Our Story

I never wrote down how Greg and I met so I thought I'd put it here. It is long. Don't feel forced to read or comment. I'm putting it down for MY benefit, not yours.

Once upon the Fall of 2002 Greg moved to Eugene, Oregon to attend the University of Oregon. He was only going to be there a semester as he was leaving for his mission soon. 2 of his roommates happened to be MY best friends, so I was CONSTANTLY at his apartment. I was 20 and DESPERATELY looking for my "one and only" and Greg was freshly graduated from high school and preparing for his mission. I was the girl with crazy hair and showed her belly button way too much for a mormon girl. Greg couldn't be cleaner and had, at this point in his life, said the phrase, "I'll never marry a girl that has worn a bikini." Hmm . . . I guess our relationship was doomed from the start. Or so we thought.

Greg and I have REALLY different versions of our friendship before his mission. I remember us being around each other, but never being close, while Greg remembers us being close. I remember thinking he was really cute, had big shoulders, and wished he had a different hairdo and wore looser fitting t-shirts. He thought I was cute, but seemed a little wild. Years later, I was shocked to find out he had a crush on me because I thought I didn't stand a CHANCE. And the phrase, "But you had a boyfriend," seems to pop up which breaks my heart because I would've dropped my dumb boyfriend in 2 seconds if I thought Greg was interested in me.

I remember the girls swooning over Greg and me pretending not to be one of them, or at least trying. He was a guitar singer/songwriter so OF COURSE that drew the girls 'round. I was learning the guitar at that time and I remember wanting to impress him but being too nervous to really play in front of him. I also remember giving him a 20 minute ride home from an activity at SPLASH and purposefully playing Shania Twain in the car so I could sing along and impress him with my voice. I don't think it now, but at that time I thought I sounded just like her and I was THRILLED when he said from the back seat, "Megan, you have a nice voice." Or something like that. Yes, my plan worked.

Greg has a couple memories that have left my brain that SHOCK me, but at the same time, I'm not surprised. I was a forward kind of girl in my single days . . . before Christmas Break Greg informed me that he wouldn't be back for the New Year's Dance. I guess I freaked out and then informed him how disappointed I was because I wanted to kiss him at midnight. Can you believe I said this? Sigh . . . I can.

Another memory I REALLY wish I remember was a time we almost kissed! I must not remember because I think I wasn't aware. Greg and I were alone in the living room and he wasn't feeling well. So he laid on the couch next to me and put his head on my lap. We were talking and I was stroking his hair and he was thinking, "I could totally kiss her right now." But with the mission right around the corner, resisted. I don't think I had a clue. If I thought he would've kissed me, I would have made it happen. I just didn't think he thought of me that way at all! But maybe that's a good thing.

The last memory before his mission was an Institute Dance. He, Richie, and I hung out the entire dance together. I remember all of us doing silly dancing and telling them to watch me as I kicked my leg really high and my pants unsnapped (3 big snaps) and I wanted to DIE. I think the only thing worse than someone catching your fly down is being seen zipping (or snapping) it back up. The image of my hands messing with my crotch is just not an image I want remembered by other people. THIS is the memory though- a very small conversation.

Greg: Wouldn't it be funny if I came home (from his mission) and you were still here?

Megan: I would rather DIE.

I will never forget that moment. I really meant it too. Hilarious. The last memory I have of Greg is him bearing his testimony after his Farewell Talk. I remember thinking he was really righteous and wanting to marry someone like him.

So . . . 2 years pass and my hair is normal looking and my belly is only seen by ME.  Alas, things had changed. May 6th 2005 I was walking into the Institute for the Friday Night Activity. It was a Cinqo de Mayo celebration. Right as I pass through the doorway I look to my right and who do I see, but Greg Jentzsch. I had heard he was back from his mission and figured I'd see him SOMETIME. And there he was. I'm just gonna say he, he looked good. He looked different. He was all filled out and BIGGER. He sees me immediately and we just smile. No words, but we both felt something. He was COMPLETELY surrounded by people who hadn't seen him in 2 years so I waited before I said hi. 

There are some things I remember about that night. I remember when I was talking with him, alone, I thought, "Oh my gosh. I am so glad I look good tonight." I had really done up just before the activity. I remember my friend Denise immediately telling me how interested she was in him and me thinking, "Shoot, so am I," but not informing her of my intentions. I remember Greg and I smiling a LOT and making a lot of eye contact thru this game where we were all in a circle. 

