So where to begin...
I guess the beginning is always a nice place. I'll just recap the brief history of how me and Aaron got together. (And I'm Aaron. I thought I would interject with comments once in awhile to make sure you know exactly how amazing my fiancee is ;) So we actually went to high school together. Surprise, surprise. We had mutual friends, we knew who each other were... we never said a word to each other. Go figure.I think I vaguely remember him having lunch at our table one time. And seeing him in the ensemble of different plays, and at choir concerts. Or coming across his picture in the year book. But that's about it... Until August. (I remember her vividly. I always thought she was gorgeous, but never had the guts to talk to her. Imagine how lucky I felt to reconnect with her. And how much luckier I felt when we started dating. And how ultimately blessed I felt when she said yes :)
I was friends with his cousin Melanie who was in my ward (and yes she gets bragging rights and royalties) and I was assigned to be her visiting teacher. Let me tell you do I have a strong testimony of visiting teaching now! Well Melanie had a couple game night parties at her house and Aaron and his sister Natalie were there. I remember walking in and recognizing him and saying, "Oh yeah! I know Aaron! Hey how's it going?"
How Aaron could stand me those first few times I have no idea. I remember coming in complaining about all those stupid guys that I was dealing with. Who just were not manning up and taking initiative when I had obviously put myself out there and expressed interest but... nothing. It was getting really old to tell you the truth. And I had just nearly had it. And how he possibly found me attractive with all my complaining I still wonder... (All this time I was thinking, "Hey, if all these guys are being that lame, maybe I actually have a chance!" Nothing unattractive about her.)
We played "Egyptian Rat-screw" and would make me so frustrated because I could never beat him! Apparently he says he did it to keep me interested or something like that. We have played a few times over the months and I did beat him! (Hooozay!) but every time we played I announced we were NOT dating. Ha ha.
The second time I saw Aaron Melanie's birthday party. We really hit off that time, laughing and joking and quoting Emperor's New Groove. I think everyone could pick up on the connection between us. Heck everyone knew we were going to be dating before we did. Melanie would bring him up after that mention how cute he was and how we should date. (I may have asked Melanie to put in a good word for me ;) But I started dating someone else at that time. Another story which really just doesn't matter anymore but the most interesting thing about it that I care to mention was this guy's number got disconnected about the time Aaron and I became friends and I haven't heard from him since. Just further proof that God's hand has always been in my relationships.
In the Book of Mormon in Alma 32 it talks about likening Faith unto a seed and if it's a good seed it will grow and flourish if it isn't it will fall away. I've had teachers say to replace the word seed with relationships. If it's a good relationship it will grow and flourish if not... fall away. And I can tell you every other relationship has fallen away. Except for this one.
I added Aaron on Facebook that night and we started emailing back and forth talking about making plans for a game night and to watch Emperor's New Groove and I gave him my number. And yeah.. that was the beginning of it. He became my best friend. We were always texting or talking or doing things together. I never thought much of it. We went Blues dancing one night, and danced pretty much the whole time together except for the few times someone else was able to sneak in. Ha ha. People picked up on our chemistry. I got asked four times that night by four different people if we were dating. My response was always, "Oh no, we're just friends!" And then I realized "Oh wait... I kinda like you... I'm not sure how I feel about that..."
And I fought it! I did everything I could to keep Aaron in friend zone. But still was always drawn to him and would spend a lot of time with him we just became closer.
One night we stayed out til 4 am just talking and I got locked out of my house! Had to call my sister to open the door. To say she wasn't happy was an understatement. My mom found out how late we were out and told us the next night as we were going out, "If you come in past 1:30 you're engaged!" We just looked at each other like, "What?" And it became the running gag while we were dating. But then it just kinda became a possibility...
I remember praying about it whether this was something to pursue. Because I reached the point where I didn't want to waste my time on something that wasn't it and maybe miss out on other opportunities. As I was praying about it the answer I got was, "You took no thought but to ask me... You have to figure this out on your own." Darn agency! I'm the kind of person who just wants the Lord to tell me what to do. But I needed to know my own feelings. And sometimes love just comes softly... And that's was what happened.( I was actually dumb struck from the beginning, but who wouldn't be?) I tried to sabotage it many times. It was just too... easy being with Aaron and he was so so good to me. I'm like "Wait, this can't happen. Nothing comes easy for Nikki Robison! She has to hit her head against a wall a thousand times and maybe just maybe some little good will come from it." A friend told me I ask the Lord for stones when He wants to give me bread. Little did I realize he wanted to give me something so much more than I ever dreamed of. He truly wants to give us the righteous desires of our hearts. And so grateful that He got me out of my own way.
