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.)  

Easter Egg Hunt

Family Pictures

March 2010

  

 

 

 

pictures….

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Hope’s favorite activity is to sneak an opportunity to hold Ethan. He is so young I get nervous to see her pull him up by his arms and practically squeeze the life out of him. Anyway, I left the room with all the kids in it and came back to this. My heart melted. I just can’t seem to get a good picture with all three kids together.

We had a fun night with cousins a few nights ago. Little Sadie and Hope are just two peas in a pod. They just love each other.

Daddy getting a rare chance to snuggle alone with Ethan. It didn’t last too long, though…….

And what can I say about my Brycie-boy? We couldn’t help but laugh to see him like this tonight. He spent a good bit of time just wheeling Hope’s sunglasses around in the stroller. They needed a good walk, I suppose. Bryce will wheel the stroller around with just about anything in it……a water cup, a baby, a small car, and my favorite is a rubber band from the newspaper. It’s his nurturing side. :) I just can’t help but chuckle at the lop-sided and upside down pink flower sunglasses that make him feel like a king. Work it Bryce.

time for a change….

Friday, March 12, 2010

Notice anything different?!? After a few months of struggle keeping Hope’s long hair looking neat and combed I finally talked her into a trim. It was her first hair cut ever and ended up being 4-5 inches in the back. At first it was an ultimate tragedy. She whined, was really upset with me, and begged to call Daddy to see if he could fix it. I explained to her that hair is not what makes a person beautiful. That if she is patient that her hair will grow back, just like flowers grow. She is always beautiful to me.

fun story

March 8th, 2010

Early Monday morning we decided that our crockpot dinner was going to make a lot of food and that we should invite guests to dinner. We called Grandma and Grandpa Christensen and Heidi and Steve who are in town to come eat with us. Mommy set to work getting dinner ready in the morning time, shuffling the kids needs, the recovery cleaning from Sunday, etc. Midmorning we began to hear, “chirp, chirp, chirp”. Not a real birdie chirp, but instead we were hearing something else coming from the ceiling. After investigation we found the smoke detector in Mommy and Daddy’s room needed a battery change. Well, there were no 9 volt batteries in the closet and Mommy was in her robe, not showered, and clearly unable to take a quick run to the store with three kids to get a new battery. As Mommy buried her head in her face and in irritation and sadness whined, “Oh no, no, no.” Hope quickly said from the bed, “Mommy do you need Jesus to fix it for you?” That brought a smile to my face and we just carried on trying to ignore this loud, incredibly annoying sound. Daddy was going to stop at the store and bring home a battery so we could last until then. Well, about 3pm the chirping stopped. Hooray! Mommy left a message for Daddy telling him not to worry about the battery as it would make him late for dinner. The guests arrived and we had a fun dinner and family night. When the guests left we got the kids right into bed and pretty much collapsed into our bed. Then at 10:45pm we hear it. “Chirp!” “Chirp!” “Chirp!” I about died. There was no way I was going to be able to sleep. And all the stores around here close at 11pm so there wasn’t enough time to run and get a battery. Daddy got up from bed and took the battery out, shook it up, put it back in, and Mommy laid in bed and prayed. Fervently prayed that the smoke alarm would not chirp right above her in bed all night long and prevent much needed sleep. Thankfully Mommy must have fulfilled the “faith” part of the situation and Daddy must have fulfilled the “works” part of the equation because instantly the chirping stopped for the rest of the night. It seems so small, but that was such a blessing to have that prayer answered.

Hope holding baby Wyatt after family night. At just 5 weeks behind Ethan we have decided they are going to be best friends.

fun pictures

Monday, March 8th, 2010

I already know what Hope wants to be when she grows up. She wants to professionally push strollers. Perhaps it can become an Olympic game. The top picture is our Hope pushing Ethan and as the picture shows she is completely delighted. The lower picture is a younger Hope pushing Bryce in her first stroller (which stroller had and untimely death due serious toddler exposure). Her absolute terror in the lower picture is due to Daddy’s hand (which is unseen) stopping the wheels of the stroller. Thankfully no baby has been harmed in her strolling pushing. (and it is done rarely and with constant supervision)