Life in the Simmons' Shoes: Back in 2010: Part 3- Our First Kiss

After I returned from Utah and went to the Indonesian dinner with Travis, we were inseparable. I couldn't get enough of him. I was always thinking about him and wanting to be with him. We started going to devotional together, walking to school together, studying at the library together, and any other thing we could do together.

Travis' birthday came a little over a week after our first date. He roommates had organized a surprise party. I walked into his apartment and was immediately overwhelmed by the amount of GIRLS in there. Just like his cycling class. I remember thinking, Who is this player? There's no way I could compete with a sea of girls. (Or so I thought.)

Travis walked in and was very surprised.

A posse of girls immediately surrounded him after he blew out the candles. I told myself I was not going to compete with these crazy girls. So I just sat back and waited. Travis looked up over the girls and our eyes met. He smiled and I did some stupid nod that was supposed to mean hi. Why didn't I just wave like a normal person?

He eventually made his way over to me and we spent the remainder of the evening side by side. Holy crapola. He really did like me! I wanted to scream to all the girls in the room, "I win! I win!"

After about a week and a half of always being together, I got a text from a boy in my ward asking me on a date. Travis and I were at the library studying, so I told Travis about it. I really didn't want to go, but the boy was persistent. This was probably the third time he'd asked me out. Travis then told me to tell him I had a BOYFRIEND! Holy moly, holy moly, holy moly!! He was my boyfriend!

A little back story: I was going through a mental battle when I started becoming interested in Travis. My feelings grew VERY quickly and I was so confused. I had a missionary and thought I had my life figured out. I was talking to my mom one day telling her about how amazing Travis was, but I wasn't sure if it was the right thing for me to be doing. My mom then told me something that changed my life. I don't even know if she realized how significant her advice was, but I needed to hear it.

She told me right now I had one foot in Rexburg and one in Chile (where the missionary was serving). She told me to put both feet in Rexburg and see how it goes. Immediately I knew she was right, so I did just that. I wrote off the missionary and decided to focus on me and Travis.

After I had both my feet planted in Rexburg, our relationship progressed quickly. We didn't kiss as quick as normal "Rexburgers" did. Not that Travis didn't want to. He was such a gentleman about it.

One night, probably a few weeks into dating, Travis was dropping me off at my apartment door. He asked me if he could kiss me. My heart started beating so fast I thought it was going to pop out of my chest. I wasn't an experienced kisser. I had only kissed one person before that. So I blurted, "No!" He told me later he was dying to kiss me, but wanted to wait until I was ready. After I said no, he told me that's okay and to let him know when I was ready. I wish he wouldn't have asked, he should have just planted one on me. Telling him I was ready was going to be hard. What? Do I just walk up and say, "I'm ready to kiss you now?" How the heck do I let him know?

A week or so later, I decided I was ready. He was walking me to my door (our nightly routine right before curfew). I decided I was going to tell him. I said, "I think I'm ready for that kiss now." Travis smiled and leaned in to kiss me. I closed my eyes, leaned in, and started hyperventilating! Who does that?

Travis laughed and said we could wait a little longer. Oh my gosh. I wanted to kiss him so bad, but I was psyching myself out. I was so embarrassed. But Travis was patient. And so good for me. Guys, I hyperventilated. I'm a weirdo! But he didn't look at me funny or make fun of me. He had so much love and understanding in his eyes. We laugh about it now, but Travis always made me feel so comfortable to be myself. My weird, quirky, hyperventilating self.

So a few days go by when I tell him to try again. He leans in... and I hyperventilate. Again. I was so mad at myself. I said, "NO! I'm ready. Let's do this thing." Travis closes his eyes, I close mine, we lean in and BOOM! First kiss.

It was horrible. Awkward. Weird. Horrible. My mom told me I'd know if I wanted to marry him by the first kiss, and I was so disappointed. We didn't have a future together. The kiss was horrible. Travis went in like a sucker fish, mouth open. I went in like a 2nd grader. My lips were pursed tight.

Travis and I still laugh so hard when we talk about this kiss. Seriously, it was weird. Luckily the next day we tried again and felt the sparks. They were definitely there. Made me weak at the knees.

After we kissed, our relationship progressed at the speed of light. We started saying the L word. And then one day, marriage was brought up. Even though I was reluctant to kiss Travis, every moment I spent with him felt right. Our relationship progressed so naturally. It was definitely meant to be.

In April, Travis and I went to General Conference together.

Travis also got to meet my huge extended family in Utah. A little overwhelming, but he handled it well. We went to Travis' mission reunion while we were in Utah too.

My sister, Ashley, came to visit late into the semester. She told Travis my mom wanted her to interview him. She filmed while she asked him tons of questions. She asked about our first date, first kiss, and Travis' intentions. Travis handled it well. I didn't. haha. But I love watching it because you can feel the love Travis and I had for each other. Aww young love.

The video is pretty funny. Long, but funny. We were so young! And I was mean to Ashley in a little of it. I'm glad I've grown up since then. Sorry Ashley!

Watch that interview here: