Happiest Birthday to my lover boy!

Its Michael's Birthday!!  Gosh, I sure do love this man.  He has completely changed my life for the better and I am grateful for that every single day.  I am so excited to marry him and celebrate every birthday that our lives give us!

Here is my #typical list of 21 things I adore about this handsome man:
he has the purest heart, he has a great sense of humor, he is a gentleman, he loves to serve, he loves to love, he is loyal, he is an honest man, he values family, his ability to live in the moment, his patience with me, his desires to do good, his work ethic, his love for God, his desires to be obedient, holy smokes his body, his kisses and snuggles, his goals, his sensitivity to the Spirit, the way he smells, his courage, and his smile and laugh.

I could go on all day, but those are a few of my favorite things. I am so lucky to soon call him my husband!

Also, I am so glad I can start telling people that he is 21 and I am 22.. totally selfish, but seriously, I have received some weird looks with the age difference.

lots of love,
brookeydee

engagement pictures

I have wanted Mikki Platt to be my wedding photographer since I was 17.  I stalked her blog on a weekly basis and I have always loved her work!

I was so excited when she was available for our wedding date! Its honestly a dream come true.

Our engagement session was SO FUN!  I honestly felt like Mike and I were on a date.  I hardly noticed she was there. The pictures she captured are pure magic.  She is so fun to work with.  and people she had the edited photos back to us in less than two days. I am serious, she is incredible!

I cant choose a favorite.. so here are quite a few of our dreamy photos.

lots of love,

Brookeydee

trip to california!

My grandparents started a tradition to fly out each grandchild when they get engaged to spend time with the couple and get to know the newest family member.

Friday- they picked us up and we went straight to a burger place to get burgers, malts, and fries. yum!  We spent the night catching up and telling stories.

right after landing at the Long Beach airport.

Saturday- We woke up and hit Denny's for breakfast.  We went to the Rainbow shoe factory and got some nice flip flops.  Took a drive along PCH and stopped at Dana Point and Huntington Beaches.  Huntington beach was hopping- there was a surfing competition going on as well as a fair.  We bought some cool shirts there too!  Late that afternoon we went to see Pitch Perfect 2- SO SO funny! We finished the night at a very nice restaurant at Dana Point, Katie and her BF Brody joined us there.  It was so beautiful!  and delicious!!

Dana Point in the morning

Huntington Beach Pier

49 more days!!

we thought this shirt was so cool!

right before our yummy dinner above Dana Point

Sunday- We woke up to a yummy breakfast made by grandma (including GF waffles! nom-nom)! watched 17 miracles (Mike cried. He has the best heart people) and then Mike and I sat out by the pool talking and snuggling.  It was a great trip!!

A couple of things I want to remember: As we sat down at our gate at the airport in SLC ready to scarf down some cafe rio before we boarded Mike got really quiet.  I asked him if he was okay and he said yes but was acting really weird.  I few minutes later he explained to me that he received an impression that he should buy one of the airport workers some dinner but ignored it, and now the worker was gone.  He was feeling guilty for not following through on the impression.  But then the man walked back in.  Immediately mike jumped up and went directly to him.  They walked over to a sandwich shop and got him some food.  Mike learned a little bit about him in the few minutes they spent together- but one thing is for sure the man was hungry and needed some food.

As I sat there watching this happen, I was holding back the tears.  I was overwhelmed with gratitude.  Gratitude for the heart of my almost husband, for his worthiness to hear the promptings of the spirit, and for his obedience in acting on that prompting although the situation felt uncomfortable to him.  I am so in love with MCD!

Another fun memory happened on the plane. long story short- "Brooke?  You know what the amazing thing is?  I can keep them separate!"  as he spits out a piece of gum to never be found. haha.

Lots of love,
Brookeydee

a baby and a mission call

This year has been a huge year for both of our families!

Mike returned home from his mission in February

we got engaged in March

in April we became an aunt and uncle to sweet little RR she is the first grand baby to my parents

RR is the sweetest little bundle!  I love being an aunt! 

this month Mike's brother J received his mission call to Sydney Australia, he leaves September 23.  He is going to be a stellar missionary. I am so happy for him!

both of our brothers, J and B graduate high school next week

my younger brother B is in the process of submitting his papers and will receive his mission call in a few weeks.

And.. T minus 49 days til the best day. #NBD

life is so good.

lots of love,
brookeydee

spring break- monticello and moab

This year I got to experience a Delahunty spring break!

