Celebrating 10 years, and a few other things, too.

87 years ago today, Neil's Grandpa Don was born.

Happy Birthday, Don!  And Geaux Tigers!

73 years ago today, my Grandpa and Grandma Butterfield were married. 

Happy Anniversary, you two love birds!  Hope you're celebrating well in heaven!

11 years ago today, my best friend, Wendy got married.

Happy Anniversary, guys!

And 10 years ago today, Neil took me on our first date. 

First photo ever taken of us - on Valentine's Day, I believe, during our shift at Chevy's.  Awesome exposure, I know.

I love the significance of this day.  It has always been an extra special one to me, and it's no wonder! 
  
Thinking back to the events of February 9, 2002, here's what I remember:

• The 2002 Winter Olympics (in Salt Lake City) began.
• I attended Mindy Mickelson's baby shower.
• I worked an afternoon shift at Chevy's.
• When Neil came to pick me up (sometime after 8pm), he was wearing his green Abercrombie shirt - the same green Abercrombie shirt he still has and wears today.  Ironically, Neil also wore this shirt the day Chloe was born, and also the day Ryan was born.  Purely coincidental.  Needless to say, the shirt is terribly faded and has a few holes.  Yet, he continues to wear it without shame.
• When we first got into Neil's car and he turned the ignition, the song, "When You Say Nothing At All" by Alison Krauss started to play.  Turns out, Neil had a "date" CD that he'd play in the car whenever he was taking a new lady out on the town.  Well, I broke that trend.  :)  I didn't forget that song, nor did Neil!  By default, it became one of our songs, and the day he proposed, he, again, had it cued to start playing when he turned the ignition, on our way to temple square, where he popped the question.
• We ate dinner at Guru's in downtown Provo.  I had a burrito, I think.  We were there with Neil's roommate at the time, Jed, and his date, whom I don't remember at all. 
  After dinner, we headed to the movie theater to see a 10:00pm showing of Mothman Prophecies.  I honestly don't remember much about the movie, as I was focused on other things, like Neil's right hand, which took a hold of my left hand about a quarter of the way in and held onto it until we left the theater.  It was an unexpected and bold move on Neil's part, as I didn't feel like we'd really made a strong connection yet.  I was flattered nevertheless, with no complaints.  After the movie, and while we were walking to our cars, Neil and Jed ran up a grassy hill off the side of the parking lot, and proceeded to roll down it.  Not sure if they were trying to show off or if they were just being boys.  Probably a combination of both.
• When Neil took me home that night, he walked me to the front porch, gave me a hug, and thanked me for coming.   He was very polite and gentlemanly, and just made me feel well taken care of.  I liked that. 
  
  I honestly don't remember many other details, except that I was pretty much smitten.  It took Neil another 24 hours before we were on the same wave length, but once we were there, well, that was it.  We were Neil and Valeri. 
  
  Neil had a long work day today in Roseville, and called me the first chance he got, upon walking to his car at around 4:00pm. One of the first things he said was, "Happy Anniversary of our first date!" For him to continually remember this day - a day few husbands are obligated to remember - means so much to me. It's the day that marks the beginning of us, and that's kind of a big deal. I love it. And I love that it lands on my amazing grandparents' anniversary. What a privilege to share with them such a connection! Sometimes I wonder if they took part in the planning of Neil and me. 

I really can't say enough how grateful I am to have crossed paths with Neil ten years ago, and to have somehow convinced him to fall in love with me.  He is such a good person, so solid in his beliefs and ambitions, and such a wonderful provider, husband and father.  He has always, always put my happiness first, and I've seen it day in and day out for years.  We had a really nice time together tonight after the kids went to bed.  We talked about those early days, and about how incredible it is that an entire decade has already passed by.  We also talked about how fortunate we are to have found each other, and to be living a happy, healthy marriage, even ten whole years later.

Happy Anniversary of the beginning of us!

Remembering...

Neil:

"I remember that it was really hot out."

"I remember Holly's cell phone going off during the ceremony."

"I remember you looking pretty in your dress." (said with a wink)

"I remember walking around with you outside the temple and pretending we liked each other.  Except we didn't have to pretend."

Valeri:

"I remember just feeling really, really happy the whole entire day."

Neil:

"I remember feeling really, really happy when we were done with pictures."

