Updates- Phantom

So.. it's been a long time since I've blogged about anything recent, so here goes. The biggest update has to do with a boy. :) There's nothing official, but I do like him a lot. So here's the scoop on him. He's a great guy from Sandy, Utah. He served his mission in my home mission, Spanish speaking- but never served in my stake. He's currently getting his doctorate in Classical Vocal Performance- or at least that's what I think it is- he's an Opera singer- a tenor, and he's getting a doctorate so he can teach it at a University level as a back up to performing.

He's a great guy with similar standards within the Church to mine. There are many people who have different standards on things, even within the Church and he seems to agree with most of all my personal beliefs which is one of the biggest reasons I decided to start liking him. How we met- well I actually had a membership to eHarmony, and I'm laughing as I write this because although I knowingly signed up for the membership I never actually thought it would work or help me find anyone. So side tangent for that...

I have been known for being impulsive, especially when it's late at night and I'm sleep deprived. It was one of these nights when I just decided I would make a profile on eHarmony and see what it was about. I have done online dating services in the past and I feel I am pretty safe with meeting up with people. I don't give out personal information, even when they pick me up- I don't give them my address or let them see my car so they can't stalk me that way. Just wanted to assure any readers who might have doubts about online dating that I am safe about it. Anyways, I went to a Family Home Evening last spring with my Stake Presidency. One of the counselors mentioned priorities. He didn't say anything new at first. God is our number one priority- why? Because we trust that He really does love us and that by putting Him first He will then help us with everything else in life. #2 priority- is our spouse. Why? Because we choose someone we want to be with that we feel we can trust to help us with everything else in our lives. This was the part he mentioned that hit me. If our #2 priority is our spouse- then shouldn't finding that #2 be at least a top priority? So I went home and thought about it and felt I didn't have time in my life right then to really meet more people. So, I decided to pay for the membership with eHarmony and was determined to let IT do the finding for me, so that I just had to be myself, respond and sift through the options. So then Phantom (as my roommates call him) contacted me. Before I had bought my membership I had encrypted one of my emails into the message so people could contact me without me having to pay. So Phantom did that, and we started talking.

That was the beginning of summer. We emailed back and forth sporadically and then started texting almost every day, but mainly small talk stuff. With online dating and all the stuff you can do, I determine not to actually let myself like them until I meet them in person. Well, the summer went by and right before school started I got back to Utah and he had stayed so we would be able to meet up. So we did. The first time he picked me up at the dorms and we went to lunch and then a movie. Then we talked outside for a bit and then he ended up meeting my mom and one of my sisters. My Mom didn't realize this was the first time I had met him and treated him like an old friend. Later she was mortified she had been so open with him, but Phantom didn't seem to mind. When he left we talked about seeing each other again on Friday before he left Saturday morning and I consented to driving up to Sandy so he didn't have to drive all the way down again. But as it turned out, he invited me to dinner on Thursday with his family and I had to decline saying I was having dinner with my mom and sisters before my Mom flew back home, but said he was invited to come with us. So he came to dinner with me, my Mom and two of my sisters. On Friday I drove up to his house and we went to lunch with his family- or his parents and one brother anyways. After each of the dinners both Thursday and Friday we had time to talk and get to know each other better. We did kiss before he left. But honestly I still wasn't sure how I felt about him. Tuesday after he left I felt like I was doing the right thing. Whether it is right to date him for now, or what, I don't know, but all I know is, that was the changing day for me. Still there's nothing official but I know how much I like him and it's definitely more than your average crush. :)

So this past weekend I had bought a plane ticket to fly to Indiana- where he is currently going to school. Thursday I started getting sick and then I didn't get much sleep that night on the plane- so it was a nice, slow, casual, comfortable weekend. :) I had a ton of fun and it was just nice to be there.

Saturday we spent walking around a small town outside of Bloomington, Indiana which was really fun. :) A lot of cute little shops. :) Then Sunday- that was my favorite day. :) In the morning I woke up and briefly talked to the girl I was staying with before heading upstairs. We had a little time before he left for an audition he had for the next Opera season. When he left I started getting ready for church. Then when he came home we had breakfast and then had a few hours before church. It was just a nice relaxing day. We went to church and because the Church makes it such a small ward, I actually knew one person in his singles' branch. He had been in my stake here in Provo til apparently just last month when he started at IU for grad school. But that was nice too. We left Sunday School early because he had another audition in Cincinnati- 2 1/2 hours away. It was kind of nice having a long drive together. Then his audition. Afterwards, we had originally planned on having a picnic at a nearby park, since it was Sunday- but plans changed when we realized how SHADY the area was. It was a drug infested, creepy area... not where you'd really want to stop to have a nice Sunday picnic... So we looked up a restaurant to go to and I found a Cajun one that happened to be across the river in Kentucky- so first time to Kentucky! Anyways, it was a nice little restaurant. :) We ate up on the rooftop terrace where they had a live jazz band and a GORGEOUS view of Cincinnati. The whole evening was very nice and just comfortable. I know I'm using that word a lot, but it really is the best description.. :) Then the drive home. he makes me laugh and I'm able to be myself with him and open. At one point on the way home I was getting sleepy so I was like, "Tell me a story or something so I don't fall asleep." So this was his story.. "Once upon a time, there was a Princess named Jamie. She had many princess sisters and a prince brother. They all lived together in a castle. And the Princess lived Happily Ever After." I was like, "That's boring! Happily ever after? All by herself?" So he responded with, "She's not by herself! She has all her princess sisters and a prince brother!" And I was like, "What about Prince Charming?" And he's like, "Well she has her prince brother, and I'm sure he's sometimes charming..." And I was like, "EW! That's like incest!" And he feigned shock, "Incest?! What?! They're family and they're just living in the same castle!" Anyways, it made me laugh.

So that's my Phantom. Not my boyfriend- nothing that official. We are dating, and we both like each other a lot but that's it for now. I'm sure I'll have more updates another time though, but that's it for now :)