One week prior to going to EAC, I was hospitalized. I had a history of irregular periods with heavy, long menstrual cycles. I would not have a period for a three months, and then I would have a horrendous period where I would bleed for 2 months straight. I lost a lot of blood several times this way in my lifetime, and I was extremely anemic from losing so much blood. My hemoglobin, at this point, was critically low at a 4, normal healthy woman average is between 12-15. My primary care physician, Dr. Ralph Mayberry, sent me immediately over to the emergency room. At the emergency room I was immediately started on IV fluids and given medications intravenously. My gynecologist, Dr. Kim Schaus, was contemplating an emergency blood transfusion, however, she decided to give my body a couple of hours of fluids before deciding on that. Miraculously, my blood supply had doubled in just a couple of hours at the emergency room and I did not need the blood transfusion. I was in the hospital for a couple of days and put on medication to regulate my menstrual cycle and to control my bleeding. I also now regularly had to take iron medication.
This all occurred about 10 days from the time I was to depart to Thatcher for college. My parents, surprisingly, still felt that it was a good idea to send me to EAC. Usually, they tend to be a little over protective so this was unexpected. Thatcher was just a 2 hour drive from Sierra Vista and I had my parents calling card so they would stay in contact with me (this was before the influx of cell phones). We packed up my things in my brother Doug's truck and my little white Chevrolet Corsica and we all drove to Thatcher to drop me off to college where I would be staying at a little house on Church Street with 7 female roommates. This was a Saturday. On Sunday, I attended church. The Sunday School President of our college ward was Kevin Edington, and he had decided to have Sunday School be a testimony meeting that first day. I bore my testimony of my trials and love of my Savior. At this time, my brother Doug was also very sick with liver cancer (He died in March 1997). I remember quoting something from one of my favorite movies, The Sound of Music, in my testimony how "when God closes a door, he opens a window." Despite the trials in my life at that time, there was a lot of good going on as well, for example a sister with infertility that had recently had a baby and how I was preparing to go on a mission and how my experiences had brought me closer to the Savior.
Well, apparently, my testimony had made an impression upon Kevin Edington. He was "inspired" to call me to be one of the Gospel Doctrine Teachers in our college ward. He had requested me as a teacher and turned my name into our bishopric who asked if I would accept this call to serve. I did, but I was a little bit overwhelmed at the calling because I would be teaching many returned missionaries in the class who I was sure knew more about the gospel than I did. The bishopric told me to get in contact with Kevin Edington to get my lesson manual and also I needed to let him know that I could not teach the very next week as my new nephew, Kameron Trejo, was being blessed in St. David, Arizona. I spoke with Kevin Edington immediately at the church/institute building. There was a ward barbecue being held at the building at this time. I approached him and said, "Can you believe the bishopric called me to be the Gospel Doctrine Teacher?" Kevin replied, "Well, actually, I requested your name because of your beautiful testimony." Kevin later on admitted that by him requesting me it would give him some time to get to know me and spend some time with me. That was a really good thought process on his part.
Kevin and I immediately began spending more time together. My home was very appealing to a young 22 year old man as in my home there were 8 females, all college students at EAC and all very beautiful women. I think that he thought if things did not work out with me then there were seven other possible girls, but in reality, if you hurt one of us, you would not have a chance with any of us. Lucky for Kevin, it worked out for him. Kevin and I went to an institute dance the following week after meeting and danced most of the night together. September 15, 1995, was our first official date. A friend of Kevin's, Todd Welker, had told Kevin that he and a friend were each going to ask a girl on a date to go roller skating in Willcox. Todd encouraged Kevin to ask me on a date, but Kevin said that he had homework to do. Todd persisted and Kevin decided to get the courage and come over to my home and ask me on a date that very night, which of course, I said yes to. While I was doing my hair and make-up, my roommates are already ALL stating that I am going to marry Kevin, to which I replied that I was just going on a date with him and that I was going to be going on a mission.
We roller skated, fell, tripped, but mostly roller skated hand in hand all night. We were having a great time together and we were able to talk to each other a lot and get to know each other. Kevin was a returned missionary. He went on his mission from 1992-1994 to Budapest, Hungary. We learned that we had similar values, common goals, a love of family and the gospel, and we both shared a strong love of music.
