Our family celebrated its 17th birthday this week. Since we were married before we owned a digital camera, I've started scanning some of our old pictures. The old pictures made me think of a little blog project... seventeen pictures of some of my favorite moments over the last seventeen years (except that I got carried away and I added 20 pictures up to 2012).
October 10, 1998 was a special day. Todd took me to Seattle to meet his parents (actually, I had already met his mom when she visited Salt Lake, but I hadn't met his dad yet). We attended the Seattle temple together in the morning. Later that day I shopped around the mall while Todd and his dad ran an errand (they bought me a ring). That evening, Todd took me back to the temple and proposed on the temple grounds. The Seattle temple will always be a special place for me.
Ah, our wedding day. I remember that I couldn't stop smiling. It was a day that still brings a smile to my face 17 years later. It was amazing to be married to this wonderful man for time and eternity surrounded by our family and friends. I am forever grateful.
I graduated from the University of Utah just a few months after our wedding. Mitt Romney was the speaker at my commencement. It was a great day. I was glad to be done with school so that I could help Todd as he worked toward his degree.
We went to Italy for our 2nd anniversary. It felt like a dream to be back in the country I loved so much as a missionary with my husband. While we were there, Todd picked up on the Italian language really fast. I'm hoping we can return as missionaries again one day.
Todd's graduation was an exciting day for both of us. I don't have a picture of his Master's degree completion but it was an equally exciting day for our family.
The day we became parents is a treasured memory. I remember leaving the hospital with our sweet baby excited and terrified at the same time.
The day Todd was ordained a High Priest was a special day for us. I was a stay at home mom in our first house, expecting our second baby and Todd was working full time, working on his Master's degree and serving in the Church. Good times.
Our second baby boy came along and we couldn't have been more thrilled. Truly another blessing from the Lord. Our boys have been best friends ever since the moment they met.
My world was rocked a bit when soon after our move to California, we found out we were expecting our third child. I was far away from home, terrified to drive on the California freeways, and worried how I would ever manage 3 small kids. Looking back, I am so thankful for that opportunity. I now see how that experience gave me the confidence as a mother to believe I could move to foreign countries. It also brought me closer to the Lord and brought us closer together as a family.
Our third little bundle of joy. Thankfully she never demanded attention. She was quite content to be entertained by her big brothers most of the time.
Just as I learned to feel comfortable driving on the California freeways, our family moved to Colorado. Our Denver move was a blessing because we were near my cousin's family and later Todd's sisters family.
My pregnancy with our 4th child started out just like the others...
however, by the time he was born, we were moving to London. I remember signing real estate papers while I was in labor. Potential buyers were walking thru our house as I laid in our bed recovering from complications following the delivery. Thankfully our third little boy was content too. Again, we relied on each other and the Lord like never before as we had a new baby and prepared to move overseas.
Our time together in England is a treasured memory.
Our move from England to Australia when I was seven months pregnant with our 5th child was our hardest transition. The humid Australian summer was a sudden and stark contrast from the English winter we left behind. The city we moved to was recovering from major flooding and our home had sustained damage. Repair work was slow. My phone and internet connection took a long time to hook up and I felt disconnected from family and friends (not to mention the time change was difficult to adjust to). I became very sick with the flu and shortly after was diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
Then, one day I was driving the kids home from school and they were so cheerful and pleasant. I asked how they felt about our move to Australia and they responded that they loved it. I realized that I was thinking too much about the hard things and not looking enough at the blessings.
I learned to LOVE Australia. It was a beautiful experience for our family for which we will be forever grateful. Our sweet little Sara was born in Australia.
Our visit to the beautiful country of New Zealand.
The amazing beaches of Australia.
I am so thankful for my good husband. I am thankful for his desire to do what is right. I look forward to the coming years that will surely bring new adventures and growth.
