And Then What Happened?

The month of January was a complete whirlwind.

I can't believe everything that happened in such a short amount of time. 

Hunter came home from his mission... and then what?

That seems to be the reoccurring question so I guess it's about time to answer :)

Thursday January 2nd was the night we were reunited.

It was everything I could have hoped it would be.

It felt like we never skipped a beat.

Hunter was still very much so in "missionary mode" and asked me to be back at his house at 6:30 in the morning so that we could talk.

Though I wasn't thrilled about waking up that early, I agreed.

That little talk we had as we walked to the end of the street, only reassured me that he must absolutely be the one Heavenly Father sent to this earth for me to be with for eternity.

I won't get into too much detail, but I will tell you that I was yet again feeling so grateful that the handsome man standing in front of me served a mission. 

As we spoke he looked me in the eyes, he genuinely cared about what I had to say, he shared mission stories that touched both his and my heart, he asked what my goals and plans were, he explained what he learned while being gone, and he was looking dreamier than ever.

In that moment we both agreed that we didn't want to rush anything and that we wanted to make sure every decision we would make from there on out would be between the two of us and The Lord and not anybody else.

It's an interesting thing having everyone around you wondering why you aren't engaged yet after 12 hours of being reunited after 2 long years apart. 

Talk about pressure.

Not only that, but we were supposed to somehow figure out if we really wanted to marry each other in like a week and three days.

No wait... now talk about pressure. 

We loved each other still, of course. 

In fact, it was intensified by like 5000 this time around and we both picked up on that pretty quick.

We were incredibly comfortable around each other and everything really did just feel right. 

But, it was still a lot to take in.

Especially for a returned missionary fresh off the plane. 

That weekend he was able to spend in California was wonderful.

I enjoyed spending just about every waking moment being able to actually hug him, hold his hand, talk to him, and just look at him.

It didn't take much getting used to at all having him home... except for remembering to sleep and eat.

I'm serious. 

Sunday January 5th was the day we headed out to Utah to send Hunter off to school.

Remember how I said January was a whirlwind? 

Are you starting to see why?

Just wait though, the fact that Hunter was right back at school just a few days after coming home isn't even the biggest news I have for ya.

So we spent a full week up in Utah with Hunter.

It was hands down the best week of my life.

And now I'm like, slightly at a loss for words.

Each day got better and better.

Each day the hugs got tighter, the kisses got sweeter, the talks got deeper, the feelings got stronger, the hopes got bigger, and the dreams started to come true. 

I had day dreamed about these moments with Hunter for 5 years.

And then there I was living them.

And they were better than I ever could have imagined. 

We were happier than ever before, and it was noticeable.

But, each day seemed to come and go far quicker than we wished.

Suddenly it was Thursday January 9th, literally a week after Hunter had come home. 

We decided to go on a little day date beginning with Cafe Rio and ending at the Provo Temple. 

We walked around Temple Grounds and a pretty little snow storm decided to grace us with its presence.

We hurried back to the car and decided on talking instead of driving back. 

I'm pretty sure I'll never forget that talk.

It got deep, and it ended exactly how I had hoped.

It entailed a few memories, a few personal things, a bunch of "I love you's", a couple kisses, a few hopes and one big dream. 

It was that day that we were able to honestly look in each other's eyes and say that we absolutely, undoubtedly, knew we wanted to marry each other for time and all eternity in the San Diego Temple. 

We began to set a date, figure out how on earth we would make it work, and how soon we could make it work.

We were both giddy beyond belief and happier than anything.

That night we talked to his parents. 

We told them about our little fairytale plan and they were quick to jump on board and help us in any way they could. 

It was a dream come true, and I went to bed with a happy heart.

The next day, Friday January 10th, I found a ring after only trying two on.

He did too, and they were purchased that day. 

It was all beginning to feel so real, but it also became the hardest secret I have ever had to keep. 

My parents didn't know all our big plans because we were still in Utah and they were still in San Diego.

I really didn't have the intention of going to Utah and practically getting engaged, but when you know you just know and we absolutely knew.

Hunter didn't officially propose while I was still there because out of respect for my dad he wanted to wait to talk to him and ask for his blessing. 

Have I mentioned that I really love him? Cause I do. 

