Our Tale

The Beginning of Forever...

There are always two sides to every story so we are both going to tell it the way we saw it!

Trina's Version

We first met at a Young Single Adult Conference in Valdosta Georgia.  I actually went to meet up with someone else, and Elijah was there with that someone else.  So we all hung out all weekend, played games and got to know one another.  I remember liking to be around Elijah because he was always so happy and he made everyone around him happy.  He had this way of lighting up the room with his smile, and amazing personality.  The next few weeks we would randomly run into one another at different activities.  We were able to talk and get to know each other better at these activities.  There was one day that I randomly got a text message from Elijah that said "I miss your laugh!" and I was so surprised and happy, we ended up texting each other back and forth for about two hours.  I don't remember much about the rest of the time texting but that first text was very memorable.
One weekend I was planning on driving down to Tallahassee for a dance at the institute and I had invited him to come along.  He accepted my invitation and we decided to met at my house then we could drive to Tallahassee together.  I always try to get other singles from my area to come to YSA activities with me, so I don't have to go by myself and so they will have a fun time as well. Well this time I could only talk one other guy to come with me besides Elijah.  So once Elijah got to my house we went to pick up the other guy and we started our trek to Tallahassee.  The ride there wasn't all that spectacular, we were all able to talk and get to know each other better though.  The dance was great fun, I usually have a fun time at dances (there have been a few exceptions but not many)!  Elijah and I got to dance and hang out all evening.  I danced with Elijah pretty much all night, fast songs, slow songs, weird songs, you name it and we were dancing.  The drive home wasn't long enough, but we got to talk and learn even more about each other.  I'm really glad that Elijah accepted my invitation that night, I had even more fun than I thought I would!
Later on that week I get a call from Elijah, I was at work so I wasn't able to answer the phone but he left me a message and told me that he would like to get together again soon.  I didn't have to work that weekend so I told him I could come up to Columbus but he had to plan everything.  So as the weekend got closer I was getting excited and nervous, I wasn't really sure what to expect.  When I got there I met his Mom and Dad and then we left, for the Lunch Box Museum (?)  The museum was actually in an antique mall, the actual Lunch Box Museum was closed but we wandered around that place for about 2 1/2 hours.  Then we went to the Columbus Museum and got there just before it closed so we didn't get to spend too much time there.  Then he took me to down town Columbus and showed me around the Springer Opera house which was spectacular.  We snuck around the theater because we weren't supposed to be there, which added a little bit of adventure to the afternoon trying not to get caught.  Then we walked down to the river and spent some time walking along the river talking and enjoying the view.  Throwing rocks of varying sizes into the river to listen to the splash sounds they would make!  The whole time we were walking by the river I wanted to reach over and take his hand, but I wasn't sure what he would do or what he would think, so I held off.  When we got back to his house his mom was watching something on TV so I sat down and joined her and Elijah made me a sandwich which was delicious.  Then we watched a movie and as the movie progressed we got closer and closer together, his mom stayed up with us and we alternated between watching the movie and talking.  When his mom went to bed Elijah and I started chatting about who knows what and then, he asked me if I thought we could make this work.  So I thought that meant, hey will you be my girlfriend.  Well we stayed up pretty much the rest of the night talking and cuddling.  The next morning we got up and got ready to go to church, I really felt comfortable with him and his parents at church.  I have to admit I was still confused as to weather we were officially together or not so before I left to go home that evening I asked him if I could call him mine and he said only if he could do the same.  So it was official Elijah was my boyfriend and I was his girlfriend.  That first date was an amazing weekend with an amazing man, that I will now call mine for eternity.

Elijah's Version

Ok so one Thursday I get a call from a certain person who I had only met one time prior.  This gentleman asks if I would accompany him to a Young Single Adult activity in Valdosta Georgia.  I wasn't doing anything better as I was back in Georgia by a very odd circumstance and so many of my friends were not there.  So I said yes.  I found out that this person was headed down to see a girl he was interested in, and I was to be the wing man.  I was fine with that.  It got me out of the house and it was a chance to meet some new people which I absolutely love doing.

