worried he’d sound crazy if he did. Well, it turns out Megan’s the crazy one. She suggested it, Jeff accepted, and rehearsals/unofficial dates began.
After buying yellow polos for their dance, Jeff mustered up all his strength to ask Megan out for ice cream afterward. He blurted it out just seconds before reaching Megan’s house to drop her off. Megan (happily!) agreed.
While Jeff resolved to find a way to ask Megan out for real, Megan nervously dialed Jeff’s number to ask him out. She beat him to the punch, Jeff accepted, and there was much rejoicing and nervous laughter.
The first date? Jeff planned the whole thing. They ate dinner at Stoneground and walked around the City-County Building in downtown Salt Lake City.
Megan and Jeff held hands for the first time at a picnic in the park on Valentine’s Day.
While Jeff finally put his arm around Megan at their church meeting, their friends applauded the couple’s progress.
Under an umbrella on Megan’s porch after a short walk and a long talk, Jeff and Megan shared their first kiss.
While Jeff and Megan shared “I love you” for the first time on a very special Tuesday, they both thought about the future.
While looking at the Salt Lake Temple, Jeff proposed (on one knee) to Megan. Megan replied with a “Yes, absolutely!” and a kiss.
That’s the story so far.
But this morning (October 14, 2011), in the Salt Lake Temple, they (officially) began the real story.
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