Kindergarten Babies

Last week was my little sister Lexi's first day of kindergarten. She was a little apprehensive so Broc and I were telling her about how fun kindergarten was. The funny thing is that Broc and I were in the same kindergarten class!! The only thing I can remember from kindergarten is Mrs. McBride giving us easy cheese and ritz crackers served on a cookie sheet and watching my friend get stung by a bee at recess. All Broc can remember is the playground and the spiral monkey bars. Too bad we can't remember eachother. So Lexi, best of luck with easy cheese and monkey bars. Kindergarten is great.(also pictured Ryan Steck, Wess Musso, Brady McArthur, Katie Holt, Daniel Stocks, and the side of Tyler Tolman's head)

9th grade yearbook signing day rolled around at Pine View Middle School and I thought Broc was the "hottest" boy in Mrs. Ronnow's honors english class, so of course I went up to him and asked him to sign my yearbook. I remember contemplating for a couple seconds on what to write, and to buy some time as he signed mine I commented on his new set of braces (probably the first thing I ever said to him, ever). I remember getting enough courage to write something totally out of my element and even used the word "hottie". So not like me, especially as a shy freshmen. What was I thinking? But it was written in pen so there was no going back. Anxious to see what the 9th grade "hottie" wrote in mine, I searched for his message frantically to find this...
He thought I was a "swell person". Swell.

THEN & NOW

Here are some photos from before and after the mission...

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER

The story of Us.

Broc was a scraggly haired, braces wearing boy with gorgeous eyes. I was a scrawny built girl with a dancer smile.

At age 16 we sat opposite ends of Mr. Jones studio art class. I sat on a table with a few of my panthera friends while he sat on a table full of girls that probably wanted to date him. I remember how dang attractive I thought he was from across the room and that he probably didn't even know my name. He later told me how he thought I was too good for him because I was on the dance team. Little did we know that things were about to change.

It was junior prom our junior year and I had a boy coming from Arizona to go to the dance with me. When he came, it was to my surprise that I was totally not interested in him like I use to be. My mind was on the cute Broc Hafen that I had only hung out with a time or two. Broc and I were in the same day date group. We went to the park to play missionary tag. I had my eye on Broc the whole time. Suddenly I was it and had to run to link on to someone's arm and Broc (already being my main focus) was my first target. When I grabbed his arm and turned around to watch the rest of the game he whispered to me "So you don't seem very into this Arizona guy". I felt flustered hoping he didn't notice that I was looking at him the whole day. I think I replied something like "Ya for some reason it's just not there for me anymore". Soon after, someone grabbed Broc's other arm and off I had to run. Being arm in arm with Broc was the best part of the date and he wasn't even my date!

That evening at dinner, our large dance group ate at Jeremy Hardman's. There were 2 huge round tables to sit the 20+ couples. The view I had of Broc was familiar. Opposite ends of the room just like art class. Since he was the only one that was aware of my disinterest in my date he kept making faces and gestures to me across the room. After the dance I went home and called our good friend Tyler Carlson to vent to him about how this Arizona boy was staying in my basement and I wanted to try to sleep through him leaving in the morning to avoid any awkwardness. Tyler took me by surprise when he said "It's because you like Broc huh."

I guess it was obvious from day one.

Shortly after junior prom Broc and I had our first date. We went to the Pine View Jazz dinner dance. Us and Kennedy Byrd must have been the only people under the age of 50 besides the band. We danced to jazz music, ate staheli catering and enjoyed elderly company and it just happened to be Valentines Day. It was a weird but perfect first date.
So anyways, the rest of the story goes like this, Broc started to like this Erin girl a lot and asked her on many more dates. Erin was super happy because she loved being with Broc. Nothing has changed to this day.

So they dated for two years...

Went to lots of dances...



Had TONS of fun...

And yep, they fell in love.


Then they turned 19. Broc turned in his mission papers. She got geared up for a long wait.


Broc got called to serve in Madagascar. The furthest mission from church headquarters. Exactly 10,748 miles away. He left April 30th 2008. Erin died April 30th 2008 (not really).

2 years past...
and this boy came home.
I swear it was a lot longer than just having to scroll down 2 pictures.

Things were back to normal.

Still in love.