The Love Story! (Continued)

(You can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them. I recommend it they are super cute and funny!)

So here's the thing about Ashley, she is incredibly sentimental--one of the things I really love about her. She makes the best gifts, and absolutely loves it when people make her amazing sentimental gifts, too. Gifts that hold memories and photographs! Here are the first few pages of the book she made Robert for their first Valentine's Day, February 14, 2006.

Okay, on with the story. When Steve and I moved to Las Vegas we found 'our house' in my parents' ward (church congregation). Of course, every Sunday we sat on the 'Squires Row!' One Sunday towards the end of the summer in 2005, Ashley was home from Arizona visiting. In the previous month, about six missionaries had returned home from their missions. During sacrament meeting I leaned over to Ashley and said, "some cute boys are getting home from their missions! Did you ever like any of them?" She scanned the chapel, checking out the RM's (Returned Missionaries) and replied, "I've always thought Robert Ashworth was cute!" Steve was sitting next to me and heard the whole thing.

Ken Ashworth was the Elder's quorum president when we moved into the ward, and his law office was on Steve's FedEx Ground route. So one day when Steve walked in with a delivery, Ken had him come back to his office for a chat! They became friends after that. Ashley was unaware of this friendship until Steve walked straight up to Ken after the sacrament meeting where Ashley divulged to me that she thought Robert was cute and spilled the beans to his father!

Ashley was mortified for the rest of church and almost went home. The funny thing is that Ken didn't even tell Robert until they got home. Robert said he knew who Ashley was, but he thought she was 2-3 years younger than he, and he wasn't sure if he was interested in her because of that. Linda broke out an old Stake directory that had children's birth years on it. Once Robert realized Ashley was only a year younger, he told his dad to get her phone number!

By the time he got her number, she had returned to Arizona, so they chatted on the phone on and off for the next couple of months. Ashley was coming home for an extended trip at Thanksgiving to have her wisdom teeth removed. They decided to go on a date sometime that weekend.

Conveniently, the Squires and Ashworths got together for a flag football game on Thanksgiving morning. Poor Ashley was mortified about having to see Robert with her huge chipmunk cheeks. We girls sat on the sidelines and said silly things to Ashley about herself and Robert the whole game. They talked for awhile after the game and made their date plans for the following night.

Robert was so sweet planning their date and took her to the Olive Garden so she could eat soup, one of the easier meals for her to consume with her sad mouth! They went bowling and back to the Ashworths to watch a movie! They had so much fun they decided to go out the following night, too!

They went to a basketball game at UNLV and made a bet about who would win. If UNLV and Ashley won, she got a back massage and if UNR and Robert won, he got a kiss. As you can see, Ashley ended up giving that kiss to Robert. It was their first kiss! Right in the middle of it, Ashley got a bloody nose! Total mortification! That didn't scare Robert off, though. In fact, he consented to come over to our house the following night for games and dessert with the whole Squires family! Very bold! Our family can be a little overwhelming the first time you hang around us, not only because of sheer size but because Brandon and Steve believe in teasing and utter embarrassment. The game Catch Phrase didn't let them down! Brandon got the word 'tissue,' and unbeknownst to Robert, Ashley had shared the whole story of the embarrassing kiss with us. So Brandon yelled out, "what Ashley needed while she and Robert were making out!" Then poor Robert got the word 'make out' and he and Ashley got ribbed again about their previous night's adventures! It was a great night!

After everyone left, Robert and Ashley took a big blanket out in our cold back yard and snuggled on the hammock talking, star gazing and saying their goodbyes as Ashley had to return to Arizona the next day! Distance would separate them, but they had lit the flame of romance, and now they were really talking! Don't worry, there's more! So come back for the next installment tomorrow!

*Things are humming along at status quo these days. Robert is feeling well, and it should stay that way till his next hospital stay and chemo round. He is even allowed out of the house these days :) as long as he avoids big crowds, or wears a mask!