We headed down to southern Utah to visit Camille's parents in Monticello, they so generously hosted us.  It was so nice to come back after a long day of four wheeling in the dirt to a home-cooked meal, a hot shower, a loving grandma and grandpa, and a nice, cozy bed!  It was top-notch service!

Mike's aunt and uncle own a historical land mark in Monticello- its a hotel, there are treasures everywhere!  I loved this door we found in the basement!

we spent an afternoon shooting, I love shooting!

We went on some crazy four wheeling trails.  These people take their four wheeling seriously.  I was so grateful to be a passenger while Mike managed the trails because I was too chicken. It was so, SO fun!!  We also did a little hiking while we were down there.  All in all, it was a memorable trip. I sure love those 10 Delahuntys!  I am so excited to steal their last name!

Lots of love, 

Brookeydee

seriously.. look at him, he is yummy.

a delahunty family night

Family Home Evening (FHE) has a special place in my heart.  It is something that my parents always made a priority and I am so excited to have family home evening with my lover boy when we are married!

In April the Delahuntys invited me to join them for a fun FHE.  We went up to temple square in SLC and watched Meet The Mormons at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and then adventured through temple square.  It was so fun and we got some fun pictures with the cherry blossoms!  Mike and I had to come straight from work, (we missed the first half of the movie) I totally dig his rugged, manly, dirty, post-work-look. #sorrynotsorry

I love his family!  I love that it's big, and I love each person.  They each have so much to offer and I am so grateful to soon call them mine! 

lots of love,

brookeydee

how he popped the question

Saturday, March 28, 2015 yes, this is 22 days following our first date #NBD

this was taken the night we found my ring

He had purchased the ring and asked for my father's permission the week before, so I knew it could be any day! He called me in the morning and asked if we could cancel our plans to go out with my best friend and her husband.  (I thought to myself "he better propose tonight, if he is cancelling for no reason I am going to be really upset!!)  He told me we were going for a night hike and he would pick me up immediately following the general women's session of LDS general conference.  I tried not to think about it all day because I didn't want to come home disappointed that we were not yet engaged.

When he came to pick me up he was dressed nicer than I was to go "hiking" and the whole way up to the trail he was checking his phone and sending quick messages- NOT SAFE and something he doesn't normally do.  I began to feel sure we were about to get engaged.

We hiked up the trail talking and laughing, he would pause at all the look-outs to look back at the beautiful Draper temple.  The top of the trail was a waterfall.  I was surprised that there was nothing there.  At that moment I thought I was silly for being so sure we were getting engaged and convinced myself that we were really just on a hike.

On the way down we crossed a bridge, in the middle of the bridge was a glow stick.  I jokingly commented, "babe! we are not alone" in a creepy voice.  He leaned to pick up the glow stick and I freaked out.  I was very concerned that he was stealing someone else's glow stick and that he should leave it there.  He firmly said that he didn't want to leave it.  I gave in and we rounded a corner and that's when I saw more glow sticks illuminating our trail ahead and every so often the glow sticks were framing a little hand written note from Mike stating the reasons why he loves me.

I cried as I read the notes and came to the realization that it was actually happening.  It hadn't hit me like that before.  We were really getting married.  He was my forever. It was one of the best moments of my life!

Once we got to the bottom of the trail, he walked me across the street to the front of the draper temple where the words will you marry me were written in glow sticks, a bouquet of yellow flowers, and the last note.  He got down on one knee, popped out that ring box and asked me the question. I said of course, pulled him up and kissed him like I meant it!  It was a perfect engagement.

I love this bling so much. I am obsessed!

The Draper temple has a lot of symbolism for us, its where we were both endowed a few years ago, where we held hands for the first time, where we went on a romantic dancing date, and where we got engaged. It is also where we will be sealed as a family for time and all eternity on July 10, 2015.

I love Michael Delahunty and I am so excited to become his Mrs.

lots of love,
brookeydee

our first date

March 6, 2015

I had returned home from Hawaii the day before. He wouldn't tell me what we would be doing on our date.  All I knew is he would be there to pick me up at 5.  I was so nervous, because our relationship had progressed so much over the past 2 weeks and we hadn't even seen each other in person!

