My "Once Upon A Time"s

Once upon a time, I watched countless Disney movies, as did almost all 90's children. The prince in the story would fight gallantly for the princess (wrestle on a rooftop/fight a dragon/jump from his rowboat to kill the evil sea witch... etc.), sweep her off her feet (kiss her awake/transform into a prince), and they would ride/dance/sail away together to live happily ever after. I wondered if life could have fairy tale endings, or if people could fall in love at first sight.

__________

Once upon a time, I was a junior at PVHS. My mother told me Michael Pergler was staying overnight with us later that day. I thought nothing of it. Later, I was at the bar doing homework (mild shocker, there) when my mother answered the door. I turned around to greet our guest, who I hadn't seen since my childhood. Our eyes met. I smiled. He smiled. My homework motivation was suddenly gone. We talked all night long.

Me: Note to self: date someone like Michael Pergler.

Him: Wow! She's cute! She's smart, fun to talk to... shame she's not a few years older.

__________

Once upon a time, I was 18 and graduated from high school. Derek received his mission call to leave in October of that year. He asked me if I would wait for him on his mission, and write him often. I unabashedly replied "Hey, don't worry about it! I'm only 18. You know I don't want to be married until 25, anyway."

__________

Once upon a time, I was a first semester Freshman at Utah State. It was an early morning in the autumn, all the leaves turning a bright yellow, the clear blue skies, and the little breezes that would dance around your feet. As I walked to class, I suddenly stopped and realized I was absolutely in love with Logan. I thought to myself: "I am so glad that a Bachelor's degree is four years! I can't imagine leaving Logan sooner than that. Even 2 years just wouldn't be enough time here."

__________

Once upon a time, Tara, Mom, and I were driving to SLC to help with Sharisa Pergler's wedding reception over Christmas break, 2010. Mom invented a wedding questionnaire, and asked both her daughters questions about their dreams of marriage. Mom asked, if we had to choose now who we would marry. Tara considered all of her options thoughtfully and eventually listed one of her previous boyfriends. I replied without a second thought: "Michael Pergler." (We had yet to go on a single date.) Mom asked what kind of details we envisioned for our wedding. Tara had a vision of an outdoor wedding, a white tent, knew all the foods and decorations she'd want, and was (by my consideration) pretty well prepared in her mind's eye. I knew almost nothing; I wanted a lace dress and a halo ring.

__________

Once upon a time,  Michael and I worked together to set up his sister's reception. He asked me on a date the next day. We walked for hours that night in streets covered with snow, talking about anything and everything, unwilling to leave. Talking that night, I realized my future had just been completely rewritten. Six days later, Michael told me he loved me and asked me to marry him.

Later, I started planning... with a lace dress and a halo ring. Then I got to figure out the rest.

__________

Once upon a time, a group of four second semster Freshmen huddled by my Mazda in the G2 parking lot outside Central Campus. The night air was bitter, but they hardly noticed. I had dropped all of my 17 credits and withdrawn from USU. Though I had postponed several days, I was finally leaving. Ari clung to me in a farewell hug, but her words wouldn't let me leave. "I don't want you to go. You can't go." I cried fiercely; my desire to do so was even less than hers. Kenny arrived just in time to say goodbye. I had never done anything so hard as to let go of him and drive away that night. I left them a group of three in the parking lot, my vision blurred by my tears.

__________

Once upon a time, a missionary in Montana had been out only three months received a letter from his ex-girlfriend, who was now engaged. He took it surprisingly well, considering.

__________________________________________________________

Once upon a time, I fell in love with Michael Pergler and it turned my world upside down. There are days when I feel like everything that was me doesn't exist anymore; like it's all just gone somehow. Everything I thought I wanted for my life is different. It used to confuse me, trying to start it all over again. 

But, you know, I think Michael is the best decision I've ever made. Marrying him is the greatest gift I've ever received. I love him, and I really want to marry him. I want my life to change. And I want to be with him forever.