Sunday January 11th, I left my Prince Charming in Utah and had to go back to California to plan this wedding. 

The goodbyes never get easier, but it did feel a little better knowing that he would be home in 2 weeks. 

I told my parents about our dreams and all that we had discussed while in Utah the night I came home. 

Of course it was a lot to take in for them, especially when I told them that we were thinking the end of February/ Beginning of March but they also quickly began to do nothing but help me get ready for the big day. 

Slowly the biggest secret of my life began to trickle out to friends around town as my bridal showers were planned, the reception venue was decided upon, the caterer was booked, the florist was contacted, the invites were made, the dress was picked, the cake was ordered, the photographer was booked, decorations were bought, bridesmaid dresses were ordered, my hair appointment was made, and the temple was called and confirmed. 

Ladies and gentlemen, all of that was done in a matter of a little less than two weeks and I wasn't even "officially" engaged. 

In the mean time, Hunter and I would FaceTime just about every day and he found a new love for snapchat haha (thank goodness for modern technology) but being apart just really never got easier.

It was anything but fun being apart again and we were counting down the days until we would get to see each other again.

So, is your head spinning yet?

Cause mine hasn't stopped haha.

So you're probably thinking to yourself that we did exactly what we said we wouldn't do by "rushing" this wedding.

But to us, we don't feel that way one bit.

After 5 years of waiting for our wedding day to come, we are beyond ready for this new adventure. 

We are desperately, hopelessly, and crazy in love with each other. 

Yes we're young. 

Age is but a number.

Yes we are broke.

These will be some of the best years of our lives.

No we don't have everything figured out.

But, we don't have to just yet. We are figuring life out with each passing day and who better to figure it all out with than your very best friend?

So, all of this being said and done... I have one more post to finally get myself caught up on life as of Hunter coming home.

I'm sure you can guess what that post will be about. 

Yes, the proposal :)

I can't wait!

See ya soon.

Oh, and here's some pictures from the week after :)

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

3

He's Finally Home!

"I would wait forever for you, but two years is long enough."

January 2, 2014 is a day I will never ever forget.

It's the day I lost my marbles trying to fathom not being alone anymore, the day I literally thought my heart would beat right out of my chest, the day every bit of the "routine" I was in for two whole years was thrown out the window, It was the day my absolute best friend in the entire world came home from serving a full time LDS mission in Ohio. 

It was the day I remembered why I chose to wait those two years in the first place.

I had been waking up with butterflies in my stomach for the entire week before Hunter came home. But the day of, those butterflies didn't leave after I ate breakfast. They stayed as a constant reminder that in a matter of hours, the heartache would finally end. 

I wish I could say that those two years apart were easy, but they weren't. However, I will forever be grateful that we made it through and that we did it together. We needed that time apart. We needed to learn how to be independent, we needed to learn how to rely on the Lord, we needed to be away from each other for some time to confirm that we need to be together forever, we needed to endure trials and face problems to make both ourselves and our testimonies stronger. 

Do you want to know if you are really supposed to be with someone?

Let them go for a little bit of time. 

It will confirm every question you have ever had.

So back to the moment I woke up...

I couldn't decide whether I was about to cry, scream, or throw up but I'm pretty sure a good combination of all three was brewing inside as I envisioned seeing my sweetheart for the first time in what felt like forever.

I went downstairs to try to eat some breakfast.

My bowl of cinnamon life looked awfully large to my stomach. 

My mind was running a million miles an hour in endless circles.

I cried all morning long...

and I still didn't know what I was going to wear.

If you're wondering at this point, yes I did feel slightly pathetic. 

However, you have to give me some credit given the circumstances.

I mean come on, two years is a realllyy long time. 

So my best friend came over and we put some serious consideration into what I should wear.

I curled my hair, did my makeup, charged my camera, cried a little more, then sprayed some pink sugar right before we left the house.

We headed to party city to buy some balloons and the entire time my mind was elsewhere.

I checked my phone every 5 seconds so I would know right when his plane landed.

We went to his house and tied balloons along the fence.

The banner was hung.

The Ohio State Flag was taped.

I checked instagram to find a picture of him with family members at the airport.

And that was when it really hit me...

He's Finally Home.

I did it.

We did it.

And so the waiting game continued.

I'll just fast forward through the moments that my nerves got the best of me and skip right to waiting on the front porch.

