15 Amazing Years!

I can’t believe it, but fifteen years ago today, Doug and I were married.  In some ways it seems like only yesterday, yet it is also hard to imagine life when we weren’t together.  These have definitely been the best fifteen years of my life.  In honor of this day, I thought I would share my fifteen favorite memories of our life together.  

1- Our Wedding Day (of course).  It was the most beautiful, amazing day ever.  There have been few times in my life that I have felt Heaven as near as I did that day.

2- Our Honeymoon to San Francisco.  Our first trip together, my first trip to San Francisco, and the whole thing was awesome!  Great food, amazing sights, exploring the art galleries, sleeping in, and enjoying being together and the newness of being married...

3- Our first Christmas.  We were young, and poor, but it was so fun to be together starting our own family and traditions together.  (Doug, do you remember the Newton...? :D)

4- The trip to Kanab.  Most people have never heard of it, but it was one of the funnest trips we ever took. We spent the week riding mountain bikes, golfing (my first, and only attempt) and enjoying the beauty of Southern Utah together.

5- Starting Doug’s first business.  We were still young and naive, and we both quit our jobs to start a business that we really knew nothing about.  I loved working together to try to achieve our goals.  It was crazy, but an adventure that led us to where we are today...

 6- Harrison’s birth.  That day and every other child’s birth was the only other time that compared to the spirituality I felt on our Wedding Day.  We had tried for 5 long years to have a child and it was such a miracle to finally have him here.  Watching Doug immediately fall in love with him, made me love Doug even more.

7- Isaac’s birth. The first child was scary for both of us, so we hired a doula, but for Isaac, it was just Doug and I.  He was so calm and supportive and knew just what I needed.  My labor was so fast, that it was literally just the two of us until it was time for Isaac to be born.  It was a beautiful experience.

8- Our Disney Cruise.  This is something we will probably never do again.  I have always loved Disney, but there is such a thing as too much Disney.  It was way too hot, and humid and our kids were too young to enjoy (let alone remember) any of it, but that is what made it so memorable.  It was beautiful and fun, in it’s own miserable way. ;D  Any time that we can spend alone together as a couple, or as a family is always wonderful, just because we’re together.

9- Our trip to France.  Doug served his mission in France and Switzerland, and he always talked of taking me there someday, but it took us 7 years to be able to afford it.  It was definitely worth the wait!  Six days in Paris, three in Aix-en-Provence, three in Cannes, and then back to Paris (with lots of side trips in between.)  It was a dream come true!  Amazing food, awe-inspiring sights, shopping, train rides, beautiful beaches, time alone after three years with kids...  I could go on, and on.

10- Grant’s birth.  We had Grant at a birthing center and were able to do things how we wanted.  Every child’s birth is amazing, and every one has brought us closer together as a couple.  There is something undefinable about the beauty of bringing another child into this world.  It is a miracle that never grows old.

11- Camping in Santa Cruz.  This was our first trip alone since France (about 4 years) and  it was wonderful.  There were beautiful hikes, fun at the beach, a scary visit to a certain beach..., the best sushi I’ve ever eaten, bike rides along the coast, and the fun day in San Francisco watching the bike race.  It was a much needed break.

12- Harrison’s Baptism.  This was an amazing spiritual high for our family.  It was so awesome to have Doug baptize and confirm him.  Harrison was so excited, and so prepared.  It was one of those crowning moments in the history of our family.  It is hard to put into words.

13- Our trip to yellowstone.  This was a week of fun with the whole family.  Two years later, we are all still talking about it, and wishing we could go back.  Camping, fishing, canoeing, watching geysers in the sun and rain, enjoying the majesty of God’s creation, church in the most amazing setting imaginable, campfires, etc, etc, etc...

14- Our trip to Vegas.  (More alone time!)  I hate Las Vegas, but we had to go for a convention and it turned out to be a ton of fun!  We stayed in a great hotel (in a non-smoking room that was actually free from the smell of smoke), we had fun at the convention (it was a bike convention, Innerbike), did some shopping, went to the temple in St. George, and just had fun being together.

15- Carol’s birth.  We were rather adventurous with this one (for lack of a better word) and we had Carol at home.  This was the quintessential birth experience for us.  Everything was so calm and relaxed.   As always, Doug was so supportive and helpful.  We had planned to send the kids to my mom’s when I went into labor, but after a few false alarms, we ended up letting them sleep.  (I had her at 1:00 in the morning.) After Carol was born, Doug woke up the kids and it was so awesome to have everyone there to welcome her into the world.  It was a major bonding experience for our whole family.  It was so wonderful to be home and not in a hospital and rest in our own bed, and begin our own family routines together.

These are obviously our major memories, but there are lots of little wonderful ones in between.  From the time Doug told me he thought my hair was “pretty” (on our first date), to all of his funny jokes, the kind and thoughtful acts he is always doing for me, cheering for him at his bike races, him cheering for me at my triathalons, his unconditional support and love, the birthday celebrations, and and all the little things that have made our life together better than a dream come true.  I love you Doug!