WE LOVE Conference Weekend...

General Conference weekend is a favorite of ours... gorgeous fall weather, bright blue skies (esp. in VA, that are bluer than the most amazing blue, ever!), hearing from the Prophet and the apostles... it's just our favorite, FAVORITE weekend of the entire year (well, perhaps it's a close tie with April General Conference?)!

And it's crazy this year to think our courtship started 10 years ago this very weekend!

Pictures taken on Southern Virginia College campus, in front of Speas House. Sunday afternoon between sessions, Oct. 8th 2000.

Forgive me if you will... for being a silly girl, again... here's a another Journal entry of how we met, fell in love and how our lives changed forever!

Oct. 9, 2000

I haven’t been able to write in my journal for the past few days. For one I’ve been avoiding it, because there’s just so much to say! The most surprising thing has happened for me. I thought things couldn’t get any better, and then I meet HIM! Let’s just say that I’ve made a new friend named Justin Cracroft! I can’t express it in words, he is just… amazing! He’s the most amazing man I’ve ever met! There is something about him that glows and he’s so different from anyone.

It’s really funny how it all kinda happened. It’s like we couldn’t control the magnetism that was pulling us together.

I saw him a couple weeks ago in the cafeteria and knew that I wanted to get to know him. Then I noticed he was in choir and thought I should introduce myself to him at our choir party, which, to my disappointment he didn’t even look at me.

I did ride in his car over to Lexington for a concert our choir was in on Tuesday night. And I finally got the courage to let him know I was interested, and boy did he know it! After the concert, I asked him if I could drive his car back in to town. He said yes. (Willing to share, good trait!)

As we were driving, the girl in the back seat of his car was singing along to the song on the raido... (Lauren Hill, "Killing Me Softly") She said, "Amanda, sing along with me!" So, I started singing with her…it was there that Justin said to me, “you have a beautiful voice!” (Oh, that made me so giddy.) When we got back to the school, I, on purpose dropped off the other passengers first, and then drove my self to my building. Before I got out of the car, Justin said to me… “Oh, don’t forget to take your Blistex!” I turned and looked at him with a cute smile and dreamy eyes and said… “No…I’m supposed to leave it there!”

He said “OH!?” ...with a smile, i think it finally sunk in for him that i was interested in getting to know him! (I was hoping that would guarantee a phone call!! Which I got!) The concert was Tuesday and he called me Friday afternoon. I asked him if he was going to the institute dance in Harrisonburg that night. He said because of the conference weekend he had to study and wouldn’t be able to go…but said maybe we’d see each other at conference. He also said he’d used my Blistex a few times. What a geek! I love it!

To my surprise, I happened to be sitting behind him all through the Saturday morning conference session. Where he turned around to ask if we had any spare hymn books, and I got a smile and a “hello!” from him! I bumped into him during the 2 hour lunch break, when I was on my way to the library to check my email. He said he liked my sweater, which is cool ‘cause I love that sweater, too! (Camel hair sweater w/ large wood buttons, got it at Goodwill!)

For the second session of conference we were sitting in the same overflow room again. After conference, we saw each other in the cafeteria during dinner. He sat and talked with me, Sara (my roomie) and Jared Allen (from Choir)… and we decided that we all would go to get some ice cream after priesthood session. Jared… gave me a wink like ‘I’m gonna work on this guy for ya… ‘cause I know you like him…’ Thanks, Jared!

Saturday night we went on a double date to Dairy Queen after the priesthood session. We had a really good time and from that moment on was like a dream. Justin and I went to both Sunday conference sessions together, where Justin held my hand for the first time. After dinner he asked if I would like to hang out. There is not a lot you could do on Sundays, on campus because nothing is open (game room, etc) So, he asked if i wanted to go to the Parkway, which I really had no idea what a ‘parkway’ was, I thought it was an actual park. So, I said "sure," and as we start driving there I noticed we were NOT going to the park... but up the mountain... when I realize that he’s taking me to a ‘look out.’ He said he just wanted to talk…(sure.) We stayed up talking until 4:30 am! We talked the whole time, laughed and just enjoyed each other and the conversation! I suddenly felt like I was re-discovering myself… who I actually was… and not who anyone ‘wanted’ me to be. I felt completely and amazingly comfortable around him! And yes, he did kiss me! But this kiss was unlike any kiss I had ever had. It truly was the world’s most perfect kiss. He was so cute, after he kissed me he said ‘Wowwssers.”

Justin wrote this in my notebook during Sunday afternoon Conference (10 years ago!!) What a cutie!

Enjoy Conference!! We plan to, as always. :)