The information on this webpage was converted from www.AustinandBonny.com, which was a website Bonny's sister created prior to our wedding as a way to document our beginning/story. The original URL no longer exists, but we still want to keep our story. (The original can still be found at http://flikx.dyndns.org/~mable/AustinAndBonny-Archive/www.austinandbonny.com/index.html).
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally Posted April 6th, 2007: How We Met
Austin and I met our sophomore year at Durango High school. A couple of months into the school year another sophomore English class was added, resulting in the rearrangement of a bunch of student's schedules, us included. We ended up sitting next to each other in both English and World History. It was in our World History class where we first officially met (although, Austin claims seeing me around before, but that doesn’t count). On the first day in our new class, the teacher gave out an alphabetical seating chart, which put us sitting next to each other.
I remember sitting down and pulling out a paper to start writing a note to my friend Charlee, when a boy sat next to me. I remember writing in the note about wanting to look to find out if he was cute, but not wanting to get caught looking. So I came up with a plan: The plan was to not pay attention to the teacher so I could ask my new neighbor what was said, and get a nice look at him without getting caught staring. So that’s exactly what I did. (My friend Amanda, who was sitting behind Austin, thought it was strange that I didn’t just ask her for help.) When I asked him what we were supposed to do he came up with this totally and completely bogus story. He told the whole story with a straight face and acted completely serious. Since I was really paying attention, I knew it was a façade, and I called him on it “That’s not what she said.” And he replies, “Then what did you ask me for?!?”
The rest of the school year, we would tease each other relentlessly. I made fun of his long hair because it always hung in his face. Out of the corner of my eye I would see him shake his head to get the hair out of his way. I always called him a “shaggy dog” and told him he needed a hair cut. He would always make fun of my fat butt [1] and nappy hair.
We got to know each other a little bit through instant messaging. My friend had a huge crush on Austin and found out his screen name, so I would instant message him so I could annoy him around the clock and not just at school. After a while the messaging became more friendly. I remember getting in trouble a lot by staying up too late messaging Austin (ask Joe about that one).
All throughout the school year we continued to tease and taunt each other constantly, and it didn’t even stop when it came to year book signing time. Austin made sure to write as many mean names as he could think of in my year book [2].
Then, the last week of school, Austin showed up to class with his hair cut and styled - - I was totally smitten! Before, his long shaggy hair covered up his face and I’d never really noticed what gorgeous eyes he had.
The next time we spoke was halfway through the summer. My friends had tried to set me up on a date, which I really didn’t want to go on. So I called them and said my parents wouldn’t let me go out (a lie, but I really, really didn’t want to go on this date). So I decided to just hang out at home with my really awesome brother Joe, and watch movies. A few minutes later, the phone rang and on the caller ID it said “Warby”. I assumed it was for my father, but when I answered the phone they asked for me. It was Austin! Apparently when I signed his year book, I wrote my number and told him to keep in touch. He was bored, all his friends were doing something that night, so he looked through his yearbook, saw my number and called. So I cautiously gave him directions to my house (making a mental note that if the house got toilet papered in the next few nights I’d know who did it). He said he’d be over in a few minutes. He showed up about the same time as my friends. (They had to drive by my house to pick up everyone for the group date outing). I was totally and completely caught! My friends laughed it off and drove away. Austin came in for a few minutes and got the usual ear-full from my parents. “Try not to go to the strip… it’s not safe.” When we got into his Jeep, he asked where I wanted to go. He just wanted to go for a drive, but didn’t want to go to the strip if I didn’t want to. I told him my parents are a little crazy, and driving the strip was fine. The rest of the night we drove around town just talking and enjoying each other’s company. After that night, we called each other more often to hang out.
In the beginning of March, sophomore year, I started to work at TCBY. As school got out and summer began, I was working more hours. Sometime near the end of summer, I remember talking to Austin and he was totally depressed because he didn’t have a job or anything to do. I knew that TCBY was hiring, so I told him to come over and fill out an application. He drove over and met with the manager and was offered the job. So we started to work with each other a bit.
