Once upon a time...

There was this girl who was a Freshman at BYUH and worked at the Hawaiian Village at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

She had a crushed on this handsome Tour guide (and later found out it was reciprocal). He just sparkled under the hot hawaiian sun. His eye were blue like the ocean. He was so attractive and manly in his tongan or samoan skirt. He did the first step and asked her out for the Fall Ball '01 "The Mystic Rose". In his own words, she became his "Special friend", and he became her "Russian Prince".

He got her that beautiful orchids necklace.

Since then, they became inseparable.

They often went on walks at the beach
or around campus. THey would talk and walk a lot at night too, sometimes going back to the dorms well after curfew, around 1 or 2 am.

Day off at the PCC before it opens to the public


They went to another Ball in Spring '02, but this time they weren't boyfriend/girlfriend anymore; they were engaged.

Great matching outfit!

SInce I've been home, I've been enjoying looking at my teenage years pictures or Juri's and I's dating time, wedding, sealing, and early married life, when we didn't have kids yet (and thought we would never have any). I get a little pinch in the heart every time I look at them. We were so young, and free, and more spontaneous. It also makes me miss Hawaii sooooo much.

Our dating time was very short: we dated for 2 months until he proposed, and then 3 months later, we got married. Our official date was the Fall Ball '01; it was very memorable.

To be continued...