10th Anniversary

Scott and I celebrated our ten year anniversary on February 1st. I use the term "celebrate" loosely since he is in Texas getting ready for his deployment and I am here in Utah chasing around a three-year-old. It is amazing how fast time flies. It seems like just yesterday I was sitting in church wondering who the cute guy a few chairs down was. We couldn't really afford to have any enlargements of our wedding pictures made right after we were married, so we have only had a small book of proofs. I kept thinking I would eventually purchase some prints, but I never did. Two years ago the photographer contacted me and wanted to know if we would want to buy our negatives. I jumped at the chance and it has been so fun to look through them again. So in honor of our tenth anniversary and February being the month of love here are some pictures of our wedding day and some snippets of our love story...

Scott and I met the summer of 2001. I had just graduated from Utah State and had accepted my first teaching job back at the Middle School in my hometown. I moved into my grandma's basement apartment and grudgingly started attending the local single's ward.

I really hated single's wards, but I forced myself to not only go on Sundays, but to get involved with the other activities as well. I met Scott fairly soon after I started. We went on a ward retreat that summer to Flaming Gorge where Scott claims he tried to flirt and get my attention, but I ignored him. I don't remember this at all. I remember one of the first times he ever said anything to me was after a Sunday School class. I had made a comment and he stopped me after class and asked me if I had served a mission. I told him I had, and he seemed quite annoyed by this, which baffled and bugged me at the same time. Later I found out he had not been impressed with the sister missionaries in his mission and had vowed he would never date a girl who had served a mission. I sopose we are even because I said I would never date a guy younger than me. Never say never... 

We got to be pretty good friends that summer. We sat together at a lot of the meetings and activites and talked a lot. He was in charge of ward prayer on Sunday evenings and he always seemed to seek me out to chat. I liked him, but could not figure him out. I kept hoping he would ask me out and he always acted like he was going to, but he never would. I was starting to get super annoyed. He had a girl who was "stalking" him, (or so he said...) and I was starting to feel a little used. If she ever came around he would hurry and grab me and start a conversation to keep her from bugging him. 

I had just about given up on him when the next activity came along to hike to the Y in Provo. He asked me if I was going to go. I hadn't planned on it, but he said he was, so I decided I would give him one more shot. Guess who didn't show up? That's right, Scott. I was so done. I went home that night and vowed I was done with him and all other guys. It was a Thursday night. I typically went country dancing on Thursday nights, but I was exhausted, annoyed, and done with guys. As I was getting ready for bed I had a strong impression that I needed to go dancing. I fought it for awhile, but finally gave in and went. He was the first person I saw when I walked in. He came right up to me and asked me to dance. That was the night he finally asked me out.

Our first date was on September 1st 2001. We went to a BYU football game and then out to dinner. That was really all it took. We were engaged six weeks after our first date! Six weeks is not a long time, but looking back so much happened in those six weeks. We held hands at the State Fair, talked and talked about our hopes and dreams, stacked hay together at his parents house, took long drives to nowhere in particular, experienced the tragedy of September 11th, attended the temple together, went through the loss of his sister Amber, rode the zipline behind my grandma's house, played pool in his gramdma's basement, visited my family's cabin in Fairview, went to a fireside, watched General Conference together, met each other's best friends and family, went to a parade, kissed, danced, and fell in love.

I remember the first time he told me that he loved me. It was Fall Break and we had gone to the Mt. Timpanogos temple that day. It was late and we were sitting in his car talking outside my grandma's house. He told me he wanted to tell me something, but was really nervous to. It seemed like hours before he finally said those magical words.

I remember the exact moment I knew he was the one for me. The summer before we met, my bishop had us all write down what we were looking for in a potential mate. Near the top of my list was the romantic and somewhat foolish notion that whoever he was- he had to "adore" me. A few weeks after we started dating we were at his parent's house standing in the kitchen alone when he whispered in my ear that he adored me. My mind zoomed back to that notebook where those very hopes were written and I knew he was the one.

We were married in the Salt Lake Temple on February 1st, 2002. I'm told it was a bitterly cold day, but all I remember is being filled with the warmth of love. The sky was a brilliant blue and it really could not have been a more perfect day.

That was the year that Salt Lake City hosted the Olympics and Scott's Grandma Pack insisted we get this shot of the church office building with the figure skater. I am so happy we listened.

 

It was wonderful to be surrounded by our family and close friends. The ones who were there with us in our beginning and who are still lifting and supporting us today.

I can't help, but think about what we have experienced together these past ten years. The road hasn't always been easy, but I have so enjoyed the journey with my eternal companion. We've learned to rely on and trust each other. We made it through four years of college for Scott and six years of living in dumpy little apartments.We were able to see Scott earn his Bachelor's degree and then build our beauiful home. We enjoyed six years as just a couple able to go and do pretty much what we wanted. We learned to rely on our Heavenly Father as we made it through years of dissapointment from infertility to finally realize the inexpressable joy of being parents to our beautiful son Deacon.  

We learned to lean on each other and never take life for granted as we experienced the devastating loss of Scott's sweet mom, Janice. Our temple marriage became that much more meaningful to us knowing that we were sealed for eternity just as Scott is sealed to his mother.

We had the opportunity to become closer to five sweet grandmother's and see two off them leave this earth to join their eternal companions on the other side.

We learned from the great example of Scott's paternal grandparents and were able to see them celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary before she left this earth.

I have had the opportunity to get to know and love Scott's amazing family. I love his brothers and sisters like my own.

Scott has done the same with mine. We learned again of the importance of eternal families who are sealed for time and all eternity as we grieved the loss of my brother Garrett, but know that we will see him again.

We have learned from the amazing example of our parents who have taught us through their love the true meaning of sacrificing and devoting your lives to the ones you love. We have had the opportunity to live near my parents and Scott has come to love them like his own. It has been a blessing to us to have them in our lives to go to for advice and strength.

We have learned that life isn't always easy nor does it always seem fair as we have watched Scott's father deal with his adversities of constant pain. We have learned from him the importance of finding the little things in life that bring you joy and focusing on them instead of difficulties.

As I try to peek into our future the way is not always clear. Life has a way of keeping us on our toes. I have learned that our Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us and even though at times I feel like I know what would be best for me I have come to rely on and trust in Him. I am sure we will experience many more things together with our little family- both the joy and the sorrow.

Each day we have together is a gift from our Father in Heaven as we are given opportunities for growth. Through these trials and tests we are hoping to become more like our Savior, so that one day we can return to live with Him. 

I love you Scott.