Friday afternoon came and we were off.  A decent drive but it went relatively quickly.  Soon I was walking into a chapel in Valdosta Georgia and was introduced to a particular young lady named Trina.  I was informed that this was the girl that my ride was interested in.  We started playing some games and it wasn't long before I was thinking to myself, "This girl is awesome, I am a little jealous."  So the weekend continued and I had decided that just maybe there might be a chance for me.

Over the next couple of weeks we continued to run into each other.  Well I am sure that is what she will say.  I was purposefully doing my best to "run in" to Trina at multiple activities.  It was during this time that I had started to develop stronger feelings for her and was crossing my fingers that this little infatuation she had with this other guy would soon run dry.

So I was really pushing for some one on one time.  I had a small dilemma though.  I was not certain if she was still interested in this other guy or not.  Well I had finally decided that she was and that there was probably no chance for me.  But one day as I logged onto facebook I had comment on my page from none other than Trina Sorensen.  I am not ashamed to say that I was outrageously excited just to see she had commented and then I was practically on cloud nine when I read her inviting me to go to a dance with her to Tallahassee.  I quickly said yes and it was later that weekend that I was jumping into my trusty echo and driving to Leesburg Georgia with hopes of kindling a relationship.

I arrived at Trina's home, met her parents, who were awesome, and then was off to Tallahassee or at least I thought.  We had a little side stop, another pickup.  Trina informed me that we were picking up another guy.  I was a little disappointed as I now thought she had another love interest.  Well I later learned that he was not the case but simply someone else who wanted to attend the dance.  "Whew there is still a chance for me after all," I thought.

Tallahassee was awesome.  Not because it was full of great people and lively dancing but rather that it was not.  In fact Trina and I were leading the dancing.  I think we danced just the two of us for about ten minutes and no one joined us.  Some might think it was embarrassing but on the contrary, I was thoroughly impressed.  I thought to myself, "This is definitely a girl I would love to get to know better."

After the dance I had a chance to talk with her a good deal as we had a long drive home.  The other rider fell asleep and I shared past stories, wants, desires, goals, all sorts of things.  Thankfully she did as well.  I felt that there was definite potential for the two of us.

After that I actually had some doubts.  Not that we couldn't be together but rather that logistically it just wouldn't work.  I was preparing for a month long trip to Europe, and then after getting back I was headed to Idaho to continue my schooling.  She was graduated and had a job in Georgia.  How was this supposed to work.

I was talking with my father and he gave me a single piece of advice that is the inciting incident that lead to my decision to pursue Trina.  He told me "Son, you can never know how something will work out if you don't allow it to happen."  So I called Trina and asked her out on a date for the following Saturday.  In recollection I can't actually remember calling it a date but at any rate she knew it would be just the two of us.

I did my best to plan a memorable date.  I really wanted to impress her but more importantly I wanted an opportunity to get to know each other better.  I made plans to do the "History of Columbus" as our date. Boring right?  Well we went out to eat, then to an old antique store that houses the infamous lunch box museum but sadly was closed.  We made a quick stop at the Columbus museum as it was closing soon but it was nonetheless enjoyable. Next we went to the Springer Opera House as this was a special place to me.  We snuck in and I took her on the back stage tour of the entire theatre.  It was great.  Following we took a stroll along the Columbus River walk and I was fighting the urge to hold her hand.  It just kept enticing me but I was a little too nervous.  The entire day was a success and finally after we went home and cuddled on the couch to a movie I finally asked her to be my girl and she said yes.  Best date ever!

The Princess and The Prince Proclaim Their Love

Ok so here it is the story of how Elijah proposed, once again it is going to be a two part version

 so you can get the whole story.