School started up again, and this was our junior year at high school. Throughout the fall, we would constantly call each other to go out, and soon became good friends, and slowly started to fall for each other, but neither said anything for fear of messing up the friendship. Then, January that year Austin told me he had a secret. For weeks it was driving me crazy, “You can’t tell me you have a secret and not tell me what it is!” He kept telling me that he was giving me hints and I could guess it. I guessed nothing. Finally, one night Austin invited me over to watch his Quad-Racing video with him. It was that night that he first held my hand. Apparently that wasn’t a big enough hint for me to figure out what the “secret” was. So one day after work, I was driving Austin home (they just carpooled that day to work), and sat in the car in front of his house talking. That night he brought up his “secret” again. He says “I can’t get you out of my head,” and squeezed my hand. Before he headed into his house for the night, he asked “So will you let me take you on a date for your birthday?” Of course I agreed. So our first official date was on my birthday.
Austin officially asked me to be his girlfriend on March 3rd, 2003 (03-03-03). We dated through out the remainder of high school. We agreed to “take a break” so Austin could go on his mission. He encouraged me to date other guys while he was gone (he later informed me it was a test *wink*), but didn’t hesitate to carry on like old times upon his return.
[1] Editor’s note: This just shows that he was looking at her butt early on.
[2] Can we get a list of some of these names?
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally Posted April 6th, 2007: The Proposal
Friday, February 9th, 2007 was my twenty-first birthday. That evening, I decided to give up on the school work and just head home; only to find out I’d come home too soon because mom was in the middle of planning a surprise party. Mom had made homemade lasagna, salad, and so on. The Warby’s had been invited over to join in the birthday dinner.
When Austin got off work that night, he was initially irritated to find out that my mom had planned a birthday dinner. I couldn’t figure out why, but I wasn’t paying too much attention to it. He kept telling me that we should just run off and go do something, but I said it would be a good idea to stay for the dinner since mom had already gone to a lot of work to prepare it. He grumpily agreed to come over and stay for dinner.
The dinner was fun. There was the Bloxham family (Vickie, Ron, Joe and I), the Warby family (Dale, Diana, Eva & Austin), and also Amanda Warren. Everyone had a good time laughing and talking and enjoying the good food and the excellent company. Ron had everyone go around the table giving toasts and sharing their favorite memories about me. Everyone was laughing and seemed to enjoy the reminiscing.
Around 8:30 p.m. or so, everyone decided they should call it a night. Joe went to bed and the Warby family went home. Since the night was still young and all, Austin asked me if I would be willing to accompany him in going out star gazing or something. Agreeing, we hopped in his convertible and took off for the mountains. We drove up near Mt. Charleston. Austin searched hard for the spot where we had come the last time we went stargazing together (which was before he left on his mission). Luckily, he found the same spot. He parked the car, and put the top down, only to find that it was cloudy that night and there were but two stars visible through the clouds.
We stayed in the car, laughed and talked, then after a while Austin suggested we walk around a bit. So we got out of the car and walked around, looking at the scenery (which was still visible thanks to the lights of Las Vegas). We were walking around holding hands, then stopped for a bit and just held each other and continued to talk. The next thing I remember was Austin stepping back and getting down on one knee, still holding one of my hands, and holding a box. Austin held my hand and began telling me how much he loves me and how glad he was that I was born, then he opens a box and in it a ring! He then asked me if I would marry him. The whole time I had my hand on my mouth squealing “Oh my gosh!” Then all I seemed to be able to do is continually say “aah!” while giggling like crazy, followed by hugging or kissing Austin. He put the ring on my finger, and I became overwhelmed with more squeals and giggles. After about five minutes of hugging and kissing, he asked me “So, what was your answer, I don’t remember if you told me.” I replied by saying “It was a yes!!”
The rest of the night we went around to both of our houses to share the good news with our parents. Both parents had similar reactions: the mothers squealed or screamed and gave Austin and I a hug, while the dads just laughed, smiled, congratulated and hugged us. The whole night went by in a daze.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally Posted May 13th, 2007: The Wedding written by Mable F.
It’s happened, and it was beautiful. Bonny and Austin were sealed for time and eternity in the Las Vegas Temple surrounded by many close friends and family members. The wedding was beautiful, the family luncheon was nice and relaxing, and the reception was a blast.
