Ten Years Today

How old were we exactly?

August 12, 1998 I married my best friend in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. After a short honeymoon, it was back to work. For me it was training for my first season as a collegiate cross-country runner, and for Don it was back to the grind of working and going to school at BYU. We lived in Provo by campus in a one bedroom apartment. Three (?) short months later, we found out we were expecting our first baby! Wow. Now thrust into the role of parenthood at an early age, we found ourselves having to reevaluate everything and making sacrifices. For me, it was giving up a scholarship so I could be home with my new baby--a decision I felt absolutely sure was the right one for me. By the time we had our first anniversary, our baby Ally was two weeks old! Those first few years were a whirlwind! We felt strongly that a little boy needed to come, so we had our second, Brayden, just 14 months after the first. We lived in Wyview Student-Family housing on campus, and those years were the best ever. Being poor and not knowing the difference because we were happy, is something we'll always remember when we think things are tough.

After graduation, a move to a townhouse community in Provo where we made lifelong friends and had another baby girl, Reese, Don got hired at a job we thought would take us to retirement. We bought our first home in Saratoga Springs, UT. We had so much fun there with our neighbors and our little growing family. Two years later, we found ourselves again reevaluating and making sacrifices, and unexpectedly changing jobs. Fast forward another year, and another baby boy, Owen, and here we are in Kansas--who would have guessed!I wouldn't trade these last ten years for anything! I am happily married to my best friend, and we have four beautiful children. Life is good. I love you sweetie, you're my best friend and we've come so far together! Can't wait to see what the next ten bring us!!

Happy Tenth Anniversary!