Those last 10 minutes might as well have been the longest moments of the entire wait.

And then I saw headlights coming up the street, and he was in the car, and my heart skipped a million and a half beats, and the tears came and there was no stopping them.

His dad honked the horn and then my best friend in the entire world opened the door. 

He came up the stairs and we reached out for the best first hug I could have ever imagined. 

I never wanted to let go. 

I literally stopped for a second and said "I can't believe you're real!"

I couldn't stop touching him, hugging him, reaching for his hand, and looking into his eyes. 

It immediately felt so natural to be back together.

It felt like he never left.

It was crazy how quickly my entire mind set changed once he was in my presence.
Nothing else in the entire world seemed to matter except for him and making sure he would never leave ever again haha.
So yes, the wait was a hundred and ten percent worth it.
Every single feeling and emotion we left off with came rushing back and that was how I knew that every moment apart was worth it.
He devoted 2 years of his life to serving the Lord and leaving all personal affairs at home.
He served diligently and did all he could to bring souls unto Christ.
He grew to love the people in Ohio and I know he genuinely cares about their salvation.
Even though I swear he was perfect before he left, he came home even more amazing than I remembered.
I'm so incredibly grateful that Hunter served a mission.
I know that it will continually bless our lives and our posterity.

No matter how hard the goodbye was, how long the weeks felt, and how far apart we were...
It was all worth it.
And I wouldn't have traded that time apart for anything.

I FINALLY got the stinkin video to upload.
So, here ya go!
I will cherish this video forever :)


All my love,
Aleigh Joy

ps. if you want to know a little bit more about why Hunter decided to serve a mission for two years go ahead and click right here. You can also request a free Book of Mormon right here! And, if you have any questions for me you can email me at ajoy94@gmail.com or ask right here :)

1

Merry LAST Christmas apart :)

I can't believe this time has come!

My package making days have come to an end.

Last Christmas, it seemed as if there would never be an end in sight, and all of a sudden it snuck right up on me!

It was definitely bittersweet putting this package together.

Though I have missed that sweet, cute, amazing, handsome, perfect in every way (haha sorry, not sorry) missionary of mine, I have really really enjoyed getting in touch with my crafty side and putting packages together for him. 

Of course it was much much more sweet than bitter when I dropped that box off at the post office stuffed to the brim. 

Oh, and get this!

The sweet man in front of me did a wonderful random act of kindness and paid for my package to be shipped!

Seriously?? 

Gosh, what a way to end my package making days :)

So, I got slightly lazy with this package.

I'll admit it.

Work has been killing me and everyone comes home for the holidays so I'm quite the busy bee.

Therefore, I stayed up into the wee hours of the night with work at 6 in the morning to finish that amazing Elder Moore's package. 

Reminds me of high school when I used to stay up until 1 in the morning making his locker decorations for Friday's game with a pep rally the next morning. 

I must really really really love him :)

So here you go my friends!

The last package in  pictures :)

(Which I almost forgot to take! What??)

Some moccasins to keep his feet toasty!
The shirts: One is for him to keep. The other is to start a mission tradition! The shirt gets passed on to the next Elder (or sister) that goes home. They sign their name and the years they were out and then it gets passed on until someone loses it or forgets haha. 

Tie shopping is my favorite sport :)

TREATS!
He requested that I stop sending him very many sweets after last year's Easter package butttt, these are minimal :)

The fillers.
Thank you dollar section. 

Winter essentials. 

Matching mugs for us to have forever :)
I kept the H and he as the A to remind us of each other during our last Christmas apart :)
Oh, and yes our initials are totally HA. As in Haha.

All put together!
They definitely shrunk the flat rate boxes.
Not too thrilled about that.
At least this was the last package!

I mean, how do you draw mistletoe anyways?

The face of a very tired, very excited Aleigh to send off the LAST package!!! :)

Well there you have it my friends!

Goodbye package making days!

I can't decide if you will be missed haha.

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

3

See You Soon My Love

Twenty Three Months!!!

The last of the monthly countdown posts is here!

I've only been dreaming of this moment since day one.

I'm in disbelief that he is really coming home.

When you are apart for this long, being together again feels a bit more like a dream than a reality.