So, just maybe, upside down is exactly the way my world is supposed to be. 

----------

Once upon a time, Tiffany had tried to make a huge plan for her life. 

Once upon a time, she was glad that God had something else in mind. 

"Our" Song?

It's important, right? To have a song? I always thought so. It's kind of dreamy in a sweet way, to have a song together.

Let me tell you, my friends, Michael and I don't have a song.
(Yet!)
*sniff*

But this is very two-fold.
One: Michael likes country FAR more than I. I like jazz, pop, rock, and chill music... basically everything but country.
Ex: 
My current list: For Life, You Make My Dreams Come True, She Hung the Moon, Then, Somebody Like You, Do You Remember, When Did You Fall in Love With Me, Magic, The Way You Look Tonight, Quando x3... etc.
Michael's current list (correct me if I'm wrong, babe?): Then, God Bless the Broken Road, 40 Dogs (Romeo and Juliet), Somebody Like You, Fast Cars and Freedom, and many other adorable country songs. 
Two: If it's supposed to be our song, I'd rather it not be everyone else's. Like Brad Paisley's "Then," or Michael Buble's "Everything." Oh. They're SO cute. They're adorable, sweet, the type of song you just gaze into each other's eyes and smile about.
But then again, a few hundred other couples have already done that same thing, for the same song.

Some of you probably (likely) agree with Michael in putting forth that it doesn't matter if other people like it. Everyone falls in love, but that doesn't make love cliche. Why does it matter if you like the same love song?
Maybe you have a point.
Maybe I just like different music and am coming up with excuses. Fair enough.

For now, I submit a fair warning to any who may be attending our receptions: The music will be random. If you don't like country, I suggest you try for the non-country hour of the mix. (; Kidding. I really have no idea yet. But it should be somewhat hilarious.


Until I figure it out, here are two of my current favorites:

Michael's "Quando Quando Quando." Surprisingly appropriate, if you consider.

& Rockwell Church's "She Hung the Moon." 

It's like Dave Matthews Band, but you can understand it a lot more. (:

The Countdown

I feel like I'm biding my time. Productively, yes, but still. Just biding time until:

• this Wednesday. I fly to VA to see my love for 6 days. (:
• May 1st. I get to have my Stake Pres interview.
• May 8th. Michael will fly to SLC for the purpose of marrying me. ^^
• May 10th. We see most of you in our St. G reception. So happy!
• May 13th. I see the rest of you in the SLC reception. Sorry to have to split them.
• May 14th, especially. When I marry Michael in the temple for the rest of time.

Then I love him for all eternity.
_________________________________________

People like to ask me what I'm most excited for about marriage, what I look forward to.

Well, there's two answers to that.

1) Staying with him. We've said goodbye so much. So many times a day, every night, every visit, and I'm just about ready to just stay with him. I love him. I don't want to say goodbye anymore.

2) Waking up in the morning and seeing him there beside me. This may be my favorite. Something like this:

Kinda makes you smile, doesn't it?

34 days and counting.


(:

For the Record...

...the reason you should all post comments on my blog: you don't have to fill in awkward words like "ratchy" to do it. (That's the word Becca's made me write, and I still commented.) Yes, it would be "safer" and protect me from spam if I made you. But I'm sincerely not worried about spam on my blog... not to mention it's easy to delete.
Meh.
Point: you could comment if you wanted to, with relatively little hassle.

Today, my Gma asked me how long since Michael and I have been together. I immediately responded with "about a week." Come to find out, we'd been apart >4 days at that point. Wow. Fail. Have I mentioned every moment without him feels like an eternity? Literally. It's been 4 days, and I'm already sad/dying.
But it's okay.
Because we're getting married in just over a month.
AAAAAH!! So happy!!! (:

Want to see our wedding photos?
Erm. You can't. I haven't gotten them back.
BUT!
You can see my Mother's side shots, taken like a skilled Momma stalker would. Yay!

