A lot has changed for me in the last year. The last thing I ever mentioned in my last blog was my divorce and move to Cedar City where I was living my dream as an editor for the Iron County Today.
Jumping back to January of 2017, I was living with my college best friend, Hanna Williams and her family. I have my cute little mini dachshund/pug mix Annabelle also. After my divorce, I wanted to find myself again, become happy with myself before I jumped into dating again. I didn't plan to find anyone for at least a year after my divorce if at all. I did, however, have the desire to meet new people, date for fun and hang out. I had always been uncertain about finding someone through online dating, but had tried LDSSingles.com and LDSPlanet.com in the past. Hanna found her husband, Dustin on LDS Planet, but I had heard Match.com was really good. I decided to give it a try and subscribed for 3 months on January 9. I found some guys nearby and engaged in conversation, but nothing connected or seemed like it was worth it. I found my now husband, Charles that same week, but he hadn't responded and wondered if he would. He looked familiar and he lived just 15 minutes away. A week later on January 16 he messaged me and we had our first date that weekend on Jan. 21.
By Feb. 2 we were in a relationship. Not everyone shares my religious views, but you all know how important God is in my decisions. While I had never gotten a straight "yes" with my ex-husband. I received numerous "yes" answers in the temple with Charles being "the one" I should marry.
Charles and I share many similarities including our age and place as the baby in our families. I thought I knew what love felt like, I thought I knew that I would KNOW when I found the one before, but until I met Charles Knight I really didn't know.
On July 15, Charles took me to dinner at Capriletti's in St. George and then took me to the St. George Temple where he asked me to marry him. Of course, I said yes and we were married Nov. 4 at the Dixie Center. I was sad that the date didn't work in favor of many of my friends and family to join and celebrate with us, but it was a happy day! We hope to be sealed in the St. George Temple at the end of this year.
When I met Charles, we both seemed so familiar to each other and had lived around each other for years, but I knew the reason we hadn't met before then was the timing. I know now I was supposed to meet him when I did. All the relationships and things I've been through were supposed to happen. I can say I found my "Knight in shining armor!"
Career wise, I was laid off in August, which I took as the last time I would try my chance at journalism, because of how rough of a job it can be with not nearly enough pay. I was hired on at SkyWest Airlines in September, where I currently remain working in Maintenance Aircraft Records. I get to learn about and keep track of parts and maintence on the planes. It is quite enjoyable both for the work and the benefits to fly pretty much anywhere I want for little to nothing! Charles and I have already gone to Thermopolis, Wyoming to visit part of my mission and enjoy the hot spring there. We plan our first trip to experience Hawaii on my birthday in two weeks! Charles has always wanted to be a pilot and is considering flight school next year if everything works out.
When Charles and I got married we ended up giving Annabelle to a family with three other dachshunds. I had been noticing her temperament with babies not going well, which left us worried about how she would react to our future children. I didn't really know what to do. This was before I realized I could have gone to a behaviorist. We both had an issue with her constant barking and she had terrible separation anxiety from me while I was at work. A friend of a friend told me about the family she is now with. She's been there since November and LOVES her new human family and doggy siblings.
I know now that she was meant to be there. She has a doggy family and a human family that can give her more attention than what We could provide her. It's been hard moving on without her as she helped me through some tough times and has been my baby. I know some who may not agree with the decision I made because I re-homed my pet, but it was MY decision and I'd be selfish to bring her back to me when I see her happier with her current family where she can play and get much needed attention. Just 5 weeks ago, Charles and I found Leo, an Australian shepherd/Pomeranian mix. We both fell in love. He has the perfect temperament toward children, barks only when he wants to encourage a dog to play with him and is very smart and trainable. He loves us both and has become the perfect dog that is meant to be with us and will do well when we start a family.
Life has it's ups and downs, brings new trials daily, but with my new husband, family and continued faith in my Father in Heaven and his son, Jesus Christ, I shall not fail. So grateful, especially at this time of year, for my Savior and his sacrifice on the cross and the Garden of Gethsemane. I'm so grateful for his gift of the Resurrection that we too can overcome physical death.