A really, really, really good dream , however reality will be so much better :)

The dreams were nice while they lasted, but I'm beyond ready for the real thing.

For, him :)

So, I guess this is the end of the line.

Why am I crying right now?

How did we get here?

I can't believe it!

What's even harder to believe is that in 22 days I will be able to hug him, touch him, smell him, hold his hand, hear his voice, go on dates with him, play speed and war with him, make fun of college names during basketball season with him, tickle him, snuggle with him, look into his eyes, feel the rush of excitement I get just standing in his presence, show him off to the world, and yes I will be able to kiss him. What? Yes. Yes I said that :)

I love that boy.

I love him with all that is in me.

Oh wait did I say boy?

I meant man.

I forgot that he's a big bad 20 year old now.

The last I saw him he was a teenager.

Only 18 actually.

Time flies. 

So I wanted to let you in on a little secret.

Do you want to know if you really love someone?

Let them go.

I know you won't believe me, but really.

I promise that you don't know what you got til it's gone. 

Hunter's dad told us this when we were youngins, and I finally know why.

With every passing week we spent apart, with every letter that was written, with every picture that was sent, with every tear that was shed, with every package that was put together, with every memory that was replayed... we fell that much more in love.

We have grown closer together during this time apart than I thought was possible. 

My heart is aching to be with him again, but I will forever be grateful for this time we spent apart.

I need him in my life forever, and thank goodness he feels the same way. 

We said goodbye for two years and it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do.

 But in the grand scheme of things, that is absolutely nothing compared to eternity :)

Elder Moore, I feel like a giddy little school girl thinking about you coming home to me. 

And now to finish up my favorite story, the story of us.

This last bit might be hard to get through without tears being shed.

Thank goodness it will be soon enough that we can make new memories :)

Here's the link to my last post!

(ps. this ones a long one)

