H&M

Okay.

I will attempt (no promises) to condense this hard to explain, extremely detailed "whirlwind romance" of ours. I just KNOW that you can't go on living without being told the story of how our love came to be. So, here it goes.

I came home from my freshman year at BYU-Idaho in April of 2014. There is a teeny little college in my hometown that a cute, curly-haired boy (pictured below) was attending and playing soccer for. 

We attended the same ward for the summer. I once saw a cute picture of the state of Idaho with the words, 'I'm so glad we both ended up here' inside of it. I'm very disappointed that Wyoming is a square, because a square with those words in it is just pointless. Am I right?

ANYWAY. Here is a very important detail...my life goal at this point was to avoid the entire male species at all costs. And I was doing a fabulous job, if I do say so myself. It's always when you're NOT looking for something that it finds you, isn't it? I was not looking, and I mean reeeeeaaally not looking. 

One day at a church activity, I was casually sitting with some friends in the grass observing the violent game that everyone else was participating in. We commented on how one boy in particular was extremely large and terrifying (sweet Matt.) Him and his friends wandered over to us and before sitting down, Matt asked if he could jump over me. Yes, jump over me. Several thoughts ran through my mind, one being "um. who are you?!" I said something along the lines of...absolutely not. ha. TRUE LOVE.

Matt teased a dear friend of mine relentlessly and that's how I officially met him. This whole clan of girls that I became friends with thought he was the funniest thing alive. He made me laugh SO obnoxiously. There's ugly crying and there's ugly laughing. Unfortunately, I do both. It was ridiculous and I knew it. My little baby crush began.

He foolishly asked a friend of mine for my number and asked her not to tell. Girlfriends tell. It's just a given. I, Hannah Cordes, who had no interest in males at all wanted nothing more than to have Matt Frost ask me on a date. I know, I'm a confusing person. 

Yet another massive detail...my entire freshman year of college I had the strongest desire to serve a mission. I prayed and prayed and PRAAAAYED to be told what to do. The word 'go' was not formed in the clouds one day and neither was the word 'stay.' I had to choose for myself. This very same summer that I became friends with dear Matt, I decided to go for it. And I was beyond thrilled.

(my cute little EXTRA happy mission paper pic)

At the end of the summer, he finally asked me on a date! but, I was leaving for my sweet roommate's wedding in Idaho. 

By the time I got home, he was gone. Six hours away at school. I thought that was the end. 

I received a mission call to Brazil and it was the happiest day. 

Matt was one of the first to know. From then on we talked every. single. day. I'd wake up to texts with quotes from The Office (heart heart heart) that would keep me smiling all day. I knew it was love, but man did I fight it. He came home for a weekend and that was date number one. Our feelings for one another were expressed and we decided to meet halfway in dirty little Casper, WY for date number two. We wandered around museums, smelled every candle in Bed Bath and Beyond and held hands through the park. I wondered why in the world this was happening to me after I had decided to go on a mission!

TEARS. soooo many tears. I was torn. I had such a strong desire to share the gospel with my soon-to-be best friends in Brazil, yet I had SO much undeniable adoration for this ridiculously great boy (just look at him). WHAT'S A GIRL TO DO?! 

Before he came home for Thanksgiving break, I was set on leaving. While he was home for Thanksgiving it was no longer "I really like you, we have so much fun together." It was, "I love you, and I can see myself marrying you." No way in heck did I ever imagine myself married at nineteen. I wanted to be an independent, adventurous, brave woman and leave the country to bring happiness to the unhappy! I had done about a million and a half hours of thinking/pondering/crying/praying and by the time he was back at school, I made a wild (yet so so so right) decision. 

The entire time I was battling desires to stay and leave, it was melt-down central. That was the most important, life changing decision I have ever had to make at the young age of 19 and it was a tough one. When I made my final decision to stay, the genuine peace I felt cannot even be described. I said the day that I opened my mission call was the happiest day, but this was the happiest day.

And then January 20th, 2015 was the happiest day. 

But let's be real. June 6th is the real winner.

We're just happy happy people in love.