It didn't take me long before I decided we were going to go out. So I waited and waited and no invitation was offered. I waited some more until the activity was just about over. Well, it was time to make things happen. So instead of inviting HIM to go out, I went over to a group of guys he was sitting with and invited all to go dancing with me. They apparently had plans that night, so I said, "What about tomorrow?" Nobody was interested . . . except . . . GREGORY!!!! HOORAY! My plan worked better than I thought! 

Date #1: Before dancing we went to a friend of a friend's BBQ. We didn't know this person and it wasn't all that fun. Somehow I ended up teaching a random guy how to salsa dance on the deck instead of being with Greg. I wasn't interested in this guy. Well, when GREG and I were dancing he kept making these silly "sexy salsa" faces at me and I didn't know how to react. I knew he was joking but it made me uncomfortable. Later on that night Greg tells me how he wants to live around the world and I'm thinking, "Well, that's the end of this date. I'm not marrying YOU." I thought I hid my disappointment well but Greg will tell anyone who asks, "As soon as I said 'overseas' the conversation DIED!!!!" He always laughs when he says this and uses a lot of expression, including hand motions. The night got worse when we went back to his place for brownies and while he was making them I somehow ended up giving his brother a hand massage. Oh man. How do I get myself into these situations?! Well, my interest had passed so I said I had to leave before the brownies were even done. He walked me to my car and told me he'd call me when he moved into town. (He had been home from his mission a month and was going to stay in Rogue River, with his parents, until school started in the Fall.) We hugged and then somehow Greg hugged me 5 separate times. I remember being so confused. No one had given me so many separate hugs. I'd had lingering hugs, but not repetitive hugs. Then I realize, "He wants to kiss me! He just doesn't know what to do with himself, so he hugs me again!" I was so shocked when I came to this conclusion! He'd been home a MONTH!!! I forgot to mention, that Greg was busting out the moves all night. Every time we sat down he snuggled up and put his arm around me. I couldn't believe it! To this day he will deny that they were "moves" and that he was simply "comfortable around me". Hmm . . . I don't snuggle up with my other friends because I'm comfortable. Well anyway, the date was over and that was that . . . or so I thought.

A week had passed, Greg went home to Rogue River and it was time for another Friday Night Activity. This one was outdoor activities at the Thurston Chapel. I arrived very late with my friend, Andrew. I'm not a very "active" person, so I walked around to see who was there. Suddenly, lo and behold, Gregory Jentzsch is holding a baseball mitt right before my eyes. Again, that smile . . . that connection. He immediately walked toward me and left the game completely. After that, I remember being really irritated every time we had to separate, for whatever small reason. I had plans that night and was really mad because I wanted to hang out with Greg. I ended up blowing off the guy and a group of us went hot tubbing. Among this group was a recent ex so I kept my distance from Greg, because things hadn't "normalized" yet and I didn't want to make it worse. Greg definitely picked up on my sudden distance and was really confused. Well a few of us made it over to my apartment and we watched Mean Girls. We sat by each other on the couch and by the end of the movie we were DEFINITELY snuggling. I remember thinking that I didn't REALLY know him, but it all just felt right. So I went with it. I thought we were definitely gonna kiss that night, but alas, he left me wanting.

The next time we saw each other was at church and this other guy, I was BARELY dating, was there and I was REALLY worried Greg would figure it out. Remember, after our first date I thought I wasn't interested anymore. And yes, someone said something stupid to me about the OTHER guy RIGHT IN FRONT OF GREG and instead of responding I just stood in silence and then briskly walked away from the situation. I think at that point Greg decided the "something" that had started between us was over.

Well . . . that night a musical performance of The Garden was happening and I was in the chorus. Greg came and since I was on stage the ENTIRE time, he couldn't help but think how cute I was. During this hour or 2, he changed his mind and decided to give it another go. This is NOT because he thought I was cute. He said he felt something, like he should date me. Well, after this decision he asked me to hang out that night. Well . . . I had plans. So then he was thinking, "What the heck!" and wanting to give up again! But I sort of canceled my plans with that other someone and invited a TON of people over to my place for games. It was great night and we all had a lot of fun. 

After everyone left, Greg stayed and we snuggled on the couch and watched Elf. Somewhere in the movie we had our first kiss. He told me that we were moving SO FAST. In the past, if he was interested in a girl, he would get to know her for 6 months before he tried to hold her hand. To me, it was like we were on our 3rd date. I thought we were at a perfect pace! But we both agreed things just felt right. 9 weeks later we were engaged and 5 weeks after that we were married! All of this happened the first 5 months he was home from his Mission. 