This is me after my 6:30 am appointment (insert groan and love for Jarom [the stylist who dealt with the 6:30 appt]). My flowers (which were LOVELY in person, who knew?), and my hairs.. which were 1930's finger waved and pulled back in to a french twist w/ (once again) lovely anemone hair pieces, too.
PS: Who knew Jarom was an amateur flower arranger? He fixed my boquet + inputted flower pieces into my hair. (:

I love him. (: This was our break... since photos aren't really a comfortable situation for either of us. Yay for random little benches in Temple Square.

These will be pretty when I'm looking at the camera and such.. promise.

I am so excited for these. Russ is holding up my veil, so the beaded edge makes it in to the photo with us. (:

Love his hair flower. XD 

Sorry, posting is a little sporadic these days. But, so is life. It's all good.

And it came to pass...

...that Tifa had a birthday, became a chalk monster, and got things done. Whoot!
Want to see?

On Thursday, Michael gave me an early birthday present (via my awesome mother in-law).

He bought me anemones. They're the flowers I'm using in our wedding, which I had never seen before! They were lovely in person, much better than on google. So pretty! (: 

Also on Thursday, my parental in-laws made me a homemade spice cake. It was wonderful, except the fabulous frosting overpowered the cake structure and it came slowly down. I have never heard Laurie laugh so hard before. She couldn't compose herself enough to catch the cake as it eventually tore apart and made for the countertop. Hilarious fun. It still tasted amazing. (:

Haha. Love the upright candles.

On Saturday, my best friends came together with me to go to the Holi Festival of Colors in Spanish Fork. We got absolutely covered in scented, (yeah, scented like crap) colored chalk. This is my photo. The white balance is completely shot by all the color. For good photos, click here and be friends with Ashley Imlay.

This afternoon, I drove up to meet Jamers in Logan to plan for a wedding sign-in album. (This is a lie, we actually just love each other and wanted to hang out for hours on end.) We planned it on iPhoto, which is actually a really fun process. See photo of me planning my invites on said program. 

Score of the day: a half gallon of Aggie Bull Tracks, only $5. Love.

Later today, I finally bought the ties for the brothers/fathers at my wedding. WHEW! For those of you who have never planned a wedding, this is actually a bigger deal than it seems. We had this huge discussion over red/green... stripes/paisley/silk... price/bulk deals... ugh. And now, it is done! Yeees. Want to see?

I was asking the guy shopping in the tie shop for advice on his "style" for ties. After a lengthly conversation, I learned he was from France and flying home that night. Go figure. I wonder if he'd like the choice I made...
PS: They come in CUUUTE little boys clip ons for Micah (my nephew). Oh so cute. (:

Tonight, after a painful and drawn-out life of service, my face wash finally ran out. *sniffle* It lasted for over a year, and deserves serious credit.

Yes, I do look like that at night. It could be a lot worse.
See photo to the right and slightly above this one for example.

And now you're officially caught up on the life of me. 

Wait, no.

Michael comes on Thursday night! I miss him dearly. Love him. (: 

Okay, now you're caught up. 

Loves!

Artists whom I Love

Planning a wedding is hilarious, and somewhat messed up from time to time. 

Because it's not really me planning my wedding, it's "the family". So far, mostly my mother, Mel, and Kristina. Don't get me wrong, please, I love having their help. They are so uber talented, and you'll see their work when you come to the reception. It's beautiful.
The hilarious part is that I tried to plan my own wedding in the beginning. Like, I was shopping and picking everything out, renting the places I wanted to be, etc. Then there was a slow takeover and usurping of power/opinions/planning duties. I found that no matter what I did, it was likely I wouldn't be planning my own wedding. So I stopped trying. And, really, a lot more work got done.
Our current status is somewhere in between trying to plan and complete abstinence from it. Aka: The things that are important to me, I make sure they happen. The things that aren't, I let "the family" kick trash and do amazing things. They really are good at it.

