Tuesday, June 30, 2009

15 years

So, did you figure out what the last 2 pictures were? The first was a show called "Just the 10 of us", and the 2nd was "8 is Enough". Yes, we are expecting our 8th baby. Hooray! I'm due February 15th, so I'm only 8 or so weeks. I'm never good at keeping secrets. It would probably be smart to keep it to myself until I've passed the danger point. I hope I don't have to do a sad post soon saying I lost the baby.


In honor of my 15th wedding anniversary:

What I was doing June 30th 1994



-It was a very busy day at the Salt Lake Temple, so we scheduled a 7:00 sealing. Dave and I and our parents had to be there at 5:30. Of course we were just excited, but I feel so bad for our parents and our friends that drove from Provo to be there. It was SOOOO EARLY!!


-I felt very nervous. Not because I wasn't sure I should marry Dave, but because I was getting married and I don't love being the center of attention.


-After getting ready they brought me to the Celestial room and I got to sit with my sweetheart. It was one of the sweetest moments of the day. We just held hands and enjoyed the peace of the temple. Nearly every year since then we have tried to be in the Celestial room to remember that day.


-Some of the advice that was given to us when we were sealed was: go on a weekly date, have family prayer morning and evening, and have family home evening every week and you will have a strong marriage. We have followed that advice nearly perfectly in the past 15 years. I think the weekly date has proven to keep us close and keep me sane! It's the perfect time to talk and reconnect after a busy week. We don't go anywhere fancy most of the time, but we always take time to be together alone. We sometimes talk about our kids, but usually we talk about us and our goals and thoughts.


-Dave and I kissed only a few times while we were engaged (trying to stay safe!), so it was especially beautiful to kiss over the altar as a married couple. The sealer asked Dave to bring Sister Ferrara over to look in the mirror and he went to get his mother. It was SOOOO FUNNY!

-We took a million pictures of course, but while everyone was watching I felt very shy kissing. It was starting to irritate Dave. He wanted some good smooching, but he didn't get that until everyone left.


-We came in separate cars with our parents, but we left together in our car. We had a ticket on the windshield. Bummer!

-We had our Wedding Breakfast at Marie Calendars and we had a little program where Dave and I sang "My Best Friend" (we're not great singers, but I still think it was sweet!). We had our families there and a few very close friends. It was a small and intimate group.

-The benefit of an early wedding is that we had hours to "rest" up before the reception. Everything ran very smoothly getting back to my home town except that our car broke down. We had about a 20 minute drive that ended up taking 2 hours. I was supposed to meet my hair lady there so we could take more pictures before the reception. My hair ended up looking HORRIBLE! I still cringe when I see those pictures. I didn't care at the time though. I was so happy! We had to take my dad's car for a night and wait the next day for our car to be fixed. It was kind of a foreshadowing of what was to come in the next 15 years....the best part of it was that we laughed through it, which is what we do when problems arise now!


-We had lines and lines of people to support us at our reception. I was only 18 when I got married, so all of my friends were around and it was like a big party to them!


-We stayed and opened presents after the reception with all of my family around. I still remember seeing my grandparents sitting back holding hands while they watched us. Everyone had their shoes off and the kids were having fun bringing us the gifts.

-We spent the night in Salt Lake because one of my best friends was getting sealed the next morning and we wanted to see her.

-Our honeymoon was spent in a cabin in Yellowstone, and in a beautiful hotel in Nauvoo. We got to drive across the country to have another reception in Illinois.


-The best word to describe my feelings that day and those weeks after: BLISS


There's nothing better than knowing you get to be with your favorite person for eternity.

I think back on those early days and smile. We were so young and so in love. Our love has grown so much deeper, and we've had so many more experiences to test our love. I would still choose him and I'm still looking forward to eternity with him!

It's unfortunate that I'm so completely computer illiterate that I have no idea how to scan pictures in. So, the only wedding photos I can come up with are weird ones that are already on my computer. Maybe I can get my sweetheart to help me with that one of these days. For now - this is the best you're gonna get!


good things:
remembering
eternity with your best friend
15 years

4 comments:

Megan Jo Eddie said...

YEAH! I'm so happy for 15 wonderful years and now another angel to bless your family. What a great mom you are. I'm sure also helps having a supportive husband. You've wanted this so long and I couldn't be happier for you. I hope it's a boy!

jenjen said...

I remember it as well! How fun go have your anniversary and be excited about baby number 8! I can't think of a better family to take care of 8 darling kids...

- said...

8 kids. Goodness gracious! Better get a move on, or you'll never get those 12 you want!

Unknown said...

Happy Anniversary! I loved reading your account of your wedding. Sounds like it was a very fun and eventful day!