Audra’s Thoughts
I want to share my special memories
I have of Jake and I and how we met and became who we are. These experiences have helped mold and form
me into the person I am today.
Jake
and I dated for ten months before he left on his mission. Some
of you may know how Jake and I met. But, I bet you don’t know the whole
story! During 1997-1998 Jake and I met
at Sears Tele-service. We had both had other
jobs lined up and for different reasons known only to the one in charge, they
both fell through. Jake was supposed to
work at Brick Oven; his job was given away to a college student. I was also
offered a job at 7-Peaks and my position was also given to a college
student. Neither one of us wanted or
liked the new positions offered and so we both ended up at Sears Tele-service.
I
remember walking by Jake numerous times, each time he would be sitting low in
his seat with his hat pulled down low over his brow. Cocky, was my first impression of Jake, as
well as “jock”! He will argue this but a
few times I walked by his chair “accidentally” bumping it to get his attention;
but, to no avail. He tells of seeing me
in the cafeteria with some friends and not daring to come up to me for fear of
rejection, I too dispute this.
One day
we had a meeting, a team meeting. He
happened to be sitting next to a girl I knew, a girl who was quite interesting
(in the nicest way possible). She liked
to talk a lot and I could tell he was trying hard to be polite. I noticed there was an empty seat on the
other side of him and I took this opportunity to sit down next to him. All I said was “Hey”! That was all it
took. He did a complete 90 degree turn
and we started talking. We hit it off so
well that we decided to take our 15 minute break together which actually turned
into an hour break. I know I know.
We
talked and talked, then tried to sneak back in to our work area. As we walked in, our manager saw us; (both of
us swear we saw her smile and turn her head as though she didn’t notice that we
were forty five minutes late). Needless
to say, that was the beginning of us Jake and I. We passed notes for the rest of the day, and
before Jake left he came over and got my phone number.
On our
first date Jake picked me up in the white Bronco. No joke when I tell you I got in the car and
he asked “so what do you want to do”. I
am still amazed I didn’t get out of the car and walk back into the house. (Don’t guys know that is the worst way to
start a first date?) Lucky for Jake, I
gave him the benefit of the doubt. As we
headed back to Provo from Springville, we decided to hike up to Stewart
Falls. I had on shorts and a t-shirt,
and sandals. Not quite appropriate for
an evening hike up a mountain. Jake
suggested I borrow his sister’s tennis shoes and one of his sweatshirts. (Did you know that Catherine?) Well, I don’t need to tell you how much
taller Catherine is than I and that her shoe size was a good size or two bigger
than my shoe size. This didn’t apprehend
us though and we grabbed a bite of food and headed up the mountain.
The
night was off to a great start, we talked with ease as if we’d always been great
friends. That is, until Jake said “you
sure talk a lot”. I of course was a
little taken back. He quickly recanted
with “I mean it in a good way, I like that you talk a lot. Most girls don’t”. I like to think I gave him the benefit of the
doubt; however it did take a few minutes to get me to talk againJ.
A few
months later Jake left to Snow College.
I can tell you from my experience, work was never the same. He definitely was the reason that job was fun
and to be honest, I didn’t work there a whole lot longer after he left, but
back to Snow College. Jake headed down to Snow in 1998. We talked a lot on the phone and when ever
possible on the weekends he would come up, we would go out. Some of the most fun I ever had on dates, I
had with Jake. We always seemed to
figure out something fun, active or goofy.
There were only two times we saw a movie, one was with his family eating
pizza and watching “Jumanji” and the other was Titanic. (Yes I covered his eyes
;)
Two
weeks before he left for his mission I received a letter. I won’t go into great detail but it was
perfect. He didn’t ask me to wait, but
rather hoped that I would be there when he returned so that we could see where
things would go. He also told me of his
feelings for me through a song “An Arms Length Away” by Kenney Chesney. I love this song and at times will pull it
out to listen to it. Just after this
Jake got up enough guts to kiss me. Over
the next two weeks we were almost inseparable.
It was also during this time that we held hands for the first time.
Jake
was a true gentlemen to the credit of his amazing parents. I think I began to fall in love with my best
friend during these ten months. We wrote
the entire two years, minus a few months here and there mostly due to his crazy
schedule he had as AP. Luckily for Jake
his mission Pres. Wife, Gloria Taggart saved his behind.
One day
I came home to my apartment from school to find a box full of yummy cookie’s
signed “from someone you know in England”.
Well of course I thought they were from Jake, and he was forgiven for
not writing. It wasn’t until after we
were married that I found out that Gloria had sent them unbeknownst to
him.
There
were a few times when he would write a short paragraph as a letter. I would then reprimand him with a single
sentence after which I would get a full letter response the next time. Writing through Jake’s mission was an awesome
experience. Because we had never been serious,
there was no “lovey-dovey” stuff in our letters. They were pure and honest with experiences of
his mission and my experiences of life in college. Our friendship grew tremendously through
these two years.
When he
returned it didn’t take long to realize that there was something special. However, I was not ready to get married and
even after promptings from Jake and my mother to pray about him… I
refused. It wasn’t until one night after
a date that Jake forced his hand and through his missionary experiences convinced
me to pray with him. Obviously you all
know the answer to that prayer.
Jake
purposed to me after taking me to a Tim McGraw & Faith Hill concert with
Joel and Charakie. We ended up at the
LDS Conference center where he got down on one knee and in true missionary
fashion said “Audra Fern Gines, will you marry me in the Salt Lake Temple, on September
… 2000 for all time and all eternity” (later I found out missionaries call that
the “missionary commitment pattern or technique”. I have to admit, I didn’t cry, he had
completely surprised me and through my happiness I said yes and wrapped my arms
around his neck!
We dated
for two months, were engaged for two more and married on September 22,
2000! Ten years later, three kids, a master’s
degree and I back in school… I can easily say I love Jake more now then
ever. He is an amazing husband, father,
brother and son. I attribute everything he
is to his amazing parents who taught he and his brother’s to fear God, and to
live the best life he/they could. I know
that his hard work ethic and zest for life has come from his upbringing.
So,
Brent and Caren, thank you for raising an amazing son. A son who loves the gospel, a son who has
turned into a great father, a son who is a great spouse, a son who is and will
be a great Architect and a son who is and will always be an amazing person. Jake will do great things; I am sure of this.
With all my love,
Audra
And then, like clockwork, that moment had evaporated into thin air. The seven year old "Crazy" and his nemesis eight, almost nine year old "Drama Queen" sister had awakened and within minutes the tiny moment of quiet bliss had disappeared into a black hole never to be seen again--at least not for the next 12 hours. 
