1 Year

So today has been so weird for me.  Today Jake and I celebrated one year of marriage. When I stop to think about it I am so surprised that it has already been a year, I cant believe that time has just seemed to fly by. However there are certain times where I think just a year...it hasnt been longer, some days defiantly feel longer (in a good way).  All in all I guess I have spent the majority of the day being so grateful that I actually did marry Jake.  Lately I have been having crazy dreams where all my ex boyfriends show up and I spend the entire dream frantically looking for Jake.  Then I finally wake up and realize that Jake is real and I am in fact not in the Hunger Games fighting to escape everyone I have ever dated.  I'm glad that I spend all my time in my dreams searching for Jake (glad I picked the right person for me).

I remember that one day before I got married I was hit with the strongest impression that if I didnt marry Jake I would find someone else and I would be okay.  I wouldn't be a spinster for my whole life.  However it continued by telling me that this was my one shot to be the happiest I could be.  I'd get married but if it wasn't to Jake I would forever miss out on the opportunity to be blissfully happy.  I'm so glad I married Jake.  I'm glad that we like the same things, that he is as stubborn as I am.  I'm glad I choose someone who my sister Gabby likes more than me.  I love that my family openly accepted and loved him and that his family did the same with me.  

I think that being LDS marriage takes on a different meaning that most people in the world.  I was excited to party and eat and have a reception but I was so excited for being able to have a special ceremony surrounded by family and friends in a sacred place.  I was so happy and grateful for all the smiling ladies who worked there and looked like they were going to their own granddaughters wedding. I will always remember walking in and having two ladies say "I'm so excited! You two are the first bible couple we have sealed here in Salt Lake!" And I thought really lady?  And then I remembered oh yea I guess I don't know any Abraham's and Sara's so I guess there are not a lot of bible couples getting married everyday so that fact that we were Jacob and Rachel makes sense.   I am so grateful that we booked the biggest room with 75 people and had to bring in an additional 4 benches from the hallway and squeezed people into that room.  I am so grateful that we were surrounded by friends and family.  I know how lucky we were to that many people supporting us on that big, special day which takes on so much more meaning when it is eternal.

Anyways, I am so grateful for our cheesy BYU Mormon story. I will forever make my kids go to f.h.e at school (you never know). I am glad that a year ago I was sealed for time and all eternity to my best friend and love of my life.  I am glad we got married in the right place and I am glad that our marriage will never end.  I love being married, I get to spend all my time with my best friend.  I can't wait for all the other things we have in store, who knows where we will be come year 2...

Here are just some of my favorite wedding pictures 

 Just some of my lovely bridesmaids 

 Both our parents 

Happy Birthday Gabby

So I have been wanting to start a blog for awhile now and figured I might as well get started.  I figured what better place to start out then with a shout out to my baby sister on her birthday.  Gabby's official birthday is May 18th, but since I'm an hour ahead in Utah I figured I'd write it at midnight my time and count it as good.

It is a little weird for me to think that my youngest sister is already 10. It feels like just yesterday my mom had her.  There are times I feel extremely close to Gabby since we stared a room after she was born as we waited for our new house.  I remember countless nights getting up multiple times with her to rock her back to sleep or change her diaper so my parents could have more time to sleep.  Being 12 I thought I was really mature and could handle bringing her into my parents room or helping out (that really only lasted a month or two and then I gave up and slept through her crying) but still those times are sweet memories that I hold onto.  And hopefully will help get me through sleepless nights with my own children.  

Anyone who knows Gabby knows that she is the typical last child. We all spoil her rotten and to be honest its a little hard not too.  She is quick to love people and constantly doing things to show her love for you like saying little prayers for you, or drawing pictures and mailing them to Ut to help brighten someone's day.  She loves being outside, and literally has the tannest and prettiest skin in the family. It kinda of makes me sick when we go swimming together and I get burned with 45 on and Gabby wears nothing and comes out with flawless skin, completely unfair. But all that aside she has this ability to light up a room with her big smile and witty, sarcastic remarks.  I frequently wish I had her cleverness and ability to make people laugh.  She always has a story to tell about something she did or made someone do.  She is a bright light in my family and I know that none of us could picture our family without her.

In Tribute I decided to add some of my favorite photos of Gabby

    This is the day we first met Gabby. As you can tell my sisters and I are in our prime...just look at those bangs I have and Kenzi's really cook sleeveless shirt.  Although I'm glad someone finally helped me learn to dress and style my hair this picture is the first of all of us.

Like I said she's spoiled I dont think she ever carried her own easter basket until like a year or two ago.

While Gabby occasionally looks like this, most of the time she looks like....

This, clowning it up for everyone

Anyways Gabby is such a blessing not only in my family's life but in Jake and my life. I love her to death and am SO excited about living in Hemet for two months so that I can ride the tandom bike with her, race her on mario kart, and battle with her in countless dance games.  I think I should practice a bit before I move home though because word is that she's a master at these dance games...and I suck. But regardless I love my littlest sister and look forward to the future she will probably be my kids favorite aunt and to be honest I'm just great with that.