Valeri:

"I remember the sincere expression on your face upon seeing me for the first time in my dress.  I'll never, ever forget that expression.  Ever."

"I remember sitting in the celestial room with you just moments before we were escorted in to be sealed."

"I remember saying, 'yes'!"

Neil: "It was a good day."
Valeri: "It was a good day."

Happy 9th to us! 

Day 11: A happy trail

Neil and I took a bike ride this morning after dropping the kids off at playgroup.  It was wonderful!  I have been itching to get outside and do something all week.  My right knee started hurting last Thursday evening, and after Friday's run I knew I needed to take it easy for a few days.  Monday I attempted a run/walk, but I was only able to run the distance of one block before I had to stop.  It is so discouraging because I've worked hard to get where I am and don't want to lose the endurance or distance I've gained.  I think the explanation is plain and simple: I did too much too soon and now I'm paying for it.  3 miles in only 2 1/2 weeks of running is quite a jump, and while from a breathing perspective I handled it with no problems, I don't think my muscles and joints liked it too much.  I have missed running and the liberation it's given me.  But I realize I need to take it slow and allow my body to fully acclimate before I throw a 5k at it!  I know the situation will eventually resolve itself.  I just hope it's sooner than later because I'm anxious to get back out there! 

In an attempt to maintain some level of activity, we've been taking walks and bike rides this week. None of it has even remotely compared to the satisfaction of a good run, but it's been better than nothing.  There is an asphalt trail behind our neighborhood which we've been talking about exploring for months now.  This morning seemed like a great time to finally embark on the journey since Neil was home and the kids were not!  When we approached the entrance to the trail, we noticed a second trail going the opposite direction.  Unlike the first trail, this one was purely dirt and rock, and looked more narrow and bumpy.  Now normally I'm the safe and boring bike rider, preferring flat and wide roads.  Mountain biking is not the least bit appealing to me.  And while this trail was no "mountain," it also wasn't the safe, generic type that I'd normally look for.  So what on earth drew me in?  Perhaps it was the fact that it was absolutely breathtaking!  Yep, that about sums it up.  It didn't matter what lay ahead.  We were taking that trail! 

In the 3 minutes it took to get from the main road to the trail entrance, I felt as though I'd gone from riding my bike down a common, unexciting street in Ripon, CA to suddenly gliding through a luscious countryside.  Grass and trees surrounded us, and we were secluded from anything man made.  The trail also ran parallel to the Stanislaus River, which just made the whole experience that much cooler.  Several times during our ride, Neil and I commented to each other how gorgeous and scenic it was, and how we couldn't believe this area existed only a mile or two from our house!  The sun was filtering through the trees, and was warm but not hot.  I mean it really was just perfect.

Here's a photo of the trail I found online, just to give you an idea...

Eventually the trail ended just underneath the highway.  At that point we rode up and down a bridge and then headed back towards the house.  It was very relaxing overall, but my heart rate did get up there at times and I could definitely feel my legs burning.  I was just so amazed by the quiet beauty surrounding us as we rode in the morning sunshine.  It was stunning, and I wish so much I'd had my camera!  I cannot wait to get Chloe and Ryan out there for a photo shoot!  And a picnic!  It just may be my new favorite place! 

When we got home I suggested we take a picture because I knew I'd be writing about this later and figured I could incorporate my picture of the day in with that same post.  Well, Neil was a bum and politely declined being in the picture.  So instead, you get to see one of me and my bike!  A dream come true, right?  If I'd actually taken any pictures today I'd post those over this one, but, well, I didn't.  So there you have it: yours truly.

Happy trails! 

Day 9: Year 9

Here's what 9 years together looks like.

{photos courtesy of Chloe}

And here are the two best things 9 years together have produced.
{taken this evening just before our first family bike ride in Ripon}

Thank you. 

I left my heart 82 miles from San Francisco

September 3rd-5th is, to date, probably the best weekend I've ever lived.  It wasn't particularly eventful, but I think that's just what made it so nice.  With all the chaos life has thrown at us these last few months, a weekend away from it all (including our babies) was just the medicine we needed.  As stated in my last post, we got a late start with delayed flights and all that jazz.  It was a wonderful reunion nevertheless.

