A Dozen

Yesterday, T and I celebrated twelve years of wedded bliss with its occasional hurdle and unexpected bumps. I am a lucky gal, and I count marrying T in the temple as one of the best decisions I ever made!

What HAVE I done??!!
No, the wind was blowing and took me
by surprise--about knocked
my veil off. ...really!

Every year around our anniversary, T gives me roses--the number of roses equaling the number of years we've been married. So this year he gave me a dozen roses--my first ever. He even gave them to me early so they'd be in full bloom on the 26th. Now that's thinking ahead. So here are a dozen memories of our dozen years together.

1. Having my wedding dress and the temple scheduled even before T proposed to me! I knew a good man when I saw him and was prepared.
2. T's heart pounding a million miles a second before he kneeled to propose to me at the temple. Wonder why he was so nervous? Hmmm... His proposal led to our 3 1/2 week engagement.
3. Getting called into the principal's office, so my fifth grade students could hide and surprise me with an engagement party of donuts and milk.
4. Being sealed for time and eternity in the Manti Temple during the best month of the year to the best guy in the world.
5. Bringing B home from the hospital in a stocking.
6. Knowing heaven was very near during B's baby blessing.
7. College, work, teaching, surgeries, dime removal, stress, and lots of understanding, support, and love from family.
8. B excitedly welcoming A into the family. She "knew/remembered" her sister.
9. Graduation for T followed by living in the glamorous "brown hut" while waiting for T's clearance to go through.
10. Moving near family and Aunt D!
11. X makes an entry into our family two days before a blizzard makes us home bound!
12. Moving near doctors yet far from family. Welcoming sweet L into our family. Finding that family comes in all forms--blood relations, friends, and church family--we are cared for.

It has been a dozen years of fun, happiness, responsibility, friendship, hardship, reality checks, and love. Now continuing on to eternity!