5 years……

December 28th, 2004………..Jared and I attended the temple together for the first time. We were just barely dating then. As we sat in the Celestial room by each other it felt so comfortable, and so good. As if I had know him forever. Sweet Rachel and Christian orchestrated our meeting, the date to Oakland to attend the temple and the Josh Redmond Jazz concert. I had never listened to jazz.  We ate sushi. I had never tasted sushi. We four sat at a small table, and yet it felt like us two were in our own little world. Jared looked so stylish, confident, and savvy. I was wearing not matching, ill fitting clothes (see picture above) and was so unsure of myself. At that little table, in that loud room, with little privacy Jared told me that he loved me. Scared and surprised I said nothing at all. It was so unexpected and I was so far out of my comfort zone that I didn’t just feel like a fish out of water, but like a fish out in space. Jared took my shaky hand in his and has loved me, protected me, and guided me every day from that day forward.  Tomorrow, April 23, 2010, we celebrate 5 years of marriage. It has been the most eventful, wonderful, growing times of both our lives. Jared…..a thousand, million times over… “I love you!!!”

(As one could guess…..after that night I deeply pondered my feelings. And a few days later I threw caution to the wind and expressed the same sentiments. Jared was certainly relieved when I did.)