After grabbing luggage and finding Neil's car in the maze of the Sacramento airport economy lot, we hopped on the road and headed for downtown Sac, arriving at the Sheraton at midnight exactly.  Of course we had both been looking forward to this weekend, but Saturday morning in particular because it was the one morning we didn't have to be up for anything. No appointments.  No kids.  No alarm.  Nothing.  Just sleep and some snugglin'. So you wanna know what happened? We were BOTH wide awake at 6:40am!  Just plain WRONG if you ask me!  But it was what it was. So we got up, showered, and were out of our hotel room by 8:00. 

We took a nice morning walk downtown and stopped at a little mom and pop's deli for breakfast, then headed to the Sacramento LDS temple.  Growing up in Vacaville, I knew Sacramento was bound to have a temple eventually.  Sure enough, it was announced 4 months before I moved away (in 2001).   Even though I haven't lived in Vacaville for nearly a decade or seen this temple in person until now, I've always held a special place in my heart for it.  It was a stunning sight to see. 

After the temple, we drove to Roseville and had sushi at Mikuni's.  Neil had taken two surgeons there recently and spoke highly of their food.  That says a lot coming from Neil who isn't quite the sushi connoisseur his wife is.  Well, he wasn't messin' around!  It was the heavenly, melt in your mouth goodness that I'd hoped for.

After our sushi date, we hopped on highway 99 and headed to Ripon!  This is the town where Neil has resided for just shy of 3 months now. 

Notice the population: 14,575 (soon to be 14,579) - quite a change from Colorado Springs!

I'll be honest.  I wasn't initially fond of the idea of living in Ripon.  I wanted to be closer to the Bay Area or Sacramento.  I've always been a city girl at heart.  Not that I feel it's the ideal atmosphere for my children to grow up in, but I wanted something closer to that than just some rural podunk town in the middle of Northern California.  Well!  As the weeks passed, and Neil told me more and more about the town, I grew quite fond of it.  It's safe and has very little crime.  The schools are better.  The housing is better.  It's right smack between Stockton and Modesto, which makes Neil's commute short.  And it's within about an hour's drive of both San Francisco and Sacramento.  Anyway, by the time this weekend rolled around and I was actually able to SEE Ripon for the first time, I found myself instantly smitten.  Perhaps it was because it's where Neil has called home for the last 3 months.  Perhaps it was because of all the positive talk Neil fed me about the town.  Or, it could have also been, simply, the feeling I had the second we exited the freeway; that feeling that told me, "This is right for us.  This is home."  I think it was a combination of all these things.

We drove around for twenty minutes and then headed over to the house where Neil has been living.  This sweet couple, who has so warmly welcomed Neil into their home, are recent empty nesters.  So living arrangements have actually worked out well for everyone.  Charlie was out of town for the weekend, but I met and talked with Karin for awhile.  Then our realtor, Lorilee picked us up and took us to see some houses.  Even though we didn't fall in love with any of them it was still nice to explore the various neighborhoods and get a feel for what was out there. 

Saturday evening we just goofed around.  First we drove to Modesto in search of flats for my birthday.  Neil was DARLING.  Never has he been as much fun to shop with as he was this evening.  And, I suspect, he'll probably never be that much fun to shop with ever again.  He just had me laughing the entire evening, and over the silliest and stupidest things.  It was really one of those you had to be there and you had to understand us moments, but it truly was one of the most enjoyable dates Neil has ever taken me on.  We got a slushie, walked around the mall, did some people watching, held hands some more, exchanged lots of playful and sarcastic remarks, perused Best Buy and Target, smooched a little, and went to Applebee's.  Neil even reminded me of what a great husband he was, being that it was opening day of college football season and he hadn't asked even once to watch a single game.  He did peek at a few scores while we ate, as there were TVs too easy to spot in the bar, but I didn't mind. I kinda like football myself.  :)  After dinner, we headed back to Charlie and Karin's where we dropped off our things and took a nice long walk to finish the night. 

Sunday morning we got up and went to church.  It's always interesting attending your new ward for the first time.  Even though technically I'm not in this ward yet, Neil has been for the last few months and in a strange way I feel like I have been too.  The second we walked into the chapel the sister missionaries tackled me with hugs.  They, and so many others were happy to see that Neil really did have a wife!  I felt very welcome.  It was Fast and Testimony Meeting, and lots of tender and meaningful testimonies were shared. 

