My Perfect Christmas

You know how you always dream of big romantic moments happening just like in the movies, yet real life sucks and you're always let down? Weeeelllllll, sometimes things do happen like in the movies. But let me catch you up...

Colton and I are thriving. We've known each other for just about a year and we've dated nearly the entire year. This is huge for me. The last time a relationship of mine lasted longer than four months it was long distance with a liar who was in the coast guard, stationed in Alaska. Yeah, it sucked. But Colton? It's marvelous. He lives ten minutes away, he's not a liar, and he's active in the church. Three major things going for him.

The two of us have been working on getting to know each other better and communicating issues we see within the relationship. We've connected in a way that I've never experienced before. He puts me at ease in a way that I never thought I'd feel. In previous relationships I've always had a sense of anxiety over the future, like the panic about the uncertain future in the relationship was palpable. But with Colton? I feel peace. Everything feels clear. I'm confident in our future together.

Okay. Time for that perfect moment.

This Christmas I didn't get to go home and be with my family because I had to work, which sucked. Boo. But it did mean I got to spend a lot of holiday time with Colton. On Christmas Eve I went over to his house (roommates were gone for the Holidays, so the kitchen was clean (!!!) and we had the place to ourselves. I made him dinner and he made me his mom's homemade Christmas sugar cookies. We sat on the floor and exchanged gifts (we gave each other books. we're such nerds.) We curled up on the couch and watched It's a Wonderful Life and we paused it so I could facetime my family and read scriptures with them. The entire night it was snowing outside. I love the way the world gets soft and quiet when it snows. It was honestly such a perfect night, even down to when it was time for me to go home and Colton came outside and dug my car out of the snow and made me promise to drive slow and safe.

The really perfect night was Christmas day. I worked a 10 hour shift and it was busy and crazy and I was exhausted, but I really wanted to go see Colton that night. By the time I got to his place, it was dark and all my dreams of playing in the fresh Christmas snow were dashed by the desire to be snuggled up and warm. Also, cats. Colton's roommates have two really cute cats and I really wanted to play with them. Colton had The Hateful Eight cued up for us to watch (yes, we're sinners, yes he got the movie online, yes I know it's rated R and Tarantino is a gruesome director and there's a controversial scene with Samuel L Jackson in that movie, BUT I DON'T CARE. We watched it because Tarantino is my favorite and I've been waiting forever for this movie) so we got all snuggled up. Shortly into the movie he jumped up to get us hot chocolate (you know when you're watching a movie and they're drinking or eating something and you really want to drink or eat that thing too? Yeah they were drinking coffee in the movie and Colton decided he wanted hot chocolate.) It was taking him foreeeever to make the drinks, but when he finally brought over the mugs (mine was on a full sized dinner plate, like an oversized saucer. too cute.) He also brought over a plate of peeled clementine oranges and a plate of some of the sugar cookies he made the night before.

So there we were, snuggling on Christmas, sipping our hot chocolate, dunking our sugar cookies in it, and eating orange slices. It was perfect. PERFECT. Plus it was snowing again. After the movie we were snuggling and kissing a bit. He leaned over and brushed his hand on my cheek and said, "You're so beautiful" so I leaned in and kissed him. Then he said, "I love you." It was so soft, but so sincere. I know he was scared when he said it, but I honestly can't ask for a more perfect, more romantic moment. It was straight out of movie. The snow, the soft glow of Christmas lights, the man, the cats (yay cats!) I love that man. I'm so madly, deeply, peacefully in love with him.

You mark my words, there will be a wedding in 2016 and it will be mine and Colton's.