15 Years=Memories to Last a Lifetime
Here are 15 of My FAVORITE!
Happy Anniversary, Sweet Heart!

I love my memory of walking to the beach in Seattle, having a picnic lunch, and playing in the sand.

I love my memories of Texas. The wildflowers. Hamilton Pool. Houston Temple. Dallas Temple. San Antonia. The Outlet Malls. Texas Football.

I love my memory of each of our children’s births. Those days were definite highlights to my life. I loved watching you tenderly hold them. I loved seeing you as a daddy. Since the time you first held Hailey till now…you melt my heart with your affection towards our children. And although I have never admitted it previously, I love that they have you wrapped around their fingers.

I love my memories of Sun Valley getaways. It is always nice to be alone with the man of my dreams.

I love my memories of Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches under the windowsill of President Hinckley’s office. Do you remember how we use to call it the “Summer of the Prophets”? I loved that Elder Holland was in our ward. Somehow that felt like a claim to fame. That perspective seems somewhat silly now, and somehow endearing all at the same time.

I love my memory of grass fights in college as I realized I was falling for you.

I love my memory of when I told you I loved you for the first time. I loved how you had to come and see me immediately (even though I told you not to).

I love that you sent me to Paris for my birthday. I felt so loved that you had thought of doing something so special for me. It warms my heart when I think of how you took a week off of work to take care of our kids, and when I think of how surprised I was at my reality of taking such an amazing trip. That trip symbolizes a love that you have for me. I felt like a princess. Thank you.

I love my memories of college, of scraping by to make ends meet, of finding joy in simply being together.

I love my memories of baby blessings and baptisms.

I love my memories of your constant support. Whenever I am feeling less than who I am, you have always built me. You lift me, and remind me of who I am. When I am with you, I feel I can conquer any trial that comes my way.

Do you remember when we started squeezing each others’ hands three times to represent “I love you”? It was in a devotional at Ricks College. I love that we still do that tradition to this day.

I love my memories of your patience as we do another idea I have created for our family. You have never complained. You have only supported. Many times these traditions mean that our children are going to bed late, and yet—you smile and support. I love that! You have always done that, and you continue to do that!!

I love my memories of past and of now when you supported me in my callings. As you know, I do not know how to do anything “small”. You have never complained when my calling took me away. There were weeks when I attended three or four different activities for my young women, and you never once complained—you only helped me to make it possible…even when that meant cereal and milk for dinner.)

My favorite memory of us is the moments we have spent coming closer to God—reading our scriptures, and saying our prayers—as a couple, and as a family. You offer me strength when you put your highest priority in the things that matter most. I remember when we were newlyweds, I asked you if you loved me, or if you loved God more. I think I selfishly wanted the answer to be me. How foolish I was. You taught me a lesson that day about the importance of Heavenly Father in our lives, and I remember working hard, so that I could also say that I loved my Heavenly Father more. You have always put Heavenly Father as top priority, and as you have—you have taught me. Do you remember the time when you were working crazy hours in Seattle, and you had home teaching to do? Here is how I described it in my journal: Perspective is a funny thing. With each new experience in life, our perspectives change, and so do we. Each new experience expands our minds like the ray of the sun creeping across the floor. When Bryan and I were still in school, I remember feeling we never had time for one another. I couldn't wait until Bryan started working, and we would have—what I thought—all the time in the world. However, when Bryan landed his first job, it was with a big five firm in Seattle, and the hours required of him were not what I was expecting. The hours that he was required to put into his job were incredibly hard on me—we definitely did not have the "all the time in the world" as I was expecting. When Amber was a newborn baby, I remember pacing the floors with her, and watching the clock. There were times when I had to remind myself that he was working, so he could provide for our family. Sometimes I simply didn't understand why his work would require so much of his time. One evening after a particularly hard week, Bryan came home early, so he could go home teaching. I remember sitting on the stairs of our home, as he was preparing to leave, and begging him to stay. With his hand on the doorknob, Bryan slowly turned. He looked into my tear-stained face, and slowly walked up the stairs to where I sat. He crouched down beside me, and lifted my chin with his finger. We hugged for a moment, and then he said something I will never forget. He said, “What kind of man would you have me to be? I want to be with you too, but I know the Lord has called me elsewhere. You decide. What kind of man would you have me to be?” In that moment I knew what I wanted for him, and for our family. I knew I wanted him to serve the Lord, and I was grateful that I had married a man that would put the Lord first—even when I felt it was difficult. My perspective changed that day. I gained an understanding of putting the most important things first.

 I know that we are not perfect, but you make us a little bit better every day. 

SCRIPTURE POWER

I don't want to forget Jacob and bedtime. For a long time he was scared to go to bed for fear of having a nightmare. One night his sister turned on the scriptures while she was watching him, and ever since he hasn't been scared. He has said things like: "I feel the spirit with the scriptures", and he has admonished his friends on the way to school "to also listen...they'll make you happy". He truly is excited too! He pulls his scriptures out all of the time, and while he is playing, he wants to listen. The other night morning he woke up and announced, "I finished The Book of Mormon last night. I stayed up until I heard our favorite scripture about coming to Christ and then it was over". I thought that he might lose interest when he had read/listened to the entire book, but he hasn't. The other night he was so thrilled when he was going to bed, he excitedly told Amber that "Nephi was going to make it to the promised land". The biggest thing for me is that I know God answers prayers. It might not be in our timing, but He does answer. Both my prayers and Jake's prayers have been answered with this experience. Jacob has had a lot of fears, and I have prayed for help in helping him overcome--this is a tender mercy in our lives. In Jacob's nightly prayers, he use to pray to not have bad dreams, he use to beg me to stay by his side, he use cry before bed... I simply do not want to forget the blessing of answered prayers.... And also that he wears his Davy Crocket hat to bed (so funny).