We took off after Sacrament Meeting, stopped at home to change and then hopped back on the road towards the city; one of my favorite cities in fact: San Francisco.  So many tender thoughts flood my memory whenever I think about or go to San Francisco.  Growing up I played hooky from school countless times to go spend a day there with my dad.  We did so many things in that city as it was only a hop, skip and a jump from my hometown. Neil and I have been there together once with his whole family (Christmas Day 2007), but this was the first time just the two of us got to go.  We had planned to bring bikes and ride them across the Golden Gate Bridge, but it just didn't happen.  So instead we parked and walked up the Pier to Boudin, where we enjoyed bread bowls. Then we walked back to our car and that was that!  It was perfect, really.  Simple and sweet with a purpose.  If we'd had more time and energy I'm sure we would explored more inland.  But we were tired and not really in the mood for any touristy stuff.  With how close Ripon is to the city, there are sure to be many more San Francisco trips in the future.

On our way home, we stopped to visit one of Neil's childhood friends, who currently lives in San Ramon with her husband and two kids.  Neil and Natalie go way back to their early childhood days.  Natalie and I have sent each other Christmas cards for years and gotten to know each other through blogging and facebook, but up to this point had never actually met in person.  Since Ripon is less than an hour from San Ramon, Neil has made it over to see Steve and Natalie a handful of times.  It was great to finally meet both of them and their beautiful children.  Neil and Steve, despite the fact that they've only known each other a few months, acted as if they'd been life long friends.  I am grateful the connections were so instant for them.  Neil has mentioned to me several times what a blessing they've been in his life these recent weeks.  I am grateful they have opened up their home to him so many times.

Sorry, Steve - couldn't resist.  How cool is it that your shirt says "Neil" on it?  Did you do that on purpose?  :) 

We got back to Ripon early evening, ate dinner with Karin and then took a walk. At one point, Neil got a text from his co-worker, Toby, who also happens to be in his ward.  When Neil texted back and told him we were just blocks from his house, he invited us over.  Turns out Toby's wife is a photographer and dancer as well.  When I first got in touch with her back in July, I knew we were destined to be friends.  We have too much in common to not be!  Sure enough, we did not run out of things to talk about.  And once the topic of photography came up, it was all over. Before we both knew it it was 10:30pm.  Now here's a not so funny story, which is on a completely different subject.  When I booked my flights for this trip back in August, I accidentally selected the Monday 6am flight out of Sacramento.  Meant to select the 2pm flight, but no - 6am.  ...Which meant that we had to get up at 3:20am and be out the door by 3:45 to provide plenty of time to get to the airport.  So going back to Sunday night. Neil politely interrupted Tami's and my conversation to suggest we get home if we wanted to sleep any before our alarm went off in 5 hours.  Despite our unexpected visit and rather abrupt goodbye, it was wonderful meeting Toby and Tami.  I'm sure we'll get to know each other even better in the coming months, and I look forward to it.

Monday morning was not fun.  Not only was it the end of a perfect weekend, but it was 3:20 in the freaking morning!  I could barely keep my eyes open driving to the airport and walking through security.  I slept some on the plane, but it was a full flight so I had very little room to get comfortable.  As we landed and the flight attendant cheerfully announced, "Welcome to Denver", I cringed.  I just didn't want to be there.  At all.  I know that sounds horrible, especially to my Colorado friends, who know I love them.  Sorry - when you read my blog, you get the honest me.  I detached myself from Colorado a long time ago, and now that I've walked the grounds of our upcoming California adventures I'm that much more anxious to BE THERE!  I will say it was wonderful seeing my kiddos again, and I am so grateful to Jared and Lori, who watched them for us so Neil and I could have this much needed time together.  Lori especially, whose pregnancy marked her 37th week that very weekend, was a good sport about the whole thing.  We all joked that 3 days with my kids would surely put her into labor, but so far nothing.  She's due this coming Wednesday.

A perfect California sunset.  And, minus the flight delays and mix ups, a perfect weekend.

Waiting...

That's a word I've become uncomfortably familiar with these last several weeks.  Waiting for our house to sell.  Waiting to hear back from the insurance company.  Waiting to see Neil again.  Waiting for our lives to not be in limbo.  Well, now I'm waiting again.  This time, at the Sacramento airport.  About a month ago, Neil and I decided to book me a flight to CA over Labor Day weekend (child free, of course).  The timing seemed perfect since he would be finishing his 3 week training in PA on the 3rd (today) and flying back to CA.  We arranged our flights as close together as possible - me arriving in Sac at 7:30pm, Neil arriving at 9pm.  Well, things ran perfectly smooth for me!  I even arrived at my gate 5 minutes early.  But Neil, not so much luck.  Due to "mechanical issues", his flight was delayed 2 hours.  I have now been sitting in the airport for 3 hours waiting to see him come down that escalator.  I keep seeing couples reunite, which is absolutely WONDERFUL, but it's making me CRAZY because I want my Neil! 