I'll add a few more details to the story. Our engagement . . . a week earlier my sister, Amy, had gotten engaged. Greg and I went to the beach house to "meet my parents" and had an amazing weekend together. We danced on the beach and couldn't get enough of each other. I remember feeling like we already WERE married. I felt like it couldn't get more comfortable or feel more amazing than I was feeling right then. My Mom couldn't help but notice and pulled me into the bathroom to tell me that I could get engaged, and to not worry about her stress level, she already having a daughter planning a wedding, and that that shouldn't deter me from MY plans to wed. I told her she was CRAZY and that I thought Greg was the one, but that it wouldn't happen for MONTHS. Well, a week later we were engaged. 

Greg had JUST moved to town, earlier than planned, to be near me. We had been going back and forth every weekend to be together and literally talking on the phone 4+ hours a night. Sometime that week I went to his apartment for breakfast before I had to go to work. Somewhere in that conversation we told each other we wanted get married. I wish I remember but I don't. What I DO remember is this: the planning. When? How? Too soon? Too late? School was starting in 6 weeks. My sister was getting married in 5. This meant the farthest we could push it was 4 weeks- which was INSANE- or wait 'till Christmas Break in 5 months which was just way too long for me. So, what to do? The idea pops in my head. Could it be possible? A double wedding? I leave for work, undecided, and Greg reassuring me, "Whatever you want is fine with me." So before I even reach my house, and I lived literally 2 minutes down the road, I called him to say I couldn't wait that long and "Let's just get married!" 

So I call Amy and tell her I need to talk to her. She knew immediately and demanded I tell her what it is and I told her it had to wait. The moment I walk in the door of her apartment she accuses that I want to have a double wedding. When I said yes she said,

"I have a few questions . . ."

Amy: What colors do you want?

Megan: Pink

That was the most important one. There was another question I don't remember and then we debated about the other person getting more attention. We both thought the other bride would be the in the spotlight, but I told her I didn't care and just wanted to get married. Well, she agreed and we started looking at magazines and planning everything right then and there. I was so excited and started calling all my friends. I think we both picked out our wedding dresses that day. 

I slept 4 hours the night before the wedding. I drove to my friend, Amy's house so she could do my hair at 5:30 am, or something like that. At this moment, the morning of, the music to be played at the reception was still on the to-do list. Thankfully, Amy's husband had endless cds and I looked through them and made a list right then and there. Talk about last minute.

When we arrived, everyone went in the temple and I waited outside for Greg. He was 20 MINUTES LATE!!! 20 minutes, I suppose, isn't THAT long. But when you're ALONE and all the temple workers are looking at you and it's the most important day of your life, you're thinking, "Why isn't he here?" His little brother was driving and made a wrong turn on the freeway.

It was a great day. It's funny. I don't remember it being a double wedding. I just remember my wedding. I remember my cake and that it was BEAUTIFUL inside. I remember dancing and smiling all day long. But on that same table was a cake that was completely different than mine and across the room was another girl in a white dress and she looked completely different than me. But I just remember the parts that were mine. I do remember everyone saying, and me thinking how it all went together so well. We both looked so different, and so did our cakes, but at the same time it all went together really well and nothing looked out of place. I was shocked when I went inside the reception- it was so beautiful. Clear material draped from the ceiling and twinkle lights draping down. I knew the plan and what was going to be where, but I had no idea my wedding was going to be so beautiful.

Greg and I were the last ones to leave. Literally the last ones in the building. We were just having such a great time! We got plates and loaded them full of left overs to take with us. We came outside to find a GIANT crowd waiting for us. I was expecting a cutely decorated car to jet away in. No. Not at all. Seran Wrap. ALL OVER THE CAR. Layers and layers of unrippable seran wrap. On top of the wrap was CHOCOLATE. So much chocolate that I couldn't even try to unwrap our car- in fear that I'll get it all over my wedding dress. So it was left to Greg, and nobody helped. And there was no progress to be made. They made it IMPOSSIBLE to get through. I was really mad and hated everyone staring and smiling, while I just wanted to be on my romantic honeymoon. Our photographer, I think, noticed my stress and gave his pocket knife to me and then it was smooth sailing. We came home to our new apartment to find our bed AND toilet seran wrapped as well. The next morning we were off to Hawaii!!