I have been neglectful in my writing, not for lack of remembering, but more so lack of time and well laziness. I also knew this post would include a lot of events and I am wishing I would have written little by little rather than all at once, but alas I did not. So here we go!
After Anthony and I held hands I felt like he needed to know about me being divorced. I was going to drop Jessica off at the airport and she had the idea that I could go and see him while I was in the area. Here was my conversation with him about it:
Aug. 19, 2015: I was getting so nervous about talking with him about it. I was trying to be extremely prayerful about how to tell him. I was all nerves on the way to the airport. After I dropped Jessica off and I was headed over to his house he sent me the message about dinner.
Cute huh?!? He is so thoughtful! He was finishing cooking them when I arrived and I sat and chatted with him while he cooked. His niece and nephew came in while we were eating and it was one of them most adorable things to watch him interact with them. He was so patient and sweet with them. He played with his niece, Bethany, under the table. He is going to be a wonderful father one day! He then played me some songs that he wrote when he was younger. It was so comfortable being in his house listening to him play. His parent's house is comfy and cozy, with the right amount of clutter to feel lived in. The home had the spirit dwelling there and I felt like it was a place of refuge from the world.
We then went to Liberty Park and we walked around for quite sometime. I was trying to find the right moment to tell him but we made it one full time around and then we walked inside the middle for a while too before I had the courage to talk with him about it. We were watching the light reflect across the lake and we stopped to watch the sunset for a little bit. We were about to move on and I asked if we could sit down for a bit and I told him that I had a story to tell him. I then told him that I could present this story in one of three ways, I could tell him, read it or we could do a Q&A. I then gave him a little background and let him know some basic facts about it. I let him know that I am divorced and how long I was married and that it ended because of Cameron's pornography addiction. I asked how he would like me to tell him the rest of the story and he was so sweet about it and said that whatever way would be the most comfortable for me about it. I chose to read it to him. I then read him my blog post that I had written on my anniversary. I felt so prompted to write that blog post and I am eternally grateful for that prompting and that I followed that prompting. It was such a blessing from the Lord to have that resource. It was nice so I could have my thoughts and feelings organized and that I didn't miss anything huge. I felt like he needed to know everything. I wanted to keep our communication open so he knew what he was getting himself into.
He was a very attentive listener and after he put his arm around me and brought me close to his chest and held me. I was crying and I should have brought tissues but I forgot. He told me that it didn't change his opinion of me and that if anything he had a higher opinion of me and the way that I handled the situation I was in. He said that he has never been one to understand why people who go through hard things get labeled as defective. He related it to the Savior and how he was persecuted, abused and killed, and that we don't label him as being any less for the experiences he went through. He also mentioned that he was amazed that he didn't feel any bitterness from me and how remarkable that was. He said that people go through far less and become bitter and angry. I was amazed at his reaction. He was so understanding, gentle and kind. Seriously, he took it so well! One of my favorite things that he did was right after everything that needed to be said had been said, was he told me that he thought we should first roll down that hill (while pointing to a near by hill) and then that we should go and get ice cream. Perfect right! We did just that, we had a competition and I got so dizzy I could barely walk to our agreed upon finish 'line', which was my purse and his sunglasses. He then took me to go and get gelato from Sweately. 
I called Erin on my way back home and I told her everything that happened. I cried as I retold the story of how he took it. I am so glad I was able to share that moment with her. :)
Aug. 27, 2015: He called me again to go to the aquarium with him the next week and then afterwards we went to Jamba Juice. We talked outside of Jamba Juice for almost 2.5 hours. I didn't want to stop talking to him! Oh, funny side note. We did not hold hands at the aquarium. Haha. Or while we were at the park the week before. But, we did hold hands in his car after the Park and from the car to gelato. I thought it was kind of weird but then I realized we had not really broken the public display of affection barrier yet. I loved sitting and talking with him for so long. When we got back to the aquarium so we could part our separate ways, we continued to talk for another half hour in my car.
Aug. 29, 2015: That Saturday he invited me to go to Lagoon with him and some of his cousins. We had so much fun and I loved his cousins. They are the sweetest boys. There wasn't any trash talking, poor humor or rudeness from them at all. Most of them were pretty painfully shy but I tried to play some games to help them have fun. We played the twenty question game, the pen game, draw the moon and the grocery store game. One of Anthony's cousins told us a riddle/problem to work on and that took a lot of energy for them to figure it out, which no one did. Oh and he did hold my hand at Lagoon which I was wonderful! :) After Lagoon I chatted with Anthony outside his house and then he told me that he wanted to communicate with me about the reason why he has been going pretty slow. He told me a little about his past relationship and how they moved pretty fast and how it ended horribly. He said that he wants to make sure that he is praying about it and doing what the Lord wants. He said that he has prayed about me and that he has felt like he has felt like he has needed to take things pretty slow. He then told me that he likes me a lot and that he doesn't see things always going this slow and that he hopes that things will pick up here soon. He also told me he thinks I am cute. He also said that he has never met a girl like me before and that we just had an instant connection and how amazing it is that we have so many things in common. He also said that he can tell that I have a love for the Lord and that is something that he has always looked for. Someone how loves the Lord more than anything else. Wow! He also said something about how he hopes that this progresses. I really hope it does. I really like him a lot and I am not sure if I have said this before or not but I could see myself marrying him. I know it probably seems premature to say such a thing but it is true. He is everything I am looking for and more! I have never met anyone like him before. I really don't want to lose him but I know that if this doesn't last than the Lord has something better in store, but honestly I don't think it is going to end. I could be completely wrong but I just thought I would spill all the beans right here and now.
Sept. 7, 2015: We had a game night with Rachel and Steven a week ago on Labor day and we played Quelf which was hilarious. We watched a couple of trailers of some movies they were talking about and while we were watching them he put his arm around me. He hasn't done before unless we were taking a picture together. I thought it was kind of a big deal. :)
Sept. 13, 2015: This brings us to today. That was a very condensed catch up session but I think everything major that has happened with Anthony was summed up pretty well. We are going to continue dating but we haven't put a title on it. I think it is just a matter of time. :) I really, really, really like him. ;) And today he sent me this which I almost died over. :)
In other news, I went to the National Parks Concert with my Mom last night and we both LOVED it. We were able to also have them sign two posters for Callie and her Companion Rachel Sorensen (the former Violinist for the band). They were thrilled to see a picture of her and Callie. I sure hope those cute sister missionaries like them! 
