1/2 score and 0 years ago . . .

Dateline: April 29th, 2000. A wide-eyed, naive young woman and an older and wiser lad take their vows for time and all eternity in the Las Vegas Temple. He had just returned from faithfully serving the Mexican people as a missionary while she "faithfully" waited at home. They could not have been more sure of their decision and excited for what would lie ahead. 'Twas a day that will n'er soon be forgotten in the minds of those two youngins.The time that has passed hasn't been too shabby either.

As this day has been approaching, I have been quietly reflecting on all that has gone on over the last 10 years. I thought I would share some of the highlights (and maybe one or two lowlights) of our time together . . .

• Living in the dungeon in Provo included sleeping with a fan and water spray-bottle at our sides during the hot summer nights. We went out to buy an air conditioning unit, but it would not fit in our window. We turned it on in the house, but the exhaust from the back only made things more unbearably miserable. We had to sleep in the front room on the couch cushions because new asphalt had recently been laid in the back parking lot, thus raising the temperature in our bedroom to a balmy 90 degrees or so.

• We moved up in the world by sharing a house with Mandy's sister and her husband, Rachel and Kala. It was a beautiful place, but we never got comfortable enough living together to walk around in only our garments (kind of a bummer, but without the bums). We did enjoy being with them though, especially as they welcomed their first daughter Mele into our home. Highlights included gas drops and the pacifier stabilizer/TV remote.

• We had a great time spending lots of money that we did not have during our college years. It was not until 4 or 5 years after being married that we finally were able to pay off that dinner at Chile's and the throw pillows from Target (among countless other worthless items that we would buy with reckless abandon, such as our brand new car that we were privileged to continue payments on for a full year after it was totaled). Thank goodness that Mandy finally took the budget bull by the horns and whipped our finanical behinds into shape.

• Part of that whipping into shape included an early morning paper route for a time when I first began working at Enterprise. We would wake up at around 3 AM most days (1-2 AM some mornings), pack Simon into the car (he was an infant at the time), and head across town to the newspaper place. Even though sleep was in low supply, it was some of the most fun that we have ever had together. The "m in the n" and the "sbd tubes" especially provided us with some much needed laughs.

• Together we have gained and lost 50 and 100 pounds respectively. Mandy had the pregnancy excuse. I had the "my wife is/was/will be pregnant, so pass me another doughnut" excuse. Fortunately, I am at the lighter end of the fluctuation for the time being. Mandy, on the other hand, is a real fatty right now.

• We bought our first house in 2005 in West Valley City, UT. We loved our home, neighbors, being in a place that was ours . . . that neighborhood and ward still feel like home to us in many ways. Mandy did have a scare once, however, when a man tried to break into the house while she was inside bathing the kids. Fortunately, she came downstairs and he ran off when he saw her. It took her a long time to feel comfortable being at home alone again.

• We have been extremely blessed to welcome 3 beautiful, amazing, wonderful children into our lives since 2003. Ever since Simon was born, we have often asked ourselves how we ever enjoyed our lives before they came down to us. They are really the center of our lives now and that is the way that we love it! Number four is in the oven; we cannot wait to welcome him to the fold as well!
• Just over 2 years ago we made the move up here to Boise. What a wonderful thing it has been for us to experience something new and to meet so many great people. We have loved it here and have enjoyed so many things about this time in our lives.

Of course, there is much more that can be shared and remembered . . .
The day that we were married continues to be among the best days of my life. Our experience in the sealing room of the temple was something that I am not sure can ever be surpassed in greatness for me. I remember looking into Mandy's eyes and (1) never feeling as much happiness as I felt in that moment and (2) never feeling closer to heaven. To this day, only the births of Simon, Ava, and Brahm even come close to that moment.

Mandy, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I am so glad that we have been together these 10 years. I love you with all of my heart and cannot imagine my life without you!

Do any of you have any memories about us from that day or the proceeding years that you can share with us? We would love to read about them!