I was tagged a while ago by Marissa...sorry it's taken me so long to write this.
How did I meet my husband?
It's actually a great story. Officially we met in March of 2000 in Neuquen, Argentina...yes, we met on our missions. However, we didn't really remember each other until we met up again 3 years later at a mission reunion. That was Oct. 4, 2002. We were all mingling in the foyer waiting for the reunion to start, I hadn't gone to one since I first got home, but this was the first time my mission presidents, President and Sister George were going to be there. I was SO EXCITED to see them, little did I know that this night would forever change my life.
I was politely chatting with 2 Elders whom I didn't know and looked up at the door just as this tall red head in a green suit walked through the door. I literally caught my breath at his hotness. He didn't stop walking and was walking straight for me. My pulse quickened. I wanted him to stop and talk to me but wasn't sure if he was walking past me, so I stopped him by asking, "what's your name", he chuckled, (since we don't really know anyone's names as missionaries, thus, a retarded question) but said, well it's Sean, but I was Elder Marcum. I said, "humm, I don't think I know you" and nervously turned to finish my conversation. He stopped me by noticing my name on my scripture case and said in amazment, "you're Hermana Isbell?" I was like, yeah, (I know I was a fat sister but you don't have to make it so obvious :)...by this time I was not looking like the pony tail chubby sister missionary he remembered. Then he said, I do remember you. You shared a scripture with my group of greenies when we got to the office. You shared-and this is the really impressive part- you shared Jacob 7:26, and talked about how his life passed like a dream and how the mission would too, so to aprovechar el dia!
WOW, okay, my jaw is hitting the ground. He remembered the verse and everything I said, which is also more impressive because I was speaking in Spanish and he had just come from the MTC, so to understand all that, his spanish was pretty dang good. I was like, yeah, I did do that. I remember, but I couldn't ever remember meeting him in particular.
So, we all go into the chapel for the meeting, and he is sitting front and center with his scriptures open and pen in hand to take notes...I've always been a sucker for obedient boys. :) He scored points in my book for that. I sat a few people from him but on the same row. I asked to borrow a pen from him, just to talk to him again. During the talks, I kept staring at him, over and over. There was a chapel full of Elders behind us and I thought "stop staring, everyone can see you drooling, pay attention to the President". Then during one stare, I audibly heard a voice calmy and plainly say, "you will marry him."
What! Who is this guy! What do you mean? I don't even know him! At least he's the hottest guy here...but seriously, how is this going to happen? I was arguing with the spirit. What was I supposed to do, go up to him and say, "I know we just met, but I've received revelation that we're going to get married". PSYCO! So, after the meeting, I tried to position myself close enough to him so he'd approach me and get my number. He says he wanted to get my number but I was too busy talking with everyone. So I left and went home and told my roomate SaraLyn that I'd met the man I was going to marry.
Eventually, my MPA group convinced me to email him. I was pretty snotty. I never saught after the guy. I let them come to me. So emailing and making the first move was huge for me. I didn't want to do it, but I wanted to see him, so I did, he emailed back and asked me out! Score! It worked! We didn't go out until Oct. 28, but quickly...and I mean quickly fell in love. We told each other we loved each other after 4 days and were engaged after one week, married in two months to the date of our first date. Dec. 28, 2002 we were sealed in the Las Vegas Temple. I always made fun of those girls that got engaged and married quick. I envisioned at least a year of dating and 6 months engagement...but wow, the Lord's ways are not our ways. He confirmed over and over that Sean was to be mine and I was to be his. I am so happy! I only wish we'd had more courtship time. Our first picture together is our engagement pictures. But, we've made up for that since. We are celebrating our 5 year anniversary this December and have 3 beautiful children (we don't mess around...every thing happens fast in our lives :)) to keep us laughing.
It really only feels like yesterday that all this happened, and whosh, it all has passed us by like it were a dream. We have Jacob to remind us of that...that life is precious, cease the day, tell the ones you love you love them, don't put off forgiveness or apologizing, hold those babies close and love every moment, it is all passing by too fast!
Looking back, the real reason we were able to pull it off was becasue we knew what the spirit felt like and were worthy to recieve it's promptings. I know that if I hadn't been fulfilling my calling as RS Pres, or going to the temple regularly, or praying daily, this miracle would have never happened. Sean, you are my miracle. I love you.
