Emily: "We both grew up in beautiful Lexington, Kentucky. Chuck grew up in a neighborhood, going to the pool almost every day he could and playing with his neighbors all the days he couldn't. I grew up on a farm bailing hay and picking blueberries and apples every summer. We met in 7th grade (2000) as we were attending SCAPA, School for the Creative and Performing Arts. I had attended SCAPA since 6th grade and Chuck was the new kid on the block. Of course, I wouldn't have known, I thought he came to SCAPA in the middle of the year for some reason."
Chuck: Jan 15, 2007 "There once was a little girl named Emily who attended a school in Lexington, KY called SCAPA. She started going in sixth grade but nothing really exciting happened until seventh grade when this cute boy started going to SCAPA! They quickly became friends once she finally noticed him. He liked her immediately for her dang cute smile, awesome red hair, and incredible ability to laugh at his jokes which were never really funny. That didn't matter. They had lots of classes together and he would hope every time the seating chart was rearranged that she would get put at his table."
Emily: Jan 15, 2007 "They held hands a few times, a truly exhilarating experience for both of them. Every time that he saw her in the hall way, he would come and give her a hug, much to her anticipation. Despite some of their most fantastic memories, like seeing him lay on the green benches in the hallway waiting for her to arrive, they grew apart once they got to high school."
Chuck: Jan 16, 2007 "The boy doesn't remember 9th grade happening because that beautiful redhead wasn't much in his life. 10th grade came and they had AP World Civilization together. During class one day he was handing out invitations/flyers for his 16th birthday party which everyone knew was huge because then he would start dating! woot woot. anyway, Emily received one of these invitations from her devastatingly handsome crush."
Emily: Jan 25, 2007 "She was unsure whether to attend or to skip out. She wasn't sure who would be there or even if he wanted her there. Luckily enough, she decided to go and brought with her a birthday card. Through the card (her favorite mode of communication), she asked her longtime crush whether or not they were true friends and allowed him to make the decision. Only a few weeks later, He called her, sparking the beginning of a new relationship."
Chuck: March 30, 2007 "When he called her they talked for nearly two hours. It was like time hadn't passed for their friendship. Quickly he began to fall, she did as well, they knew they liked each other again almost instantly. Chuck could date the red head he had truly loved since 7th grade : )"
Emily: April 14, 2008 "On July 21st, 2004, they went on their first date to Regal theaters in Hamburg Pavilion to see King Arthur. She was so nervous that she, to this day, cannot remember what the movie is about. The "love" was rekindled instantly and they talked almost everyday after that."
Little did she know, that that day would change the rest of the course of her life. This boy was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a church this little girl had never heard of before. She did know, however, that he was very religious and faithful. Being the righteous and compassionate person that he is, he shared his testimony to her of Christ and of the Book of Mormon. She was confused, but interested, knowing how important this was to him.
A week later, she met with the missionaries at the Tates Creek Church building with the boy and his best bud, Derek Cooper. She went in, not knowing what to expect, but not afraid, not knowing that in a few moments she would experience something so powerful, so real, something that would alter the eternities.
That beautiful Wednesday night in late-August she was able to hear the recounting of the First Vision of Joseph Smith, a man who had seen and heard God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. For the first time she was able to feel the Holy spirit, for the first time she saw a ray of hope in the darkness that surrounded her, and for the first time she caught a glimpse into the potential future that spanned ahead of her."
Emily: May 6, 2008 "At that moment and before she even knew consciously, the decision had been made, her spirit had been touched, and her soul yearned to know more. After a quick few weeks of teaching by the missionaries, she decided to be baptized upon the missionary's challenge at the last discussion. They were in the basement of the Krebs' home when she officially decided to change the course of her life and accept Christ's call to come unto Him. It was an incredibly happy day : )
She was baptized by Chuck's Father, Glen Krebs on September 12th, 2004. It was an incredible day and the spirit burned within her heart and she knew that what she was doing was right. The little boy was so excited for her and for her decision to make this covenant with Heavenly Father.
The rest is history as they so often say. They dated all through high school...minus a short break. They had fallen in love, and not a love that could be easily forgotten or mistreated, but a love that was pure and deep, that could last for eternities. They experienced everything together, every joy, every laugh, every tear, every pain. They struggled sometimes, but they fought through their problems and continued loving each other more and more each passing day."
Emily: May 20, 2008 "They ventured out to BYU together and had previously decided not to date the year before his mission. A plan much easier made than carried out they soon discovered. She lived in David John hall, only yards away from his dorm in Stover hall. After a short few weeks trying to not date, short, but very difficult weeks, they decided that their happiness was found in one another. Despite their efforts to avoid it, they had, in fact, fallen head over heels in love with each other and would not have it any other way."
Emily: July 13, 2008 "Alas, the time came when the boy was to turn in his mission papers to serve the Lord. One morning in March, the boy called the girl while she was frantically getting ready for class. In her rush, she was short with him. But the moment he said, "They have my call" her attitude changed. She got so excited and giddy and started to celebrate with him. They shared a moment of joy and excitement and then he and she were off to class for the day. He decided to open his call that night in the lobby if his dorm at 7:30pm, and he was antsy all day long. She didn't see him at all that day, but she was so ridiculously excited for that evening when the most anticipated moment of his life would take place.
They wore their best dress that evening as it was Thursday, the day of the week they set aside to attend the temple. All his friends showed up in his lobby, along with a few of his family members (Laura, Jeff, Ashlee, and Ben). There was much commotion and the little girl had never seen the little boy so nervous or excited. He called his family back in Kentucky while she called their best friend, Meagan Bowdy. All the family and friends were ready and the noisy lobby quieted to a hush when he announced that we was going to open his call. She was slightly surprised at how nervous and excited she felt, almost like she was opening a mission call along with him. Their spirits were so intertwined that she felt what he felt, loved what he loved, feared what he feared. She knew that his mission would define the rest of his life and she anticipated knowing where her other half would he serving.
He tore open the large envelope and began to read in the silence, "Dear Elder Charles Krebs, You have been called to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Fiji Suva mission..." The lobby broke out into chaos at this news! Her best friend was to be serving in FIJI half way across the world!! She was so excited she could hardly contain herself. Seeing the joy in his eyes was one of the best things she has ever experienced."
Emily: Sept 9, 2008 "The next few months were almost a blur. Time seemed to fly by as he diligently prepared to serve the Lord with all his might, mind, heart, and strength."
Emily: Jan 30, 2009 "Their final date was nothing short of spectacular in a very casual way. The little boy and little girl that met in 7th grade were no longer young and naive, but had created a love, a bond, and a friendship, that could not easily be broken or forgotten. They had grown up. Not as two separate beings, but as "one soul, inhabiting two bodies." They were intertwined, brought together by the sweetest gift in all the world, the gospel of Jesus Christ. And they both knew and know, that only by and through it could their love be worthy of eternity."
(The end of the love notes).
Chuck served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from May 2007 to May 2009 in Fiji.
May 16, 2009: Chuck returns home from Fiji.
May 27, 2009: Chuck and Emily were reunited for the first time.
June, 2009: Chuck attends "Beach Week" with Emily for the first time.
July, 2009: Emily attends Hill Cumorah Pageant with Chuck for the first time.
May-December, 2009: Falling in love all over again.
December 23, 2009: Chuck asked me to be his wife :)
May 29, 2010: Chuck and Emily are married for time and all eternity :)
Present-Forever: Falling in love over and over and over and....
*The love notes were mostly written by Emily during Chuck's mission. They were never sent to him, but proved to be a lovely story with a happily ever after :)