Every day of that last summer we spent together felt like a fairy tale. Every night we said goodbye that summer made the hole in my stomach feel bigger and bigger. Hunter was getting ready to take off for BYU and even though I knew we would one day end up together, I couldn't shake that nervous feeling of just wanting to keep him here away from all of those Cougars. And by that I actually mean all of the ring hungry freshman. Sorry, that wasn't meant to be offensive but it was a real concern haha. The night before he left I tried my hardest to keep the tears to myself. When I got in my car, I broke down. I wanted senior year to just be over. I couldn't imagine going through a whole year of high school without him. The next morning I said goodbye to him before I had to leave for my first day of my senior year. Neither of us knew what to say, so we just held each other tightly in our arms. I then looked at him and said "are you ready for your surprise?" Now, I somehow overlooked explaining what this surprise was when I should  have a few posts back. So I'll do some explaining now. I began creating this surprise back when I was a sophomore in high school. I had planned on giving it to him before his mission but before college felt like a better fit. I had worked on it all those years and he had no idea what it was. I would just tell him "Oh, I'm just working on the surprise what are you doing?" and it drove him crazy trying to guess what it was. So, the time was finally here. We walked out to my car and I pulled out a red bag. He opened it to find a card. In that card I explained to him that the bag contained three journals. I wrote in those journals about us and our love story every single day since I started them my sophomore year. I wanted us to have them to show our kids in the future, to reminisce on old memories, and for him to see how I felt after every day or night we spent together. I poured my heart out in those journals, I told him secrets I hadn't told anyone else, and I put old pictures, movie tickets, homecoming tickets, and anything I thought of in those pages. After reading the card he was already in tears. As he took them out one by one I began to cry. He pulled me in for a hug and told me that he loved me. Between the tears I was able to look up and tell him that I loved him as well. We walked back inside hand in hand and it was about time to say goodbye. What is the right way to say goodbye? I'll never know, because no matter what it hurts more than anything. Although I hated the fact that he would be ten hours away, I was grateful  that it prepared us for the bigger goodbye that was to come. After we had our final hug he watched my car drive away with his little sister in the passenger seat. It was a very quiet ride to school with a few sniffles here and there and lots of tears being wiped. I headed straight for my first class hoping that I wouldn't see anyone. I didn't want to talk to anyone, I didn't want to have to explain how sad I felt. I avoided as many people as I could until one of my friends stopped me in the hallway. She took one look at me and said "You said goodbye to him today didn't you?" I immediately reached out for a hug and began crying once again. And so goes the first week of my senior year. Him being away was difficult. We were advised to only call each other once a week and almost never text each other. Which was really the hardest thing ever. But, those Sunday 5 hour calls were heaven on earth. I don't know how we never ran out of things to talk about but the phone bill was out of control. After a month and half apart he came home for his brothers wedding. My hands were sweating waiting for the car to pull up. Seeing him again was surreal. We didn't leave each others side that weekend. It truly goes down as being one of the best weekends in the history of ever. I remember one night in particular. It was the night of the wedding. We were already dreading the goodbye once again so we made the most of the time we had. How? Sleeping... It was a long day and we snuggled up on the couch at the end of the night. I played with his hair and he fell asleep. It wasn't long before I followed his lead and fell asleep on his shoulder. We were woken up by his dad who let us know it was time to say goodnight. It took about 5 minutes to actually wake up but when we did we looked into each other's eyes in a way we never had. I thought my heart was going to beat right out of my chest. We were lost in a trance and we both agreed that we absolutely HAVE to get married one day. A feeling like that only happens once with one person, and we were each other's one person. Of course that goodbye was no easier than the first. I woke up extra early to say goodbye to him since he had plans on hitting the road practically before the sun rose (exaggeration). We spent some time snuggling and I watched him do some last minute packing. I was sitting on a rocking chair just watching him walk back and forth. He walked passed me and winked. I giggled like a school girl. He came back and winked again and it made my heart skip a beat just as the first wink did. He started walking away and then stopped. He came right back over and kissed me. Right then, I visualized our future. And it was perfect. I was counting down the days until he would be home for Thanksgiving. Then I had the most brilliant idea. I proposed to Hunter that I should take a little trip up to Utah and visit him for a few days. We worked out all the details and my plane ticket was bought. I had knots in my stomach on the plane ride to Salt Lake. I couldn't believe I was actually on my way to see him! I called him when I landed and after a minute or two of figuring out where each other were our eyes finally met. Yes, it was absolutely a scene from a movie. And yes, he opened the car door for me :) We had some time to kill before we were going to the BYU football game that night so he took me to a little park. It was freezing, but we threw snow balls at each other, ran around the park holding hands, and looked at the crazy ducks swimming in the icy water. Later that night we went to the game together. We both froze our buns off but it was so worth it being with each other. My heart jumped when one of his friends would walk over and say "So this is the girl?? I've heard so much about you!" We snuggled as it snowed, but our California blood finally had enough. We left during the third quarter and spent the rest of the night defrosting in the car listening to Christmas music. He took me to one more park where we talked about our future and all it had in store for us. We sat there in silence for a minute or two and tears started rolling down my cheeks. He of course thought I was sad but I instead let him know that I was happier than I ever had been and those tears were incredibly happy tears! He hugged me even tighter once I said that and then took me to where I was staying. I took a warm shower that night feeling like I was living a real life fairy tale. We spent our time together at temple square, walking around BYU, and at his brother's house. We made memories that we will treasure forever and lucky for us we then got to spend 10 hours in the car together on our way back to California for Thanksgiving. That of course was also amazing and once again the goodbye killed me. What killed me even more though, was knowing that the next goodbye would be for two years instead of a couple of months. After 2 more weeks he came home for Winter break. After many wonderful nights spent snuggling and watching Christmas movies his farewell talk snuck up on us. It was 9:00am church on New Years Day and I was fighting to stay awake. that is, until he took the stand. I cried in happiness as he bore his testimony of the restored gospel. I knew he would be an amazing missionary. I knew he was doing the right thing. I knew we would get through the two years. But, I still wished I could just pause time. The night of his farewell party we spent an hour talking outside in the cold before it started. We spoke to each other about what we really hoped for in the future and though he didn't necessarily "ask" me to wait for him we discussed how we would make that work too. I promised him that I would be right here when he got back. A promise I intend to keep :) It was scary realizing the next time we would see each other we would have to be grown ups and take on "real life" together. So yes, we have had a serious talk about our future, our plans, and our desires. And yes, they absolutely matched up. Yet another confirmation that we are meant to be. The next few days were a blink and it was suddenly time to say goodbye. We snuggled for the last time and held each others hands tightly. We wished time would just stop for the moment but the clock kept ticking. I closed my eyes and tried my hardest to engrave that moment into my mind. When I opened them my stomach sank. It was time. We took one look at each other as tears began to fill our eyes. I buried my head in his chest and couldn't stop the tears. I had never cried so much in my life, I had never felt that genuinely sad. I held on to him wishing I would never have to let go. He wiped the tears from my eyes and let me know that everything would be alright. I wanted to believe him, but my heart felt like it was breaking into a million little pieces. He lifted my head up and whispered "I love you Aleigh, I really do." I was able to tell him the same between the sniffles. It was time for him to put his suit on so he could be set apart as a missionary so I took another look at him trying to wipe away my tears and be strong. He pulled me in close for another hug and whispered one more thing: "Aleigh Joy, will you marry me? I promise I'll say it better in two years." I was able to smile and I whispered "Yes, I wouldn't have it any other way." So, I guess you could say we are engaged to be engaged! After another hug he got up to put his suit on. His mother then came over and sat with me and said some of the kindest things I'll never forget. We cried together and hugged and I knew then that she would help me get through these two years. And that she did :) His Father gave him a blessing and yes, we all cried through that too. Everyone got up and Hunter and I had blank stares realizing it was really time. We embraced again and my makeup got on his white shirt. Why didn't I wear waterproof mascara? He told me it would be something to remember me by :) We exchanged the first of many letters and everyone made their way to the car. We went the opposite direction to say goodbye in the same spot we had since the first night I came over to his house. When we opened the front door his sister and sister in law were there to give us hugs. He walked me down to my car and there we had our last hug for two years. We said I love you in the most sincere tone I have ever heard it said and then I watched him drive away. And, my heart absolutely broke. I stayed in my car trying to catch my breath. The tears wouldn't stop. I felt like I had absolutely no control over my emotions. I drank some water and prayed for comfort. At that moment I felt prompted to read that first letter. I will cherish that letter forever. He is the sweetest boy I have ever met. That night I had quite a bit of trouble falling asleep. I covered my eyes with his blanket and prayed that he would be in my dreams. I woke up the next morning feeling drained. I stayed in my pajamas the entire day and looked at wedding ideas on pinterest. That was the beginning of the loneliness and the heart ache. Being away from the one you love isn't easy, in fact it is quite hard but I wouldn't trade this time apart for anything. We have both grown so much. We had to grow apart to grow together. I have fallen Moore in love with him each day he has spent in Ohio and I have spent in California. We put our relationship on hold for two years but somehow the letters got us through. I never even thought about dating anyone else. I didn't have a desire. I know he is the one and in 22 days we will make up for all the time we spent apart. That moment, when every feeling comes rushing back, will make it all absolutely worth it. 

