Our 20th Anniversary!

Twenty years ago on this day, Nov. 25th, Steve and I were married. As I type this entry, I am looking out my window here in PA, and the day is so much like it was that day that I'm feeling a little nostalgic. So bear with me... It was a Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and we only had the weekend, for I was supposed to be back in school (Ricks College) on Monday. It was a snowy, blustery day and people were traveling from Dillon, MT and elsewhere to the LDS temple in Idaho Falls to be with us. We got started very early in the morning and were married at approximately 11 am. I had been very sick with bronchitis for a couple of days and was very overwhelmed with emotion, exhaustion, anticipation, etc. So, when we finally knelt across the alter from one another, the floodgates opened and I couldn't stop bawling. Then, Steve began to cry and who knows who else, but it was beautiful and we were so happy. It was cold but clear when we got outside and we were able to get some beautiful pictures outside the temple. We had planned our reception that same evening in Dillon so we had to start back (2 hrs. away) and the weather was so bad that the pass between Dillon and Idaho Falls was almost closed. But, we were blessed and everyone made it to Dillon safely. We had a beautiful reception and it was soon over.

We started our life together in Rexburg, Idaho where I was finishing up school and Steve was working on a dairy farm. We lived in a little two-apartment house that Steve helped fix up for a savings on the rent. It was actually quite a dump, now that we look back on it, but with all our newlywed bliss and brand new wedding gifts we felt like a king and queen.

From there we hopped on our own personal roller coaster of life and we've been hanging on together ever since.... We've been exhilerated by incredible highs and hung on to each other through some deep lows. We heave deep sighs of relief during the nice level times, but brace ourselves for the next go around. Through it all, we're so grateful we found each other and that we've learned to laugh. We love our crazy kids, our families and each other and we're so glad we have eternity to figure it all out ... TOGETHER!

Then......

A few pounds and gray hairs later...

Now.....

If you want a good read for this Christmas season, pick up The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck. It's based on his life experience and right now it's the New York Times #1 bestseller. It has a beautiful message and reminds us all to appreciate the wonderful things we have in our lives, especially during these troubled times. Each day is truly a gift.

We're still here!

Just in case anyone is wondering, we're still here - just very busy. At least I (the main blogger) am very busy. The kids have recently had a brief break from sports and the like. They all finished up their seasons a couple of weeks ago and it's been nice. Steve and I, on the other hand, have been extremely busy. I finally got all my paperwork into the school and immediately started substituting as an aide. They called me in several days the first two weeks and then four days this past week. I am really enjoying it, but it's a little stressful. It's anything from being a personal aide for a child with difficulties or a teacher's aide. The first two weeks I aided 3 different children at different times and last week I was in the second grade all week. I am also volunteering at Savanna's Pre-K. If I get 35 volunteer hours in and a video training then I can start working for pay and one of the teachers is going on maternity leave in December, so I'm trying to get that in. We have also volunteered to spearhead a pine wreath making fundraiser here tomorrow for the Choral Boosters. We are using our blue spruce trees and our wreath machine and the chorus students are coming over to help. The kids sold 140 wreaths so we really have our work cut out for us. Wish us luck! Besides that, I clean an inn between weekend guests and I spent DAYS cleaning out our little store to make it nice for this work party tomorrow. Since we didn't open this past summer, it really needed a lot of work done.

Steve has been repairing the barn roof and putting up a new chimney for our wood stove. That kind of stuff takes every spare minute of his time, besides his job, being Branch Pres. and working on ACN business. So, anyway, that's just some of the fun stuff that we've been up to lately. I like to be busy, though. I have a tendency to get the winter blues and being busy really helps to avoid some of that.

An update on Seth, too, is that he recently broke his thumb rollerblading and got shot in the eye with a pellet from an air pistol thingie. But, he looks like he's having the time of his life (from what we can tell in pictures). He only has a month left and then he comes home. His best from from here is flying out just to roadtrip home with him, along with a buddy they are "dropping off" in Georgia. No, it's not on the way to PA. And another friend from Oregon is coming along for the ride and flying home. So, we just home the old Taurus with over 200,000 miles on it gets them all home. We're sure getting excited to see him, though. Can't believe his first year of college is almost over already. He says he's really excited to get out into the mission field after his b-day in Feb.

So, anyway, that's an update. Hopefully something more interesting will follow soon. Ta Ta for now!