(Side note! Ashley Imlay is coming (flying.. jealous) up here tomorrow to go to the Festival of Colors with me and I am so excited! Yaay!)

(Impatiently) What does this have to do with the blog title, Tifa?
The quirks of planning your wedding are ingrained traditions. Aka: There are certain people we normally hire for weddings, and you can't choose anyone else. You can try, but it's likely yours won't be as awesome/talented/economical as ours.

Over time I have found peace with their choices and mine, and the wedding will be happening, I promise. I have to tell about some of them. Because they're awesome, and they've featured in the past few days.

Ze Photos:
Russ Dixon

Russ was actually my choice.. though he technically counts as a family tradition because Jamie used him before me. But it's all good. I got a lot of crap for choosing him above free/family photographers, but any complaints were silenced when we got our engagement photos back after the photoshoot. You can see why: he rocks. And I love him. So excited for next week's wedding shoot! (:


Ze flowers: (I wanted to get... zhose flowhers for you. Name the movie please?)
Johnny Ashworth, Traces Inc.
Unfortunately, Joni does not have a website.. but you can read the reviews, if you want... XD
The shop is kind of fun, though. I got a misplaced email from them listing all their different brands of heirloom tomato seeds that will be available for purchase this year. There were a ton.

Joni is a tradition in our family (and for good reason). She did Mel's wedding 14 years ago, Jamie's 1 year ago, and probably more that I don't know about. I love her. (: Want to see what she's doing for me?

1) A white anenome boquet 

Technically two.. photos and wedding day.

2) Michael's boutonniere.. ah, it's so pretty!!

3) My hairpiece.. she made it. She made it. Wow.. for my wedding hair. Like? (:
This is like a rough draft, don't judge too harshly.

While we're on the topic of

Wedding Hair:

Jarom Mair

Currently Jarom is at Salon Lydia.. but this is the third time he's moved in ten years. (Read his review?)

Jarom is a tradition I was set on. He's done my mother, Mel, Jame, Tara, Livia (she's nine...), and I for about 15 years. We follow him when he moves, we bring him toffee at Christmas, and we love him dearly. He's more of a misplaced brother. (He informed me that I didn't have his permission to get married, but agreed to forgive me later... toffee was involved.)
If I had a stalker photo of Jarom, I would post it. He's 30...4? 34? He's very opinionated, and won't let you do anything stupid to your hair, even if you beg... which I have. He's waking up at 6am for me.. because Russ likes early photos.. sorry. I love you Jarom. 

If any of you ever want the most tastefully lovely haircut ever, you should call him. 

and many more. But I believe this has gone long, anyway. I love these people, and really would recommend them to anyone. I hope Tara has a slightly easier job of planning her wedding, though. 

Attempting to Be Sans Michael

love.sick
adjective
in love, or missing the person one loves, so much so that one is unable to act normally


Derivatives: lovesickness, noun

I have a serious case of lovesickness. I sincerely hope it's not contagious. It's potent enough that we'd probably all be screwed.

Michael and I have been engaged since January 5th/8th/15th, depending on how you score it. I'd say the 5th. That's 2 months and 19 days.
Holy cow. Sorry, I just had a moment. That's a long time. Anyway...
Excruciatingly long days, and we have spent 26 of them together. That's less than 1/3.
And can I just say, I don't act normally anymore. Like.. I'm dying. Inside. A lot. I frequently cry when we say goodbye. "I miss you" has become my most frequent phrase, even dominating over "I love you" sometimes. I pour over pictures of him and I, and usually end up staring at them. Yes, I'm dying.
Yes. I love him.
But I really can't take this for much longer.
It's a good thing we're getting married in >2 months.
(No, I didn't figure those days by myself.)

PS: Isn't he so freaking adorable?! We Google Video chatted tonight. I loved it. I actually got to see him [sort of]. He bought his wedding band (YAY!) and I got to see it. I used my characteristic gestures to tell him hilarious stories. Yes! I think this will probably happen more often.

