10 Years

On August 18, 2000, Ben and I were married in the Salt Lake Temple.  I was just 19 at the time- he was 22.  For being so young, I made an awfully good decision choosing Ben for my eternal companion. 

Being so young and naive, I had no idea how quickly "real life" would hit.  We have packed a lot of living into the past 10 years, and there is no one I would rather have had by my side. 

What has gone on the past 10 years???

2 Bachelor's degrees from BYU (his in Animal Science, mine in Horticulture, both of us minored in business)

4 different homes (Provo, Ut; American Falls, ID; Tremonton, UT; Declo, ID)

Several different jobs (Ben: yard maintenance, telemarketing...he lasted two days :), BYU vending, the church's dairy in Elberta, UT, and the MTC before starting his career as at the family dairy; I worked as a bookkeeper, at Sunshine Greenhouses and the BYU Greenhouses and did a little landscape design in college until becoming a full-time mom- my dream job!)

3 vehicles (1990 Toyota Camry, 1989 Ford Aerostar Van...thanks mom and dad!, and our 2000 Honda Odyssey)

Lots of fun trips- we've been to South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, New York, California, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming and Idaho together

3 different dairies (Ben's worked at three family dairies- Seagull Bay in American Falls, Blue Sky Dairy in Bear River City, Utah and Andersen Dairy here in Declo [the last two he started from scratch...both were enormous undertakings])

1 horrible meal (Mixed Vegetable Casserole, a recipe I tried when we were newlyweds- Ben will never let me forget it- the worst thing I have ever made)

51 months of pregnancy (4 years and 3 months of being pregnant)

6 kids (Tyler Benjamin, Trey Kaden, Sasha Siri, Luke Brandon, Lauren Elizabeth and Samantha Grace)

1 marathon run (wouldn't have happened without Ben's support)

Lots of experience with health problems with our kids (two with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, one with Turner Syndrome [Sasha], two with asthma, one with acid reflux, one with vision problems)

1 child life-flighted to Primary Childrens Hospital

3 heart surgeries

More trips to the ER, ambulance rides, hospitalizations and days spent in the hospital that we can possibly count

Thousands and thousands of doses of meds given

Eight thousand billion visits to the doctor (which means eighty thousand billion hours in the waiting room)

More x-rays, blood draws, echocardiograms and EKGs than I can keep track of

Many, many miles driven to and from the hospital again and again

One little baby who we didn't get to keep

Two very broken hearts

1 funeral for our first baby girl

4 burial plots bought in the Declo cemetery

One battle with depression (me, after losing Sasha)

Countless prayers

Lots of tears

Sleepless nights

Lots of worry

Wonderful family and friends (new and old) who have supported us, lifted us, and helped us out

Healing, blessings, and miracles

New babies...happy hearts...joy again

One wish come true (Trey's treehouse!)

Two kids in school (soon)!

Now it's school, sports, chores, laundry, meals, laundry, yard work, more laundry, diapers, potty training, WalMart, minivan, homework, teaching, holding, worrying, carrying, church, loving, helping, photographing, building, painting, sewing, praying, sweeping, brushing, mowing, more laundry, combing, FHE-ing, playing, cleaning and more cleaning, crying, cooking, snuggling, and laughing (with a little bit of sleeping)

But lots and lots of laughing.

We're exactly where we want to be.

It was kind of a hard road to get here. 

Okay...really, really, really hard at times. 

But I'm with the exact person I want to be with.

Him:

He's wonderful.  And so good to me.

I love you babe!

Thank you for marrying me!