Hunter Miles Moore, I loved you back then, I love you still, I always have, and I always will.

Well friends, there you  have it!

But don't worry, the story doesn't end here! 

It's only just beginning :)

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

7

Letter Days are Better Days.

Love letters make the world go round. Well my world that is. They appear in my mailbox once every two weeks straight from Ohio with words that make my heart skip two beats. This whole wait would have been much, much longer without the love letters Elder Hunter Miles Moore and I have been sending back and forth. Every time I see a white envelope waiting for me I get butterflies and I scream a little inside. An instant smile appears. The routine is the same every time: 

Tear letter open, snuggle in my bed, read, smile, read, cry, read some more, smile and cry some more, fall in love even more than the day before, put letter down, day dream, come back to reality, repeat. 

I have two binders worth of letters and emails that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Though my hand cramps up, and my handwriting is pretty close to that of a first graders... It is so so worth it. 

Those love letters make any day a better day.

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

0

Moore "Lasts"

The absolute best part about the second year of this wait is being able to say:

"The Last"

before just about everything.

The last birthday package, the last of the teens, the last Thanksgiving apart, the list goes on and on...

but it is also an emotional roller coaster.

Being "the girl back home" has become such a big part of my life.

After all, it has been my entire life these past twenty two and a half months.

Though I absolutely know having him home (even if it is only for a few days) will be the most amazing feeling, I can't help but feel all sentimental when I hit another one of these "lasts."

The other day I put the first sticker on the last letter of the called to serve countdown that I swore would never fill up.

Each night for the past 22 months I have put a little black dot on before bed.

