The honest truth is I never wanted to fall head-over-heels for Dallin Thomas.

yesterday after we went to the Mesa Arts Center solely for the purpose of spinning in the top chairs

    Today I said my goodbyes as he left to get set apart as a missionary; his plane takes off first thing tomorrow and wow is it way harder than I expected. Last summer I would've never foreseen this.  Heck, a year ago would probably have been one of those nights spent crying over the way my then-boyfriend treated me, having no idea that the future had so much more to offer.  The first time I heard of Dallin I actually rolled my eyes at the girls lamenting about how he was so cute but already had a girlfriend... and the first time I saw him  {far away on stage and heavily made-up as a ghost in Addam's Family} I could only purse my lips at my cousin who commented on his chiseled face.
      Three days after a massive blow-up with my ex, my mom tried to convince me to go to Adam's birthday party by using "Dallin will be there!" as persuation.  I wasn't interested.  I wanted to hang out with my friends-- but I was heartbroken when I found out they had all flocked to my ex's house, and the invitation was not extended to me.  So with no other option I bounced quietly between my brother's aquaintances.  All of a sudden someone started playing piano, and my mom nudged me.  "There's Dallin!"  Not gonna lie, I was worried he was gonna be some loser kid who wasn't nearly as good-looking as everyone said, but I was wrong-- he was even more so.  To my surprise he was not only willing to talk to me, but we talked nearly the rest of the night.  He told me about his adventures in a shark cage so I told him about swimming with pirhanas.  Even after everyone had left and we had gotten out of the pool, he stayed to help clean up.

he took me to Rainforest Cafe because he'd never been and I've loved it since I was a toddler

A week later my mom asked me to go with her to pick up Adam and Rachel from AYT.  I'm so glad I did-- Dallin bumped into me, asked for my number, and the following weekend {a mere three-weeks after a horrible break-up and my dead-serious confession to someone that I "probably won't get asked on another date till I'm twenty"} we went on a date to Skateland.
     Even though I was the most awkward date on the planet, Dallin continued inviting me to hang out with him.  We got along {although I was still semi-convinced he was a jock} and Dallin could certainly cater to my adventurous side.  But even on our first date, while eating our shaved ice {which I kept spilling}, we both confessed that we were not looking for a relationship our senior year.  Pshhht, who would want a relationship when there'd be less time knowing each other than there would be waiting for each other when the mission came?
Then New Years swung around, and in the dark of early morning Dallin asked me to be his girlfriend. I was taken-aback.  He said he would give me time to contemplate my response, but as soon as I walked through the door and told Adam, I wished that I could chase down his red truck and tell him yes.  I hadn't answered initially because 1) I was scared he wouldn't want to be tied down and 2) I didn't want to get attached to someone leaving so soon... but I realized in that moment that it was too late.  I was already attached.

    Seven months later, I will definitely remember senior year as the best year of high school.  I've gotta hand it to him-- I was an absolute MESS when I met him, but Dallin helped me pick up the shards of my shattered, confused world and rearrange them into a mosaic more colorful and beautiful than the original could ever have been.  My parents commented that in the past year I've become much more confident, outgoing, happy and mature overall, and perhaps it had something to do with getting a job or taking college classes or just growing up...  But I have no doubt in my mind that Dallin had a lot to do with it.
     Dallin is smart, hardworking, respectful, charming,  positive, always kind, hilarious, well-rounded, adventurous.  He is that dorky person who is always pushing people's buttons in a way that's too cute and funny to make them mad.  He is an incredible listener who can see through a facade when something is wrong, and he is quick to strike up a conversation with anyone of any age.  We could talk about anything!  And whether we were attending rock concerts downtown or stargazing in the desert or just sitting on the couch with nothing to do after a volleyball game, we were always having fun.  It didn't matter what we were doing or how long we'd been doing it-- it always took way too long to say goodbye.   We were both best friends and dating.  Not once did we get in a fight.
     It will be so hard going two years without him always sending adorably sweet texts, calling me just to hear about my day, doing annoying things like blowing in my ear to see my reaction, and cracking himself up with his own jokes.  I'll miss the hilarious way he pronounces certain words {even if I don't understand the references}  or makes up his own {he refered to our newborn puppies as Dobbypotamuses because of their ears}.  Dallin is the only person I've told about my book, and he remembers my bucketlist better than I do, having made the effort to check several items off.  Gosh, the list of things I'll miss could go on forever.
     Yet this is an exciting new time in both our lives.  This is a time that will hopefully shape us, give us experience, teach us more about ourselves while we are still young and new to the world we have just entered.  I am sad!  But I will not will the time away, nor will I turn down opportunities to have a blast as I enter this new stage of college and then mission.  I don't know what will happen, but I trust that everything will fall into place and I will forever be grateful for these incredible memories I've been given.  And to Dallin-- good luck baby, give the Lord all you've got and see you in two.

after his farewell