February 25, 2011~ Engagement Story..
So here's how it happened. We knew and we decided that we would get married back in November, so it's been a long time coming! To me we were already engaged. I feel if you both talked about it and decided to get married you're engaged. But got to make this legit and official with the bling and such. My friend Skip told me once, the wedding, the reception, the dress that's the girl's moment. Its the moment she's been dreaming of since she was in diapers. But the proposal that's the guy's one shining moment in this. So let him have his moment. It was hard though because if people asked me point blank if we were getting married I'd say, "Yes." Its hard to keep something like that to yourself because I knew we weren't just dating anymore.
So I knew he had to be doing it soon. Especially since Melanie came up with a new rule: nobody can get married while she's gone on her mission unless they are engaged before she leaves. So I knew he had until March 2. My suspicions were raised when last Sunday he asked me what I was doing that weekend. We have reached the point in our relationship where he really doesn't ask a head of time for a date. We just spend every spare minute together. So I'm all like "What do you mean what am I doing this weekend?" And he told me his parents were going to be in London (lucky) and were going to miss Natalie's birthday, so they wanted to plan a surprise party for her that Friday and we were going to be the decoys and go on a double date with Natalie and Steve while they set up for the party. I'm all like, "Cool, of course I'll be there."
As I was thinking about it I said out loud to my sister, "What if they aren't doing a surprise party for Natalie? What if he's planning on proposing?" So I decided to prepare for every possibly moment and make sure I always look cute.
A couple days later he asked again what I was doing that weekend. I say, "Going to Natalie's surprise party of course!" And he told me he wanted to do a special date for Saturday and when I asked details he said, "Secrets" and told me to dress up.
This is it! He's got to be proposing! So I make plans to go shopping and find something cute to wear for Saturday. Poor guy he really just can't seem to surprise me! I know its coming and of course its going to be Saturday. (At this point I knew I had to throw her off... I've never been able to keep secrets from my sweetheart without her finding out, but somehow I was able to fool her that night by using that to my advantage and being far too obvious haha!) Though I still had suspicions about the surprise party..
Until he asked me if I might be able to get the club house where we first did our "Game & Groove Night" (this is important remember this) because it was bigger and nicer looking. So it seemed to erase my suspicions that he was proposing and they really were doing a surprise party because why would he have me secure the location of where he's proposing?
It was a little late notice but I asked my friends in the condo if they might be able to get it that Friday. I didn't think we'd be able to, he forgot to get back to me and ended up emailing Thursday night for availability. But as luck would have it we found out that day that we had it. Cool.
So I get ready for our "date" doing my hair and make up really cute. Just in case. Though I didn't really think he was doing it that night. I go and pick up the key to club house from my friends, even telling them how I thought he was going to be proposing Saturday! So I go and meet Aaron at his house running a little late and dropped off the key with his mom and said we'd see her around 7:30 to set up. He seemed a little stressed and a little out of it but he had been getting sick earlier that week which had me worried but I didn't think too much about it, was just a little irked that he didn't notice how cute I was right away. Ha ha.
We meet Natalie and Steve at the dollar theater to watch "Gulliver's Travels" ("I have never been wooed with such passion!") we get out around 7ish and head over to the Purple Turtle for shakes. We still had about an hour to get there and help set up. Steve was going to tell Natalie that they were going to a friend's birthday party and needed to stop by the store to get drinks which will give us time to get over there before they do.
We are just sitting and chatting for a good while after we finished our shakes then Natalie gets up and goes to the bathroom. So we discuss plans with Steve. Aaron had been checking his messages and apparently there were other people in the club house and they hadn't wrapped up yet so we needed to stall a little bit more. Steve said that wasn't a problem. So she comes back and we sit and talk for about another ten minutes and then get up to go. So they leave, and me and Aaron are still hanging around he said that we needed to give them a head start.