After putting the dot on I would stand there and look at it thinking to myself "I wonder what it will feel like when I get to the last letter?"

And now, here I am :)

One day, I might actually be able to find a word strong enough to explain how I feel about him.

One day, I might actually be able to adequately explain how incredible he really is, how much he respects me, and how he is everything I have ever prayed for.

One day, I might actually be able to hold it together when I think of the love we share...

but until then, I will just have you know that this man means everything to me and I will love him with all that I have forever and always.

It's a crazy thing going two years without seeing each other.

It's even crazier to put your relationship on hold for those two years so that The Lord's work can be done through his missionaries without distractions. 

But, it's even crazier that I have only fallen that much Moore in love with him in this time apart.

When you love someone this much, nothing can tear you apart.

It's a promise that even 730 days apart can't break.

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

Ps 44 days :)

0

Extra Extra Read All About It: 22 Months

I don't know about you, but I'm totally feeling 22!

Twenty Two months down, and only 2 to go!

Actually less than that :)

I can hardly believe it!

I'm so excited/nervous/happy I can hardly contain it.

I can't seem to stop talking and thinking about him.

 I'm apologize to those of you that have to put up with it haha.

But, I am just SO excited!

I promise that it really doesn't feel like twenty two whole months have passed by since I have last seen him or touched him.

I have definitely hit those rocky patches where it seems like he is never coming home, but looking back on it it really does feel like he just left.

It's a weird thing being apart for so long and only growing deeper in love.

I really don't know how it is possible, but I promise it's real. 

We have tried our hardest not to talk too much about the future and to stay away from distracting topics but the closer he is to coming home, the more personal our letters and emails seem to be.

He is the one that I want, forever.

I have no doubt in my mind. 

For those of you that are thinking... "You're too young to know what love is" "How are you supposed to know what is going to happen when he gets home?" "Really after being apart for 2 years you think everything is just going to work out?"

Here is my response: 

"You don't look at (insert name here) the way I look at Hunter. You don't touch or laugh. You don't play. You don't know anything about love." 

-Allie from the notebook

Haha I'm kidding, but really...

I love him, and he has assured me that he loves me.

I have never felt something so strong, and the excitement I have to be reunited in less than 2 months cannot be measured.

"You have been so strong and faithful these past 22 months. I trust you and I owe you all my love. You are the one for me"

-Elder Hunter Miles Moore

I'm really trying to figure out how to finish up the story of us in only one more post after this.

Did I just say that? Only one more countdown post!

Did you miss the last post?

No worries!

I left off right here!

Here goes nothing :)