We held hands in the car, went to McDonald's in Willcox for a quick bite to eat. Kevin asked what I wanted and all I wanted was a cup of water, which of course, was free. I think that Kevin learned right then and there that I was not a high maintenance woman. If I was hungry, I would have ordered something, but I honestly had eaten just before going on our date and was not hungry. I have never had a huge appetite. We held hands all the way home in the car. The song, "Open Arms," came on the radio and Todd Welker who was driving, stopped the car and we all got out and slow danced with our dates on the side of the road. We finished the drive back to Thatcher and then Kevin drove me home in his car, a burgundy colored Dodge Dynasty. Kevin walked me to the door, but decided he wanted to come in and get to know me more. We talked about music and how I played the piano. He wanted to hear me play the piano. I asked what he wanted to hear me play and he decided he wanted classical music so I gave him a book of classical music that I had that was about 2 inches thick, and he chose a song from there. He first chose a Hungarian number by Franz Liszt and then continued quizzing me with different songs in the book. We both enjoyed sharing music together that night and we have continued to do so throughout our lives.
We continued dating and were very comfortable with each other very early on. It was wonderful having a new best friend. Kevin knew very early on that he wanted to marry me and would talk about it often with me. I would tell Kevin that I was going on a mission. He would say what if I changed your mind. You could have a different mission with me. My mind changed quickly. By December 1995, I knew that I wanted to marry Kevin without a doubt and that my mission plans would be postponed. Upon this decision, I decided to go wedding dress shopping with my roommates just for fun. Well, the Modern Dress Shop was going out of business for a short time while they did some renovating. I tried on some wedding dresses with my roommates Nicole Gonzalez and Crista Farnsworth. The first dress I tried on I fell in love with and I loved the price as well. It was a size 4 and was only $262. It was on clearance because of the renovation sale. I had some money from returning books from my classes as school was coming to a close and I decided to use that money to put my wedding dress on layaway and I found a veil I really liked to and bought that as well.
My roommates and I decided to go to McDonald's for a hot fudge sundae and Kevin worked there so it was an excuse to see him. My roommates kept persuading me to tell Kevin that I had just bought my wedding dress. I thought that was a little too forward and not the right time to tell him. Kevin kept trying to figure out what the big secret was. I told him that we could talk about it later after he was off work. Kevin came to my home right after work wanting to know the big secret. I told him about my wedding dress purchase which he was very happy about. I guess he knew that I was serious about wanting to marry him now.
It was Christmas break so I went home to Sierra Vista. I missed Kevin over the holidays. He had to stay in Thatcher and work, but he did come and visit me at Christmas. His parents lived in Pomerene, Arizona, just 30 minutes from my parents home in Sierra Vista. I had met Kevin's parents and his 4 sisters early on in our dating. His brother, Jason, was on a mission in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In fact, I met Kevin's family before Kevin kissed me. It was LDS Women's Conference Day in September 1995, the day President Hinckley presented the Proclamation of the Family to the Relief Society sisters. I had dinner with Kevin, his parents, sisters, and Kevin's Grandma and Grandpa Edington who he lived with in their home in their basement in Thatcher on Church Street. I brought an ice cream pie because I do not like to go to dinner empty handed. Kevin's Grandpa Edington immediately fell in love with me because I brought food and it was dessert and it was chocolate. I have always told Kevin that I do not know who I fell in love with first, Kevin or his family. I loved Kevin's family immediately. As soon as I walked in the door at his grandparents home, his sisters were all playing instruments and Kevin's dad was helping Tamra with some math homework. I knew this was a family I would love to be a part of. I drove Kevin's grandma, mother, and sister Carol to the General Relief Society Meeting that evening in my Chevy Corsica. It was a fabulous day.
Kevin met part of my family in October 1995 as my parents and sister Carolyn and her family had come to town for the Fall Sing Performance. He met my brother Mike and his family at Christmas as well as my brother Doug and my sister Christine and her family. I am the baby of 6 children-3 boys, 3 girls. My brothers kissed Kevin when they met him. I guess this meant that they liked him and gave their approval. Kevin jokes that my brother Doug gave him the tongue, but I really hope he is kidding.
When I came home from Christmas break, I had to tell my parents that I seriously wanted to marry Kevin Edington and that I had already purchased my wedding dress. My dad was very happy that the dress purchase had already been taken care of and that it was very inexpensive. My dad was an auditor for the government. My mom had reserved feelings. She was happy that I had found love, but questioned the timing. You see, at this time, my brother Doug was dying of cancer and the doctors did not expect him to live much longer. My mom stated that she could not have a wedding and a funeral in the same year. I was confused by this. I thought that maybe if I got married quick enough, my brother would live long enough to be able to attend my wedding. I wanted to get married in March 1996, but my parents thought that was not the right time. They had a lot of medical bills for my brother Doug that they were helping with at this time. It was decided that I could get married in March 1996 if I quit college or I could keep going to college and get married in June 1996. I opted for the latter, June 1996, because I had put a lot of hard work into my college courses and I did not want to quit school. On New Year's Eve, Kevin and I discussed the options available and we decided that June would be best so that I could continue my education.
For the proposal, see the next post.