Attempting to be sans Michael, and failing happily.

The Reasons we fly Delta

So.. last post was on Thursday. This one's on Friday.. let's just pretend the weeks are the same, yes? (:
Nah, it's all good.
Because I got to go see Michael. *sigh of relief and love and almost dying but not quite*
It had been a month.
Wow. Don't do that.
Don't. It's not fun.

The Reasons we (I.. America.. whoever) fly Delta:

1: Biscoff cookies. 

It's true and you know it. Have you had one? Did you eat ten instead of one? Did the people around you understand that you suddenly turned into a Biscoff-eating machine and give you theirs? Mine didn't. >:(

Stewardess: Would you like a snack? Peanuts, pretzels, cookie? 

Me: Cookiiiieeezz.z.. *drool*

Stewardess (to other guy): Would you like a snack? Peanuts, pretzels, cookie?

Other guy: No, thanks.

Me: *gawping* ...what? You.. I could have had that.. have you not tried Biscoff cookies or something?

Stewardess: *repeat*

Next lady: No, thanks.

And repeat about 5x. I was saddened.

I got braver, later on. On the last leg home the English guy next to me said no. Since he and I had become friends I informed the stewardess that he really wanted peanuts. They both laughed. But it worked. (:

Now picture ten instead of just one.

2. Yay Sky Miles!

Super thanks to my parents [in-law] who used their miles to buy Michael and I tickets this season. You're saving our lives. We love you.

3. Unintended Mechanical Issues

Why is this a reason we love Delta? Are you being sarcastic?

Nope.

Be me, seeing my adoring fiance for the first time in a month, staying for the amount of time which, while in USU, was the best we could do. 

Be me, not in college anymore, leaving before I really "have to" because I can't change my flight. 

Okay.

Now be me when the announcer guy tells you your plane is cancelled and offers a flight the next day.

Be Michael when I called and asked him to come get me from the airport.

Yay. (: We love Delta. 

Just don't be the guy next to me who got really pissed off. Nope. Be me. 

His name was Zach and he worked for the DIA in the Air Force... he hates SLC (where we were both headed, both days) and told me all about his married/divorced/dating/engaged life. For hours. We sat by each other on both days for over 2 hours waiting for said flight connection. Hilarious. He was way cool.

This post should be about: 

Day 4: Your parents

But, 1) long posts are hard to read, aren't they? Tell me, really. Because I can do short ones. Like today.

 And 2) I don't want to pass up my friends who are on day 5... that's a lame reason. It's mostly because of the long post. Let me know.


I have no idea why these last two paragraphs are a different sized font. But it really bugs me...XD 

A bit of theory and my life-to-be

Day 2: Meaning behind your blog name


This isn't the easiest thing to explain.. simply because it involves AP theory. We'll work with it. I've been thinking about this all day. (: 
Except, the thing is, I tend to post after midnight. Which means, to post on the "next" day, I can't really do this except after midnight. Or be really patient and wait until the next actual day. Unlikely. Eh. Welcome, everyone. It's 1229am. 

A Quick Lesson in Theory:

A4 is the theory shorthand for augmented 4th. 

An augmented 4th is an interval.

An interval is the space between two notes.

Therefore, A4 stands for a certain spacing between two notes.

Great.

Who cares?

Well.. theory people do. The A4 is actually called "the devil in music". Like, it's Satan's interval. It's the worst thing ever.. if you can hear it. I think it's the worst thing ever...in music, that is.

Okay, next. Here's a solfege C scale:

Scales have intervals.. between each note. The interval we're looking for, the augmented fourth (A4) is found between the two notes/syllables FA (on the F) and TI (on the B natural). Take my word for it, or go play it. It has six half steps between the notes, if you're gonna try for it.

If you take the syllables TI and FA, you get an A4. My name, for those who didn't know, is Tiffany. I think only Trently calls me Tifa.. and Janeth does too, sometimes. 

