Sometimes I don't exactly know what I want to say, but it needs to be said. Makes sense, right? Probably not. I read posts, statuses, texts, and emails all day long. Opinions are in no shortage in today's day and age. I love it. I love that I can easily find information on any subject I can possibly imagine. I read what everybody else thinks. When do I make my voice heard?
Well, time to listen up.
Lately, I have noticed a trend of articles promoting the idea of "being comfortable with who you are." I couldn't agree more with that statement. However, with each article I've read, there is without a doubt an underlining--be happy with who you are BECAUSE you're overweight, you're addicted to exercise, you have crooked teeth and frizzy hair, or you have a voluptuous 'bass' etc. People come in all shapes and sizes, all sorts of personalities, and physical abundance or limitations. But there is one thing that is the same among us all. Who we REALLY are.
I know who I am. Yes, I am Amber Renee Norman. I was born in Flagstaff, AZ to the most amazing parents. I grew up--awkwardly. I served a mission for the LDS church. I graduated from college. I married my best friend. These are certainly things that HELP define who I am. But there is something about me that is so much more than that.
I am a daughter of God. I have a unique and divine potential. Whether I am short or tall, large or small, brown or blue eyed, light or dark hair, freckled or fair--nothing changes who I REALLY am. It's not about how I look, but what I do with what I have. Live isn't easy. I'll be the first to say that--yes, I have led a privileged life. I have two (now four :) loving and supportive parents. I was able to get a college education. I have food on my table every day. However, I have worked hard for what I have. I'm not sure I could have ever done what I did without the understanding of who I REALLY am. I know that even with all my (many) shortcomings, I am still loved. I know that it's never too late to become a better me. I love my life and I know it is because I know who I am.
Friday, November 21, 2014
Monday, November 10, 2014
all about us
our story began in august 2013.
he says i don’t remember meeting him. that is NOT true.
i remember when he stood up as a new member of our ward. i can tell you exactly where he was sitting. the next sunday he was in the early morning meetings, and that’s where bishop spencer really introduced him. i remember thinking, “close your mouth amber, he’s crazy handsome, but he’s probably not interested in you. the moment he finds out you’re 25 he’ll take off running.”
for the next few weeks i would see him sitting across the room with that SMILE…it was beyond mesmerizing. i’ll admit, i imagined what it would be like to date him, and i was sure he’d never go for a crazy girl like me. i was in my last semester of school and working part time at wingers and part time at mydopro–with NO idea about what i wanted to do after college. well that isn’t entirely true. there were a few things of which i was sure. and of course with a non-filter mouth like mine i shared these deep desires on our very first date (stay tuned).
considering the amount of time we spent in meetings together i’m sure there was a word or two exchanged between the both of us, but sadly none that come to mind. the first conversation i remember having with curtis was about my tights being intimidating. not exactly sure why. but i’m glad he said it. that night at ward prayer (me being dressed in…i don’t really remember, but i know it wasn’t my tights) i marched up to curtis, even though he was surrounded by giggling girls, and asked him if i still looked intimidating. i don’t remember his response. but that is where it started. the flirting had begun.
i remember when he stood up as a new member of our ward. i can tell you exactly where he was sitting. the next sunday he was in the early morning meetings, and that’s where bishop spencer really introduced him. i remember thinking, “close your mouth amber, he’s crazy handsome, but he’s probably not interested in you. the moment he finds out you’re 25 he’ll take off running.”
for the next few weeks i would see him sitting across the room with that SMILE…it was beyond mesmerizing. i’ll admit, i imagined what it would be like to date him, and i was sure he’d never go for a crazy girl like me. i was in my last semester of school and working part time at wingers and part time at mydopro–with NO idea about what i wanted to do after college. well that isn’t entirely true. there were a few things of which i was sure. and of course with a non-filter mouth like mine i shared these deep desires on our very first date (stay tuned).
considering the amount of time we spent in meetings together i’m sure there was a word or two exchanged between the both of us, but sadly none that come to mind. the first conversation i remember having with curtis was about my tights being intimidating. not exactly sure why. but i’m glad he said it. that night at ward prayer (me being dressed in…i don’t really remember, but i know it wasn’t my tights) i marched up to curtis, even though he was surrounded by giggling girls, and asked him if i still looked intimidating. i don’t remember his response. but that is where it started. the flirting had begun.
amber: Whoa, thanks for lookin’ past my intimidating tights and deciding to be my friend! See, it wasn’t that hard, was it?
curtis: Amber you don’t understand… It took me 45 minutes just to push the friend request button. But I figured I needed to face my fears!
amber: Well Curtis, you’ll be glad you did! Because now you’ll see that I’m not intimidating at all, in fact, I’m quite the opposite!
curtis: Even your writing is intimidating, it shows your attitude. However, I might just believe that.
amber: Well, that is valid. I most certainly do have attitude. All the great girls do. You’ve heard the phrase: Well behaved women rarely make history.
curtis: Amber, I will be honest. I have never heard that phrase. Although, it’s a good one and true.
amber: Yes, yes it is! Now maybe you’ll be able to understand the ladies a little more.
curtis: Hey now!! Understanding doesn’t come from a knowledge alone… Right? So who says I didn’t already have that understanding?
amber: You are right. Haha my apologies, apparently you do!
curtis: How is that apparent? Ha
amber: I was just trying to make you feel better by agreeing with you
curtis: Amber ha I have been home for two months… Understanding of girls is a zero!!
amber: Yeah I figured as much. But I didn’t want to rub it in!