I am starving by this point so I'm really not thinking too clearly or questioning anything though I'm like, "Why do they need a head start? Shouldn't we be going to the club house before they do?" But I didn't say anything. We both go to the bathroom he's in there for like another 5 minutes or so after I get out.(Stalling...) And like I said I'm starving so that's really the only thing on my mind. He comes out and is still hanging around until I suggest we go to the car where we wait some more.(Stalling...) He says we need to go the store to pick up matches for the cake because they forgot some.(Stalling...) So we head over to Macey's. I say, "I'm starving I'm getting food." So we head to the Deli and I pick up some chicken and we wonder around the store looking for matches while I eat. We find matches I finish my chicken and we FINALLY get to the club house.
I grab the matches and we head inside. The key was left under the mat and we walk in and it's dark and no one is around. I notice a Happy Birthday banner on the mantel and I say, "I think everyone is upstairs let's go up there." He stops me and says "Wait a minute. I actually have a confession." And turns me to face him and takes my hands in his.
My heart starts to pound! And thoughts just start rushing through my head: Wait, wait, wait. You aren't doing this now! Oh my gosh! I just had chicken! I need an altoid! You were supposed to do this tomorrow!!!
"Natalie's not having a party here. Actually when I heard we could have this place tonight I wanted to have you alone for a second. This was kind of the first place I started falling in love with you and.. well I haven't stopped falling since. And so, I have something for you..." He gets down on one knee and pulls out a box from his pocket, "Nicole Lindsay Robison, will you marry me?"
I just begin to cry and look at him and say a very obvious answer, "Yes!" He gets up and kisses me.
The next moment you hear the sound like the roar at BYU stadium and like 50 or so people come down from the stairs and out of their hiding places. It was like red carpet, paparazzi moment. I swear I didn't see Aaron for the next 5 minutes as people were swarming me saying, "Nikki! Nikki! Nikki!" demanding my attention I'm all like, "What?! What?! What?!" And saying hi to all these wonderful people who got to share in the most wonderful moment of my life. My family and his family and dozens of my very good and wonderful closest friends. How he got them all to be there was just absolutely amazing. Some of my girlfriends who I have adopted as my sisters. The two little girls I babysat since they were one and two. My babysitter who watched me all of my growing up life. I mean it was just incredible! I could have not asked for a more perfect moment.
About 20 people in I finally get to look at my ring! "Oh it's pretty!!" I realized I am still holding the matches!! I see Aaron then and just shove them at his chest. It took me fifty matches to find my perfect match.
I'm in a complete state of shock! I was for the next couple hours. It was a good thing I ate before or else I probably would have fainted when he asked me. How's that for an answer? People will tell you how dazed I was. I don't think you could have thrown a brick at my face and had me be more surprised!
I had actually broken out in a heat rash on my face, neck and chest! We now call it "Nelson Fever" for those of you who know the story.
It was so great to see so many people who I love to be there and share in this moment. To see our families interact together was the natural wonderful thing in the world. It was wonderful.
Before Nikki ties this off, let me just interject how amazing she is. She is my strength when I feel burdened. She massages my hands when I need to relax. She leaves me ninja gift baskets when I'm sick. She is one of the most spiritually in tune persons I have ever known and she constantly lifts me up and brings light into my life. She is always thinking of everyone else and is so sweet. I love her so, so much it's hard to express! I couldn't ask for a more amazing woman.
I feel so incredibly blessed and so excited to be marrying this wonderful man of my life. I could not have imagined anyone better than Aaron. There's no close second to him. He's the sweetest man I have ever met. He's been so patient and emotionally supportive of everything I've been going through. He's my greatest strength. How we've grown together and how I feel I've overcome so much more then I would have ever done on my own. He makes up where I lack. Going forth where so many others have failed before. Being persistent and faithful through all my uncertainty. He holds me when I need to cry and kisses me even though I've been throwing up. I love him so much my heart feels like it will burst! A line from my Patriarchal blessing says, "Remember, your life is one of design and not of chance." And as I've been looking back I am humbled to see the design that has led me to Aaron. So grateful for all those experiences that prepared us for each other. A complete miracle. I found someone who finally makes all those love songs make sense. God did certainly "Blessed the Broken Road that Led Me Straight to You."