Oh. Dang. So do the juniors. Idea fail. Mostly Trent and Jane. 

Tiffany ---> Tifa

Tifa (Ti-Fa) is an A4.

I am the dissonant satanic interval in any major scale. Yay. 

Why does this matter?

Um. It doesn't. But it was interesting, right? 

In naming a blog, I wasn't about to write "Stories about Tifa". Though I was tempted. It's just not cool enough. So, we're cheating and making this slightly more interesting. I would have written "Stories of an A4"...but then you'd just wonder and start trying to classify it as a blood type or something before you got this explanation. Plus, it sounds better this way. 

That's it.

That's whatchyaoughtaknow [about my blog name]. 

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There are some of you who may be wondering what the freak I'm doing with my life. You're engaged?! You're moving!?? You're dropping out of USU!!!@##@!? Whaaaa... 


And then there are some of you who don't care. 


I don't know which reaction I should be more concerned with, really. 


In wishing to make this slightly more interesting/doable to read, I sought for a photo. Not gonna lie, I wrote "moving life explodes" into google. Unfortunately, even google cannot read my strange and twisted ideas into a perfect photo. So, I attempted to map my strange new life on google, instead. See photo.

No, you probably can't see it. This is a struggle. I would draw something better, but I lack a lovely scanner. 
Logan--->Centerville---->[Aruba, not pictured]--->NYC--->Houston, TX---->Charlottesville, VA----->???
Proper reaction: *gasp, faint, groan in wtf terror* ..not in that order.


I realized several things tonight:


1. I am marrying Michael. The end. 
There's really no contest there. No matter what, no matter how crazy my life is about to be, I am marrying him and I can't wait. Literally. I'm dying.
I already knew this.. it's just an add-on to the following statements. It's first because it's most important, not because it belongs there chronologically.


2. I'm leaving everything. AAAAAAAAH.
USU, Ari, Kenny, beloved friends @ USU who all deserve to be mentioned here but aren't because I hate typing, Tomma, Janeth, all (all) of my family/support group, everything I'm used to... like cats, reading, sleeping in, waking up in a familiar city where I can find Wal-Mart or Wendy's, my job[s], my beloved dry climate (dang you, humidity!), and perhaps most importantly: knowing what the freak I'm doing.


3. It's about time I had a bit of a break down. 
Let's not lie. I've been so chill about this. 
Me: "Psh, yeah! Married, moving, in love with said most wonderful man ever, want to hear about my plans for my life?...oh wait, there are none."
So tonight I got a bit of the necessarily forthcoming freak out moment out of the way. To Michael, that is. And I realized something else.


4. I'm actually really terrified.
I don't know why this never hit me before, but the day has finally come. I'm doing what?! 
I'm leaving everything. I'm literally abandoning my life and starting it all over in new circumstances that I have no real control over and just going with it. I'm.. whew. Wow. 


Understand that, in general, me and God have a pretty quiet relationship. For most of my life I knew he was there, and wondered why he never talked to me much. It was only in my really desperate "Please help me, I can't handle this" moments that I felt it strongly. That I heard him calm me. Those moments were profound, but they were still very few. We're quiet, God and I. Until recently.
I swear, if God had more in mind for me right now I might not be able to handle it. Ha. Knock, someone, please. Let's say the past two months have been a freaking storm of new ideas for me to take on, new plans, new life... aaaah. God's given me a list of things he wants me to do. And the best part is:


5. I'm so doing it.
I want this, so much. I love Michael. I love hearing what God has to say to me, and going with how absolutely terrifying it is, taking it in a seriously-deep-breath stride. Let's try DC 111:11. I'll do it for you:


"Therefore, ...I will order all things for your good, as fast as ye are able to receive them. Amen."


Just accept the plan, and move on. Give you two days before he gives me something else. But, you know what? It's great. I'm so good with it. I have to freak out sometimes, but that will never stop me from trying. 


My life-to-be, everyone. Still unfolding.