It was now my junior year, and his senior year. I was thrilled. He was the starting quarterback again and a captain. I was also a Varsity cheer captain. It's kinda one of those typical high school stories.. ya know the whole quarterback of the football team and the cheerleader are dating and blah blah blah except wait, it wasn't typical even in the slightest bit. We still "technically" weren't dating. We could care less about those titles, it was more about leading our teams and doing the best we could to make the year memorable. Oh and we didn't go to any parties and we remained pure. How's that for a "typical" high school story for ya? ;) So anyhow, we went about our lives and became more and Moore comfortable around each other. It felt so perfect having him by my side walking through the halls. I loved knowing that I would see his smiling face every day that we went to school. He truly became my best friend, my other half. The days that either of us were absent were miserable. I imagine it being comparable to being a lost puppy. Although I knew the real reason I was at school, he became my motivation to go. It felt like we both lived at that school. I was in cheer and ASB and football took over his life. It gave us a lot of time to spend together, which was exactly what I had hoped when I realized this would be our last year attending high school together. Hunter had the most amazing football season. I cheered him on every single game and could not have been more proud of him. I noticed that year that I became incredibly protective over him. Something would just snap inside myself when I saw coaches yell at him or if he got tackled. It hurt and I had to look away. Both of us also discovered what jealousy really felt like. No matter who it was, if one of us was talking to someone of the other sex the sinking jealous feeling would just take over. We had to learn a lot about trust this year and how to control those feelings. I was so excited for homecoming to come. It was Vegas themed and I began planning our outfits the second I found out. Of course, I was also waiting to be asked ;) Hunter is sweet, but he also grew up with five brothers and didn't really understand "cute." Thank goodness for his sister in law Michelle who helped him figure out how to ask me. Although, he almost spilled the beans a thousand times and one day literally asked me if I wanted to know how he was going to ask... ohhh Hunt :) Every Friday the cheerleaders would decorate the locker room but it is a ton of work so one away game we decided not to do it. When I told Hunter he freaked out. He told me that I absolutely HAD to decorate his locker. I didn't realize that it meant that much to him... but I agreed to decorating his locker even though nobody else's would be ha. I walked into the boy's locker room and opened his. Inside was the sweetest poster asking me to homecoming! (Nice work Shell) I was on top of the world! The other girls that were with me screamed with me and we were just so excited :) He had team lunch so I didn't get to see him until the bell rang but that was the best 6 minutes ever as I told him my answer was absolutely yes! For homecoming spirit week we had matching Superman shirts and loved dressing up together. The day of the dance came and I was so excited as I listened to Taylor Swift while getting ready. I put my sequin dress on and went on over to take pictures at his parents house. He had a matching sequin vest that he thought was made out of tin foil because he really didn't know what a sequin was... The entire night people were asking to take our picture because they loved how well we matched. It was the perfect start to the year. The remainder of the semester only got better as there were newspaper articles about him every Saturday morning after a game, we made it to the CIF playoffs, and we fell head over heels for each other. I loved having Hunter around to snuggle and hold my hand when it was cold. I loved how deeply in love we fell and how every conversation somehow ended up in talking about marriage. The first semester came and went and before we knew it we only had one more semester until he was off to college. It was now basketball season and I cherished every game as this sinking feeling began to take over when I realized I would be all alone the next year. I couldn't imagine high school without my best friend, and I really didn't want to. I just wanted it all to slow down. I would wait by his car after games until he came out. We would sit there laughing and talking for as long as we could. He told me stories from his childhood, we talked about the gospel, and it always resulted in talking about the future. I would sit there trying to be strong as we talked about spending 2 years apart but looked away every time a tear made it's way down my cheek. I remember one night him telling me a story that made my heart melt all over the car. He had told me that he knew his athletic abilities are all from God and that he owes all glory to him. He spoke so humbly and expressed so much gratitude for all he had been given. I remember hugging him and telling him how I was desperately in love with him. Basketball season seemed to fly by and I couldn't believe it was already time to start thinking about prom. Hunter was deciding on a third sport to play and chose track. I swear that man can do anything. I was stubborn and told him that I didn't like him doing track because I knew he would take his shirt off at practice and I didn't want other girls checking him out. I also hated the tight spandex he wore at meets. But, he was really good and I got over the stubbornness. One day in April I was running really late to school. I always parked next to him and I was shocked to see him still in his car. I went up to the window and said something like "come on crazy, let's go run to class!" And he responded by saying "wait I have something for you!" I went to the passengers side and found the most darling Easter basket waiting for me. I oohed and I awed and told him I would stick it in my car. He hesitantly said okay and we walked away. As we were halfway through the parking lot he says "Soo I guess you can just tell me your answer later..." I looked at him confused and said "Wait what, did you just ask me to prom?" He responded by saying "well you were supposed to open the eggs..." Hahaha I died laughing because it was a realllyy good idea but the execution was a total fail. I sure love him. That weekend we opened the eggs up together and put all the pieces of paper together that in fact said "will you go to prom with me?" I hugged him, said absolutely yes, and was equally as excited as I would have been if it all worked out the first time. Prom that year was at Sea World and I had so much fun with him. I also got my braces off literally 2 days before. He wouldn't stop telling me that I looked beautiful the entire night. I was on top of the world. Somehow that last months of school flew by and the next thing I knew I found myself sitting there at his graduation. When I saw him walk by the tears couldn't be controlled. I put my sunglasses on and cried the entire time. Afterwards, he told me he saw me and knew I was crying and couldn't help but get choked up. As exciting as it was, I was crushed. I really really really didn't want him to leave for college. That Summer was full of making memories and spending every moment we possibly could together. Every day was one day closer to saying goodbye and I tried to savor every second together. Yet somehow, that summer just sped right by and our love was only intensified. 

And that is where I'll stop.

See I told you that year was much better haha.

I can't believe the next post will be the last of these countdown posts! 

I'm dying to see my love again :)

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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