Trina's Version

Well since I have to type this out I am going to write the long version, but if you ever ask me
 about it I have a short version too.  After we started dating we did the every other weekend 
thing, back and forth between Albany and Columbus.  So we got to spend quite a bit of time
 together as the weeks passed by.  We decided that since he was going to be in Europe for
 Christmas we would exchange Christmas gifts earlier around Thanksgiving.  So I began 
working on his gift and he began working on mine.  We would banter back and forth trying to 
find out what the other was working on.  Well one day Elijah and I were talking and he told me
 that he was putting the finishing touches on his gift and couldn't wait any longer to give it to me. 
 So that weekend we were going to be together in Columbus and we would exchange our gifts
 then.  Saturday I was supposed to be in Douglas at a stake activity for the youth.  So once the
 activity was over my Dad and I drove back home and I packed up for the long weekend.  (I had
 Monday off so Elijah and I were going to go to Atlanta and see the Coke Museum and the 
Aquarium).  After I finished packing and getting everything in the car I sent a text to Elijah to let 
him know I was on my way and I started my hour and a half drive to Columbus.  

Well the drive was pretty typical, the only thing that was different was I kept getting texts from 

Elijah asking me where I was and when I was going to be getting there.  I didn't think anything of it, 

I was actually a little annoyed because he knew when I left and how long it takes me to get there.  

So I began wondering if he had something planned and I was going to make us late because of 

how late I left Leesburg.  So I finally pulled into the driveway and there he is sitting on the swing 

waiting for me as he always is.  Only that night he was all dressed up in khakis and a white shirt.  

He comes running over to the car and I asked him if I needed to go and change and if I needed to 

hurry so we could get somewhere on time.  He said no, but he wouldn't explain why he was all 

dressed up.  At about that time his parents drove into the driveway and Elijah was wondering why 

they were there, so he ran over to talk to them.  I grabbed all my stuff and his gift and took it into 

the house to my usual room.  In the kitchen his parents were unloading from the shopping they had 

just completed.  So we helped them put things away and then they had to head back out because 

it was their turn to clean the church.  His mom asked us if we would like to come and help, and 

before I could say sure why not, Elijah said no.  His parents left soon there after and we sat and 

talked for a little bit.  He asked me about my day and as I was talking about the things that had 

happened and the youth in the stake.  I looked at him once and the look in his eyes and on his 

face was something I will always remember.  There was a sort of glow around him, and his eyes 

were so full of love and awe and who knows what else, it was a look I will never forget.  After a 

bit he said he couldn't wait any more and told me to go and get my present and we would 

exchange gifts.  So I went to get his present and we sat down in the living room, there was a 

fire in the fire place and soft music playing in the background.  He said that he was going to 

open mine first and I would see why when I opened mine.  So he opened mine, I made him a 

European side bag and filled it will a European survival kit, for his trip through Europe in 

December.  Then he got really excited about his gift to me and handed it to me.  I opened it 

and found the most exquisite wooden box that he had made for me.  I love boxes, I have quite 

a collection of them but none of them that were anything like the box he made for me.  I oohed 

and awed over the box for so long he finally had to say, do you want me to explain it?  So I set 

the box in my lap and was ready for an explanation.  He took the box from me and set it on the

 table and then said, this is your Fairytale Box I want you to put all of the things that make up 

your personal fairytale in this box.  Then he told me that every Fairytale Box should have a 

fairytale to start with.  Then he started telling me a story that started with, Once upon a time there

 was a handsome prince....I honestly don't remember everything he said in that story, but it was 

our story of how we met and fell in love...then he reached behind him, got down on one knee 

pulled out a smaller box, opened it and said Trina Sorensen, will you marry me?  I instantly turned

 into a Miss America winner one hand over my mouth, the other waving the tears out of my eyes

 while I openly cried.  I melted onto my knees next to him and threw my arms around him.  I think 

I said yes several times but it could have been just in my head.  He finally pulled me me away from

 him and asked if I wanted to try on the ring.  So he finally got the ring on my finger and I don't ever

 want to take it off.