On September 13th Adam and I celebrated our 8 year anniversary. As I’ve thought about and pondered our last 8 years together my heart has just been so full of gratitude for my wonderful Adam. He has been my light and strength and truly is what makes my world go round.
Adam and I met about 1 year after my mission when I was 24 years old. I was living down at BYU with my favorite mission companion Shantel Winegar and one of our roommates Vanessa was friends with Adam’s roommate Layne. Layne and Vanessa conspired and decided we should meet and that was pretty much it for the two of us. We were married 4 months after our first date!
Our wedding day: Friday the 13th of September 2002
Our awesome Cookie Monster Cake!
Our first year together was wonderful and blissful and we couldn’t imagine life being any better. We were both working full time (me at Novell and Adam for BYU) and for part of the year I was going to night school at BYU trying to finish up my Sociology degree. My sister and her family were also living with us in Provo in our little 3 bedroom apartment for about 5 months. Adam was applying for grad schools around the country and it was an exciting time!
For our first year anniversary Adam and I wanted to go back to my mission in Slovenia and then toured the rest of Europe. This was a dream come true for both of us and we had so much fun visiting all the special places and people I’d seen and met on my mission and then going to Austria, Croatia, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. When we got back to the states we immediately moved to Phoenix Arizona where Adam had gotten accepted on scholarship to Thunderbird the number one school in the nation for International Business. This was such a HUGE blessing to us.
Ljub Castle – Slovenia 2003
A Korean Restaurant we went to after doing a session in the Frankfurt Temple with members from Slovenia 2003
Postojna Caves Slovenia 2003
That next year was a challenging one for us as Adam did the accelerated Masters program which cut down his time in school from two years to one, but that meant that he was twice as busy and that I rarely saw him. But Adam made every effort to try to come home for at least 30 minutes each night for dinner (when possible) and we spent every other free minute he had together. That summer we moved to California for 3 months to do an internship at SGI and then returned to Arizona for Ad’s last semester of school. I also became pregnant that summer with Branson.
For Adam’s Masters Degree Graduation present we decided to take an 11 day Eastern Caribbean cruise and were able to talk my wonderful parents into joining us. It was the trip of a lifetime! 🙂
An island in the Caribbean 2004
St. Johns 2004 (I’m 4 months pregnant!)
Masters Degree Graduation 2004
In 2005 we moved back to our house in Provo, Utah both Adam and I were able to find work at Novell. It was so fun carpooling everyday together. We did this until May when our beautiful baby boy Branson was born! That year we were able to take a trip up to Seattle and Victoria Canada with my wonderful in-laws Mum and Smurf. We also took a trip down to St. George with our good friends Layne (the same Layne that set Adam and I up) and his wife Bekah. I also started back to school part time at BYU this year to continue working on my bachelors.
In 2006 I continued going to school at BYU and by December was able to graduate with my Bachelors in Sociology. I was also called as Relief Society President in our married student ward and really enjoyed doing that. Adam continued working for Novell and playing Soccer during the week.
Trip to Colorado 2006
Trip to Oahu Hawaii 2006
Oahu 2006
In 2007 I went to Real Estate school to get my license to help us buy our first home. We welcomed Harrison Felix to our family that summer and enjoyed having a new baby in the home and having Mom just be home for once. 🙂 Adam continued working for Novell and serving in his church callings.
Trip to Lake Powell 2007
In 2008 I went back to school for my Masters Degree in Business while Adam lovingly supported me by taking the kids at nights and helping more around the house. He was a super hero during this time and I remember feeling so blessed and happy during this time of our lives even though things were so crazy busy. This year Adam was also called to serve in the bishopbric of a singles ward and we were able to buy our first home together as a married couple in Payson, UT.
Trip to Boston – just the two of us!
In 2009 we were able to welcome Dawson to our family and I was also able to finish my Masters program and graduate in April of that year. Adam also made a job change from Novell to Omniture (now Adobe) and started in on his second year as a counselor in the singles ward bishopric.
We took another 7 day cruise that year to celebrate my Masters graduation! 2009
Omnitures Halloween party 2009
And that brings us to 2010. Adam was released from his bishopric calling this year (in March) and now is serving in the Young Mens in our Payson Family ward. I’m in the primary. We were able to put our backyard in this year and have enjoyed getting to know our wonderful neighbors.
Eight years and three children later I am still just as happy and feel just as blessed as the day we were married. We have been through a lot together, supported each other through so many things and have grown closer because of our trials. I wouldn’t trade the last eight years for anything and am so glad to have Adam as my eternal companion. I couldn’t ask for a more amazing man in my life. Adam handles me so well and compliments me in so many ways. He makes me want to be a better woman EVERYDAY and yet is so patient and kind with me when I fail and make mistakes and don’t treat him as well as I should. I’m so very blessed to have him in my life and to be able to go through this road of life with him. I love you so much my sweet munchkin gooey sugar pop! (we love calling each other silly names) From infinity and beyond! 🙂
Congrats guys!