On a side note, it's awesome being in Sacramento.  The last time I was in this airport is the day my brother and I flew out (May of 2002) to help our parents move from Vacaville to Salt Lake, where they now reside.  It's crazy the things I never paid much attention to in this airport but that I am seeing and recognizing now, more than 8 years later.

THIS, for example! 

I totally remember this thing at the baggage claim!  Kind of a creatively strange structure.  Random, I know.  Sorry, I'm bored okay!?!  I am really looking forward to seeing Neil.  He is now expected to arrive at 10:49pm - that's 8 minutes away.  Here's to a short but perfect weekend getaway in sunny California!

Flashback Friday

It's been a while since I did a Flashback Friday post.  I figured today was an appropriate day for one since tomorrow marks a certain special event.  The picture you see below of my very manly husband and yours truly was taken 8 years ago tonight.  We had been hard at work in my parents' yard preparing for the following day's festivities. Not sure how my wedding dress slip ended up in the picture, but clearly Neil made the best of it.  While horribly blurry, this picture portrays, with perfection, the excitement that was in the air that night.   

Happy Anniversary Eve to my Neil, whom I still love with every ounce of my heart, 8 years later.

Random rambles...

My blog is gathering dust. Sad, but true. I used to be such an faithful blogger, but it seems, at the end of the day, when all other responsibilities have been met (or haven't), the last thing I feel like doing is sitting down to form an eloquent and witty post.

The time I would normally be spending here, I've been dedicating to Photoshop. Since I finally made the jump from Elements, I've found myself feeling wonderfully overwhelmed. I say "wonderfully" because I am realizing more and more the endless options the program offers. But I am still overwhelmed, confused, frazzled, frustrated, etc. Learning photoshop is like learning a foreign language. Time and patience is key. If you have both, you're in great shape. For me, Ha! Well, let's just say it's been a slow process. But I'm getting there!

Business is good. I haven't been advertising myself like I really ought to be, but I've been so immersed in other aspects of my business, and life itself, that I've hardly had the time. Luckily business has continued to filter in. I'm sure even if I was advertising, things would be slow given the time of year. Last week I had a customer return to me for the third time! That always makes ya feel good! And my first of three weddings is just around the corner (April 3rd). My website is almost finished. It's open to the public, but I'm still not ready to make the big announcement. Sorry - it just isn't quite where I want it. And now that I'm learning all these cool new tricks in photoshop, I'm finding myself wanting to go back and re-edit several photos, which will take even more time. Argh, it's endless.

The kids are driving me crazier than ever. I love 'em more than life itself, but gosh! Some days I just want to go to the bathroom without an audience! Or eat a hot meal. Or eat a meal, uninterrupted. It seems the days one child sleeps in, the other is up at the crack of dawn. When one is perfectly content, the other is having a meltdown. Motherhood is endless. But I sure do love it. There are moments where I find myself watching Chloe do her thing, and wondering how 4 years have already passed by.



She is growing so fast, and developing into such a little lady. She has her moments - man oh man - but she really is growing up! She is so observant, and understands a lot more than I know we realize. Yesterday she tied a bow on her dress, just out of the blue and ENTIRELY on her own! I know I didn't teach her how to do it! She continues to challenge and amaze us, and the process truly is rewarding.

Here's a recent photo of Mr. Ryan.



Who knew that dumping one's bottle upside down to create a pond of milk could be so incredibly entertaining?

Neil is doing well. His territory changed at the first of the year, which has required less travel for him. It's been nice having him around more. He's been spending quite a bit of his free time researching wood and making plans to build a new work bench, among other things. He also finished the end table, which matches our coffee table. Need to take a photo of the finished product. If he could afford to quit his job and make a living doing wood working, he would in a heartbeat. He's pretty passionate about it.

