Our story began...

Ten years ago, today. Actually, ten years ago yesterday if you are being technical. And it really began before even that, but more on that later.

Previous to the events of September 29, 2000 a boy named Jake from apartment 61 at the Riv (the awesome Riviera, to be exact) had placed a phone call to a cute girl named Sunnie who lived across the way in apartment 51. He was seeking a date. Unfortunately for him, that cute girl Sunnie had other plans for the weekend he was seeking (other plans in the form of a boyfriend visiting from California, to be exact). He was denied, but would later claim that it was the one of the nicest denials he had ever received (apparently I really made him feel good even though I was turning him down- truly a talent).

After the big denial, Jake asked this girl out again. This time she said yes, only to have the tables turned on her and have the date cancelled. I'm not sure if this cancellation was fueled by revenge, or if it really was just bad timing. Either way, Jake went to Vegas instead of out with Sunnie.

Luckily for him, I am nice. Fast forward to September 29th. Now here's where the details get a little foggy. See, if I had been a good journal keeper back in the day, I could have referenced back and known all the details that transpired. But, I was not, thus inspiring this post for posterity's sake. And for my own entertainment.

Anyways, September 29 was a Friday. And I believe we watched a movie. Maybe. Either way, I know the night ended in what would be the first kiss of many to come, right on the balcony outside of apartment 51. Yes we kissed before our first date. Shame on us. But, if my memory serves me right, it was a pretty grandma-like kiss, thus taking any shame out of the event.

The next day was the start of fall General Conference weekend. I went up to visit the cabin in the mountains with my aunt and uncle, leaving Jake back in Provo, fretting over my reaction to the previous night's event. I don't remember much else from the day, just that we went out on our first actual date that night. The Malte Shoppe and then up to walk around Rock Canyon Park. How cheesy and totally Provo is that?!

Later that week, we went out on what we can call our first real big date to P.F. Chang's in Salt Lake and then to a haunted house where Jake proved to be a bigger wimp than me as he clung to my back in fear. Or maybe that was just his excuse to get close to me. Probably a combo of the two.

Over the next six months or so, we dated in true BYU fashion. Jake drove my car like a madman (I seriously remember having to close my eyes when I first started driving with him) and spoiled me with his parents' money. We had our ups and downs, but pretty much dated just each other over that time (except for my horrible date to a concert with some guy- pretty much my worst date ever which made Jake really happy). He met my family and came to California for my friend's wedding. I flew to New Orleans to meet his fam, celebrate Mardi Gras, and endure one of many wrestling tournaments that would be in my future.

Talk of marriage started around January. Jake had already decided and knew I was the one for him. I asked him one night if he thought we would get married. He said yes. It took me a little longer to be 100% certain, but Jake waited like a patient, good guy and eventually I knew it was right, too.

Fast forward to Friday March 30, 2001. Spring General Conference weekend. Jake woke me up super early (after he had come over in the wee hours of the morning to make butterscotch pancakes- my fav- with my roommate) and took me up to Squaw Peak. Again- how totally Provo! His thought was to propose with the sunrise, however due to the fact that the sun rose behind us his plans didn't quite pan out. I did, however, say yes to the marriage proposal and accepted my pretty ring, rose, and homemade t-shirt that said my new married name in memory of my parents' marriage proposal (my dad gave my mom an MCOP shirt). I loved my ring, even with the spacer bar (sizing hadn't been done yet- minor details) and couldn't have imagined a better day!

We spent the next four months planning the big day, debating over dates, all while going to school and working. When we finished up Spring Semester, Jake and I made a drive out to see his aunt in Chico, CA who was ill with cancer and wouldn't be able to make it to the wedding. That is still one of the best things Jake and I have ever done. I will never regret that trip, even with the insane car problems we had along the way. Foreshadowing to our future, apparently, because we seemed to be plagued with car problems for the first years of marriage.

We were married in the LA Temple on July 28, 2001 and then pretty much traveled the entire bottom portion of the U.S. as we honeymooned in Panama City Beach, Florida, and then eventually drove all the way back to California in our loaded down forest green mustang with a TV in the backseat. Good times, good times.

What I remember about dating Jake is that he had really big muscles. Really. He did.

But what I really remember is that he was the nicest person to me ever. He seriously treated me so great that I couldn't doubt that he loved me. When it's right, it is right. And this was right.

We then set off on our life together, which is just where we wanted to be. We met some awesome friends during our married college days and had a blast hanging out with friends and family. Jake worked as a TA and then CA in Stats and I worked at BYU Travel while we finished our degrees.

Someone, okay me, was a little baby hungry a lot earlier than would have been expected, resulting in little miss Elle joining our family a year and a half after we tied the knot.