for fall break i went to montana to spend some time with my family (and possibly one other person, but that is neither here nor there). one day when curt and i were chatting again, my mother asked who i was talking to. after my slight relentlessness, i showed her a picture of curtis. she was so smitten that she came up with her first nickname for him: curttles. don’t ask me why, much of the first response things that come out of my mother’s mouth don’t make the most sense. that's when my family started getting on my case about this 'curtis norman' character.
i returned home from fall break and things continued on as normal. i had a few conversations with curtis here and there. nothing too exciting. until october 28th (i think) when he called me to ask me out on a blind date. see, he was trying so hard to be clever because i had told him about the week before when i had 2 blind dates. looking back on it, i wish i would have just gone along with his charm and went on the 'blind date.' instead, i replied, "rather than a blind date, why don't you just take me on a regular date?" how lame was i?? regardless, the date was set and we would have our first date on november 1st, 2013.
that night came quick. i was very excited, yet not quite sure what to expect. all he told me was to dress warm. he picked me up and we headed off to dinner. cafe rio. except that it was a friday night and cafe rio was a zoo...so i suggested that we head a few blocks north and eat at costa vida. it was perfect. and DELICIOUS. after that he drove me up the canyon to sundance. there we rode the halloween lift ride. at this point i thought the date couldn't get any better because not only do i LOVE mexican food, but the sundance lift ride had been somewhat of a tradition since i'd moved back to utah to go to school and i had not yet gone that year. we rode the lift up and down and the whole time i wanted so badly to hold his hand. we talked effortlessly the whole time. we laughed about childhood stories and awkward situations regarding mutual friends. as the ride came to an end i wanted time to slow down. we got back to the car and headed down the canyon. as we drove back down to orem, curtis asked me if i would like to get some hot chocolate and visit one of his favorite spots. trying to act cool, i probably said something to the effect of, "sure, that sounds fun."
mexican hot chocolate from the coca bean. mmmm. once we had our hot chocolate we headed off to rock canyon park. sitting on curtis' favorite bench is where i broke my first date rule. he asked me what i wanted to do with my life. after telling him about my immediate plans to graduate from UVU that semester, i told him that i had little desire to have a career. i wanted to be a wife and mother. i explained that getting an education was very important to me because i want to be able to set myself up for an unexpected future. but rather than seek a high demanding job, i wanted to have a family. i wasn't sure if that was too much information for a first date. curtis didn't even bat an eye. that was one of the first things i would soon love about him.
driving home from our date he divulged a secret as well. he too broke his first date rule--keep it short. i looked at the clock, we had already been on our date for almost 4 hours! curtis could have never known at the time how much i loved that date. everything was perfect. when he took me home, i couldn't wait to go out with him. and i didn't have to wait long.
sunday after church i asked him if he would like to go with me to one of MY favorite spots. seemingly without hesitation he said yes. i took him to east lawn memorial cemetery to see my nephew. we sat there together, talking, reading scriptures. i knew from that moment that curtis was different. he wasn't like any guy i had ever met.
i could go on and and relate exactly how it was that i fell in love with curtis...but i'll save that for another day.
i returned home from fall break and things continued on as normal. i had a few conversations with curtis here and there. nothing too exciting. until october 28th (i think) when he called me to ask me out on a blind date. see, he was trying so hard to be clever because i had told him about the week before when i had 2 blind dates. looking back on it, i wish i would have just gone along with his charm and went on the 'blind date.' instead, i replied, "rather than a blind date, why don't you just take me on a regular date?" how lame was i?? regardless, the date was set and we would have our first date on november 1st, 2013.
that night came quick. i was very excited, yet not quite sure what to expect. all he told me was to dress warm. he picked me up and we headed off to dinner. cafe rio. except that it was a friday night and cafe rio was a zoo...so i suggested that we head a few blocks north and eat at costa vida. it was perfect. and DELICIOUS. after that he drove me up the canyon to sundance. there we rode the halloween lift ride. at this point i thought the date couldn't get any better because not only do i LOVE mexican food, but the sundance lift ride had been somewhat of a tradition since i'd moved back to utah to go to school and i had not yet gone that year. we rode the lift up and down and the whole time i wanted so badly to hold his hand. we talked effortlessly the whole time. we laughed about childhood stories and awkward situations regarding mutual friends. as the ride came to an end i wanted time to slow down. we got back to the car and headed down the canyon. as we drove back down to orem, curtis asked me if i would like to get some hot chocolate and visit one of his favorite spots. trying to act cool, i probably said something to the effect of, "sure, that sounds fun."
mexican hot chocolate from the coca bean. mmmm. once we had our hot chocolate we headed off to rock canyon park. sitting on curtis' favorite bench is where i broke my first date rule. he asked me what i wanted to do with my life. after telling him about my immediate plans to graduate from UVU that semester, i told him that i had little desire to have a career. i wanted to be a wife and mother. i explained that getting an education was very important to me because i want to be able to set myself up for an unexpected future. but rather than seek a high demanding job, i wanted to have a family. i wasn't sure if that was too much information for a first date. curtis didn't even bat an eye. that was one of the first things i would soon love about him.
driving home from our date he divulged a secret as well. he too broke his first date rule--keep it short. i looked at the clock, we had already been on our date for almost 4 hours! curtis could have never known at the time how much i loved that date. everything was perfect. when he took me home, i couldn't wait to go out with him. and i didn't have to wait long.
sunday after church i asked him if he would like to go with me to one of MY favorite spots. seemingly without hesitation he said yes. i took him to east lawn memorial cemetery to see my nephew. we sat there together, talking, reading scriptures. i knew from that moment that curtis was different. he wasn't like any guy i had ever met.
i could go on and and relate exactly how it was that i fell in love with curtis...but i'll save that for another day.
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