Here he is at our Ward's Pinewood Derby last week. He was in charge of the Bishopric's car, which, by the way, beat everyone else's. Don't worry - it didn't count for the sake of the boys. :)



You may be wondering what Bishop Lamb's expression is all about. Let's just say he's a UTE through and through, and did NOT appreciate being represented with a blue and white car! The funny thing is, Neil went with BYU colors just to mess with him. I think it worked. Bishop, you're a good sport!

Neil and I celebrated the 8th anniversary of our first date on Tuesday, the 9th. I know it sounds cheesy, but even Neil has managed to remember this day each year. It also happens to be my grandparents' wedding anniversary, my best friend/cousin's wedding anniversary, and, I just learned last week, Neil's grandpa's birthday! Funny, irrelevant stuff - those are usually the things I remember. :)

Have we changed much in 8 years?



All in all, life is good. A tad busier than I'd like, but good! Maybe one of these days I'll be able to get this silly blog caught up. I still haven't even posted about Christmas. Or Thanksgiving. Or my parent's September visit. Oh, life!

7 years ago today...

...I became Mrs. Andersen.



Talk about wonderful!

Happy Anniversary, Neil. I love you.

Flashback Friday

Here we are in our first apartment just days before tying the knot.

Neil is sitting on 3 boxes containing his belongings.



{mid-August 2002. Provo, UT. Photos by Mama Jill.}



So in love. So excited for our future together. Awww. Has it really been 7 years?

Seven years together

Neil once made a promise to himself that he'd never date a co-worker. And as far back as I can remember, I vowed to never date a guy who drove a Ford. If we were both that willing to break our own rules, we must have been meant for each other!

{February 2002 - Chevy's in Provo, UT}

Happy seven years, babe! Too bad we aren't in Provo to relive our first date.

Flashback Friday

My cousin, Wendy emailed me this picture last night. I'm assuming she took it. What's funny is I didn't even know it existed! She told me she was reminded of it when she saw the picture below it, which I included in my recent post about our Salt Lake trip. This is actually very timely considering Monday is the seventh anniversary of our first date, and when our journey together began.

{March or April(?) 2002} Are those highlights in your hair, Neil?

December 2008

Pretty amazing how similar these are, eh? Good eye, Wendy. Good eye.

Saturday Night

Neil and I have been anxious awaiting tonight's season premiere of SNL. Aside from the fact that we love the show, Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps is hosting! That in itself makes it worth watching, in my opinion!

So now you know our Saturday night plans! What are yours?

Birthday and Anniversary celebrations

I celebrated my 27th birthday on August 24th. Neil and Chloe made it memorable with personalized cards and creative dinner menu options. :) No gifts were unwrapped, but I'll be placing my new Kitchen Aid on the counter soon enough. That evening we went to Patrick and Anna's for homemade German chocolate cake, which Patrick made in honor of Anna's birthday. This is the second year we've celebrated our birthdays together, and I must say, it's a lot of fun having a birthday buddy! Thank you everyone who sent wishes my way!

Our anniversary, which we celebrated four days later, was also low-key. After our 3D ultrasound, we dropped Chloe off with a friend, headed out to find a new camera, since mine died earlier in the week, and then enjoyed a late dinner at Wingstop.

I would have pictures to share, but as I mentioned, my camera chose just the right week to die on me. I stole the above picture from Anna's blog. :)

What's the best thing in life?

...Spending it with your favorite person. Happy 6th Anniversary, babe.

#1

Reason:
One of my greatest shortcomings is one of Neil’s greatest qualities: PATIENCE. It really takes a lot for him to fly off the handle. He rarely nit-picks or criticizes, explaining that some things are better dropping than getting worked up over. When expressing a frustration, he does so in a brief and direct manner. And then he drops it and truly moves on without giving it another thought. Sometimes it drives me nuts when I'm still dwelling on something that Neil has completely put behind him, but ultimately this quality has contributed to the harmony in our home and helped me learn to not take things so seriously myself.

Photo:

Our engagement picture

July 2002 - photo courtesy of Dad

Fact:
We share the same anniversary with Ken and Amy, a couple in our ward. Same day, same place, 40 minutes ahead of us. I keep meaning to examine our wedding pictures to see if I can find them in the background anywhere. :)

#2

Reason:

He never goes a day without asking me how I'm doing. Whether it's the first question of the day, during an afternoon phone call when he has a spare minute, or as we're kissing goodnight, he always makes it a point to say, "How are you?" and genuinely mean it. As simple and insignificant as it may seem, it's often what gets me through the day.