We lived in three different places while married in Provo, spent a summer living in California, delivered a baby, and each got our degrees before we moved in with Jake's parents in Louisiana for a few months before his program at Notre Dame began. We bought our first house, spent two summers in Mishawaka, and have permanently (at least for now) set up residence in the great state of TX, which we love. Really we do. We just might stay here forever.

We've changed jobs once, served in several church callings, been on some awesome vacations, made some really great friends, and basically have learned how to be grown-ups together. I guess that's the good news about getting married and starting a family young. You get to learn it all together. And that is okay by me.

Not to mention the several children we've had here in Texas. Three more to add to our one Utah baby, to be exact. And I'd wager to say that we aren't quite done. Gasp, I know. We're crazy. But we like it that way.

Ten years later, on the anniversary of our first date, it's amazing to see how much has changed. How much we've grown. And how much we still love each other. Life isn't always easy. And it isn't always pretty. The house gets messy. Spaghetti sauce gets spilled on the carpet. The kids are loud. Money can be tight. Cars break down. People get sick. Windows get broken. Bodies change. Priorities change. People roll their 4-runners while 8 months pregnant (or maybe that's just me). But no matter what happens, I'm so glad we have each other through it all.

Life is good. And Jake was the right one for me. In ways we didn't even realize when we picked each other on September 29, 2000.

And that's how a Southern boy and a SoCali girl live happily ever after. The end.

Black Eyes and Bee Stings

In a surprising turn of September events, I actually got to open some windows on Monday. Since it's not November, I hardly trust the non-humid, actually decent weather to permanently stick around but for the time being, we are enjoying it by doing things just like this...

Unfortunately after our fun Monday evening my sore throat took a turn for the worst, and I had about the worst night sleep in a long, long time and felt awful the next day (basically like I needed someone to scrape me off the floor with a spatula- yeah, it was like that). Luckily Jake could stay home most of the day and help me with the kids so I could rest. I love my husband. He handled mom-duty like a champ.

Next up, a little mini-art-show from the on-hand artists we have around the house. The first few are from Elle. I love the one above for many reasons- the marker, the arrows pointing to the animals, and the spelling make it just so cute and a classic!

Love the family newspaper she put together, especially how subsequent pages are labeled "Still family news". Apparently this big family of ours had a lot of news.

They had a lesson on talents at church on Sunday. The first four were what Jake had told Elle's teacher about her, and the others are what she added to the list.

Next are a few from Miss Mya. Love the spelling on the pig page. They don't focus on correct spelling, just on sounding out the words- kind of fun to see what she thinks.

She is always making me pictures that say "your the best ever" which makes me think that I really am the best ever, or that's just one of the few things she knows how to write. I'll go with the first.

And lastly, JJ has become quite the artist with a great imagination. The first is a picture of me and a whale that she taped on the door one night while I was gone. I don't think the whale ate me in the picture (at least that's what she told me), but it looks rather suspicious.

A sailboat and some letters...

Something about a dog and a fly...

If you read any of Elle's family news shown above, you would know that our family has not had the best of luck with stings as of lately. Jada got stung by a wasp on Labor Day, Elle and Jake both got stung Friday night, and Jada had an unfortunate run-in with a bee in a parking lot who took a liking to her cute, little chin. She literally had a stinger hanging out of her chin. Poor thing.

The sting happened as we were on our way into a kid's museum. Luckily she recovered quickly and had a great time playing.

The little boy had fun walking up and down this ramp and finding any ball-like object and carrying it around and throwing it.

We really stayed in one part of the museum almost the whole time. It's funny how it doesn't take much to entertain kids. Jada was perfectly content to wear her fireman costume with the hat on backwards and play with fake food and in the playhouse most of the morning. So we did just that and had a great time.

Besides a bee sting, Jada also had an unfortunate run-in with the shopping cart one day while shopping in what she would say were frigid conditions. Apparently the cold-food sections were a little too chilly for her liking so she stuck her arms and legs up in her shirt. I must have been driving that big, old shopping cart a little too crazy and forward she tumbled into the cart, resulting in a big old black eye...

It's been around for days and it's still going strong. Gotta love it! Some shots before the big games on Saturday with my 2 1/2 soccer players...

Trying for a group shot. Didn't go so well...

We also had letter "L" preschool here on Monday where we did all kinds of fun stuff dealing with leaves, lizards, leaders, lambs, lions, light, lemonade- you get the picture. What I should have done was had them help me with my laundry. That would have been a good one.

That boy loves him a powdered donut! He also learned a new word this past week- "baby". So far we've got lots of "b" words, but not too many others. He loves to look at planes and to watch the "big truck" (trash truck). He loves to throw and kick balls and wants to be outside. I love having a boy. And this boy even "helps" me with the laundry.