The Watch Story and a Lesson in Making out

That wedding blog got so many comments!! I should've done it a long time ago!! But I think the reason that it got so many is because all the people who read and comment on my blog were IN those pictures. Do you notice how Reagan didn't and wasn't in the pictures? She was actually going to be bridesmaid #9, but she couldn't make it. She had a family/personal emergency. Ok, wanna know the truth? She heard that Judd was going to be there and she didn't want to see her I'M KIDDING!!!! She didn't even know Judd back then Anyway Judd is right. I don't know if you all read her comments on my wedding blog. But here's what she said:

"I came back to your page to admire your beautifulness again when i remembered something else (with Frankie's help). you wore your plastic blue and black ecua watch to your sealing! for those of you who missed this tiny detail, check out Ali'sannouncement picture. it appears there, too! that is one important and celestial watch. do you think it is sealed to you both? like, it was worn under the covenant? not trying to be sacreligious here, but that was phenomenal"

So here is the story of the watch. While in the MTC I needed a watch. Well, seeing is how there are about a million boys and only a few sisters, you can imagine the type of selection they had there. I opted for this blue/silver monstrosity that was digital and also had a stop watch!! The wrist strap was made of the most synthetic rubber/plastic you can imagine, and the thing beeped when you set the alarm. Let me tell you, this was the best option available. Plus, it was like a "throw away" watch. I planned on using it up and then throwing it out. (I say this even as I KNOW that I wore it in my wedding)

Anyway, because I wore it everyday, the wrist strap (which was that hard plastic) eventually broke. It was time to get another one. Well, that wasn't as easy as it sounds because of the engineering of the straps. I eventually found one, courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger. That's right, the old TH band was the only one that fit. It was blue band with a white and red square on each side. You know, the Hilfiger trademark. Anyway, that one lasted till the end of my mission.

When I went back to Ecuador the first time I noticed that the band was falling apart, so I got another one while I was down there. Apparently I ONLY get watch bands in Ecuador. And Judd is right: I DID wear it in my engagement photos. And I wore it in the Temple to get married. Here's the thing: Lee got me sleeping and bathing in my watch. (Lee is Hermana Lee, my last companion). But she totally got me doing it. So on the day of my wedding I did everything like normal: shower, dry hair, get married. I just forgot to take off the watch.

And here's the thing, I had a REALLY pretty silver Fossil watch to wear on my wedding day. But in all the marriage wedding fiasco, I totally forgot all about it. And I wore it in the sealing, and then walked out to take pictures with it. So in the first roll and a half of my pictures, it is all there. Here it is in the group photo. (Click on the photo and it will open in it's own page and you can see the watch on my wrist.) But below, I've done a blown up shot of it so you can really get all of it's glory:


See how yucky it is? AND I DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE!! I was just going about my day, merrily taking "kissy" pictures with my husband (as Beth puts it) and worrying about if my bra strap was hanging out my dress.

Anyway, Wanna know who alerted me to the watch? You guessed it!! Judd. Here we are talking to each other, and you can see the watch JUST as the side of the picture cuts off. Well, maybe you can't see it very well But it's there on my wrist. And I think it was RIGHT AFTER this conversation that she was like "WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?!!?? Take that nasty thing off!! I can't believe you wore that in the temple to get married."

And I think she took it. All I know is that in the rest of the pictures, it's not there. See, look! No watch on the left wrist.

Well, here's the very suspicious thing. I "mysteriously" lost that watch after my wedding. I can't remember seeing it after that day. I think that Judd took it and threw it away. AND YOU SHOULD ALL THANK HER FOR IT! That watch was NASTY and smelled like Ecua-cheese. If you don't know how bad that is, believe me, you don't want to know.

Anyway, enough talk about my watch. Let's move on to another question that everyone asked me. You all want to know how I was able to make out with Marcelo on a buss that his parents were also riding. Those who have served missions in South America and SPECIFICALLY in Ecuador will know that the "long distance" buses look like Greyhound buses. They have rows and rows of high backed seats. So if your in-laws get on the bus and sit on the third row on the left, and you and your soon to be fiance get on the bus and sit on the 6th row, ALSO on the left, there is no way for them to see you.

And if you happen to have arrived on an airplane at 3 in the afternoon, and then got on your FIRST bus at 5 or so, you only have 1 more hour of light that you have to wait out until you get to make out in darkness. The sun sets at 6 pm in Ecuador (it being the EQUATOR AND ALL) and so you get to learn how to kiss in darkness, in a public place yes, but also in darkness while everyone else is asleep.

I must say, Marcelo and I didn't do ANYTHING except make out for 3 weeks solid. We took naps together and made out. Now before everyone starts to JUDGE me for "sleeping" with Marcelo, I need you all to look at this little map I've created that does a pretty good job of showing the layout of their home. Please note the home is not 100% accurate to scale, but it does a pretty good job showing how things were laid out. Take a look:
Again, click on the picture and it will open up bigger. Well, as you might have guessed, I slept in Lety's room. As you can see, that room is only accessible through the boys' room. They gave me that room becuase it was the only one that had a door on it. But when Mar and I would take naps, we would never sleep there. We would only sleep in the boy's room on the double bed that was visible from the doorway as everyone walks by.

So if we wanted to do anything, we needed to remember that it was going to be visible to everyone passing by. If the thought of your father in law (who is the Stake president) walking by at any moment isn't enough to scare the randy-ness right out of you, I don't know what is. So yes, I did make out the whole time I was there, but it had to be "chaste" making out because it was very public.

Oh, and the square by the back door is their "indoor" laundry. Also known as "big cement block where you hand wash your clothes." Ahh, I love the cement block. I'm sorry, but your clothes just get SOOO much cleaner being beaten against a cement slab. Am I right ladies? You know I am.

And finally, I would like to wish a happy birthday to my little Marcelino. He's 28 years old today. But he's still just like a little kid too!! Like for example, as I type, he's watching the finale of Disney's live action 102 Dalmatians and giggling like a little boy. He thinks that kind of humor is HILARIOUS.. I think I like the fact that he's still young at heart. And he gets joy out of the simple things So baby, this one's for you!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!