As soon as I opened the door and saw him, my nerves immediately calmed down.  He came into my apartment and we talked for a while before leaving.  We drove up to draper where he took me to a bowling alley- which was closed for some tournament. {He really wanted to take me bowling because I have yet to get 100 points while bowling.. and its on my bucket list. haha!  He is so thoughtful!} So we did his back up plan.  We went to Scheels and rode the ferris wheel- this was a dream for me!  I am a sucker for romance and I thought this was oh so romantic! He put his arm around me while on the ferris wheel and it felt like home being snuggled up close to him! While he was all romantic I was a tease (as per the usual with us!) He told me he had a fear of heights: so naturally I had to rock our cart when we were at the top- don't tell!  Its against the rules.

We spent hours at scheels playing games, and taking our first pictures together and looking around at their cool gear. When we left we went to eat at Wild Zucchini- one of my favorites! There we ran into his aunt and cousin who had snapped a few stalker pictures of us on our first date- haha!

After dinner we went up to the draper temple and walked around the grounds.  I reached for his hand and have been holding it ever since!

Here is the craziest part- after leaving the temple we went to meet one another's families! Yeah, yeah.  We were on the super fast track from day one. He only got to meet some of my family and it went well.  He definitely set a great first impression. We ended the night in the family room of his house.  I met 9 of the 10 in his family.  It was immediate love for those delahuntys!  The first thing his dad asked me was "what are your intentions with my son?"  I knew at that moment we were going to get along just fine!

When he took me home that night, he went in for a kiss on my doorstep and I totally chickened out! I Hurried and opened my door and invited him to come in and meet my roommates. He stayed there for about 30 minutes talking to them before leaving. I offered to walk him out and as soon as that door shut behind me his lips were on mine! That first kiss was unreal! He gives the best kisses.

It was our perfect first date.

lots of love,
Brookeydee

the meeting

April 17, 2013 in Stamford Connecticut.  Serving as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint in New York, New York.

I had been out in the field for 6 weeks when I met Elder Delahunty.  It was his very first day in the field.  We were called to serve in the same ward (and missionary district) in Stamford Connecticut.  A ward member had invited all 8 missionaries in the ward over to have dinner and to teach a lesson to one of their less active friends.  I would be lying if I said I remembered anything about Mike on this day.  {He claims that he noticed me and thought I was cute, and that it took weeks for me to give him the time of day.}

About a month later, the Bishopric asked us to sing a song in sacrament meeting.  We got together to practice, and ended up chatting a little bit more than actually practicing.  I was seated next to Mike as we "practiced" the song, I remember him telling me he was the oldest of 8 children, talking about his love for the outdoors- especially 4 wheeling, and his history as a wrestler. This was my first remembered glimpse into his pure heart. (which is one of the things I love most about Michael, his heart is so pure)  Leaving that conversation I had the desire to get to know him more and develop a friendship.  We served together for a total of 12 weeks in Stamford rubbing shoulders very frequently until I got transferred.  I didn't see or hear from him for about 8 months.

On February 6, 2014 I was transferred to Harlem.  That morning I was informed that I would be returning home due to a health emergency that needed immediate attention.  Elder Delahunty and Elder Reedy came to help my companion and I take my luggage from the transfer meeting back to our area in Harlem where I would be serving in the same ward as Mike once again. Unfortunately my return home took place the following day, the 7th of February.  So I only had about two hours that I spent with Mike that day.  I tried to tell him I was leaving, but there was a miscommunication/ misunderstanding.  5 days after returning home, a Wednesday (P-Day for the NYNYNM) Elder Delahunty sent me an email.  That email was the first of many emails that we would share over the next 12 months.

Confession- I was not a great writer.  Sometimes I wouldn't respond to an email for weeks. Other times we would talk every week.

Micheal returned home February 19, 2015 and contacted me via facebook messenger a few days after.  We began talking and flirting and when he finally worked up the courage to ask me out- I left on vacation for a week and half.  We FB messaged for about a week until he asked for my number.  My trip to Hawaii was full of texts and late night phone calls for hours (Mike would literally stay up all night to talk with me because of the time difference)

I fell in love with him as we talked on the phone every night. Talking has always been one of the strengths in our relationship.  I will always remember looking at the starry hawaiian skies as I fell in love with Mike.  We often refer to this time as our cyber dating phase! haha!  One night, we had been talking on the phone for about 3 hours. Yes 180 minutes.  It was like 5 am in utah and before hanging up Michael told me he loved me.  It scared me out of my mind for so many reasons, but I couldn't help but smile.  I knew I loved him too.

lots of love,

Brookeydee