Photo:

The "Uncle's Talk"

August 27, 2002 - the night before the big day.

I can only imagine the "advice" Neil was given. That look of fear says it all!

{From left to right: Uncle Curtis, Dad, Uncle Don, Uncle Mike, and the groom-to-be}

Fact:

Our birthdays both land on the 24th of the month - his: January, mine: August.

#3

Reason:

Because of Neil, I have achieved my lifelong dream of becoming a mother.

Photo(s):

New parents - one of my favorites of us.

20 November 2005 - Admiring our new daughter of 3 days.

Fact:

In the short ten months we lived in Oklahoma, we had a couple memorably scary experiences. One in particular stands out to me and I'm quite positive I'll never forget it. It happened in the middle of an ordinary night when I was suddenly awakened by a loud, yet muffled pop. It was a single "POP" but startling enough that it jolted me awake! I remember laying in bed still feeling delirious, but terrified all at the same time. I wondered what on earth it could have been and if I'd just dreamt up the sound or if it truly was as real as it seemed! Either way, my heart rate did eventually slow down to a normal rhythm again and I was able to go back to sleep. The next morning I went into the guest bedroom, which faced the front of the apartment and immediately noticed a small pile of feathers on the floor just underneath one side of the bed. Upon a closer look I realized there was a tear in the down comforter, which explained the feathers. Following the tracks I soon discovered a hole in the wall, a hole in the closet door and a hole in the box spring of the bed! We ended up taking the mattress off the bed and pulling the box spring up to see if something was inside. Sure enough, a bullet! Someone had shot at our apartment! I don't even know how it got out, but I remember the local news contacting us that evening to see if they could come do an interview. Talk about freakish! Anyway, I still have the bullet - I like to call it my Oklahoma souvenir.

#4

Reason:

Neil waited until our third date to kiss me. On our second date we drove up to Sundance, sat in a snowy parking lot, and talked into the night (if you can call that a "date"). At one point Neil confessed that he normally didn't hesitate kissing a cute girl, often on a first date, even if he had no intentions of pursuing her. Yes, shallow, but hey, at least he was honest about it! And while he further confessed that he really really wanted to kiss me, he had decided to hold off because casual kissing (and dating in general) was getting old for him and he was ready for something deeper and more meaningful in his life. He then told me he was already having very different feelings for me than anything he'd ever experienced, and sensed it was something real and special, but wanted to be 100% certain of his suspicions before making that move. I wanted him to kiss me, and initially felt slightly rejected. But as I thought about it, I realized he was actually paying me a compliment in expressing his honesty. Further, I knew when he did finally decide to kiss me, it would be a confirmation that he was serious and secure in his feelings.

He did make it through the evening without giving in. :) However, the next night when we got together after work, he didn't last more than a few minutes before leaning in for that first smooch. Apparently he'd made up his mind! And I guess that's really what it boils down to. When Neil knows what he wants, he is ABSOLUTELY certain of it, and will persevere until he achieves it. Makes me feel pretty secure about our marriage.

Photo(s):

Here we are as kiddos

Fact(s):

I'm cheating tonight, but I can't mention one coincidence without including the rest:

1 - My bishop growing up (Scott Haynes) went to medical school with Neil's uncle Curtis over twenty years ago in New Orleans. To this day their families are still in touch.

2 - Neil taught a girl on his mission who I graduated from high school with (Nicole Gonzales). She was a student at UC Santa Barbara when he was serving in that area. He actually has a picture of him and his companion with her.

3 - One of my brother's former girlfriends was once married to Neil's uncle Mike's cousin! This was discovered at our wedding reception when she and Mike just happened into each other.

#5

Reason:

In the nearly seven years I've known Neil, he has never tried to be something he's not. He doesn't care what others think and makes decisions in his life based on what is best for him and his family, not what will impress or appeal to everyone else. He is who he is. Take it or leave it!

Photo:

Our first Christmas

December 2002 - Provo, UT in our first (tiny) apartment.

I was absolutely adamant about getting a tree, and while it was a royal pain to maneuver it down the stairs and into our 400 sq. ft. basement apartment, it made our first Christmas together all the more magical and romantic.

Fact:

I have never seen Neil cry. I seem to make up for it though - I'm quite the bawl baby myself.