A third of my life

OK, BEWARE!!! sorry to any readers (if there are any) this is that same old traditional sappy post about an anniversay, our love story, how much in love we are, and how perfect our life is!!! Alright- far from perfect but life is pretty good. This will be BORING to anyone except Bart and I. But, I like to blog my thoughts on this kind of stuff because it goes straight into our scrapbook.

WOW!!! Today is our 9 Year Anniversary!!! What a fun road it's been! I remember reading a friends' blog who, in talking about her anniversary, said being married young, her and her husband had really grown up together. I feel the exact same way. We've grown up together! We were both young kids when we started dating. I was just starting my second year of college and Bart had been home from his mission 1 1/2 years. I remember the complete surprise of his proposal after my last volleyball game of the season and a huge snow storm on November 10th, 2000 we tromped up the hill of the Provo Temple. And I remember answering and being in a fairy tale. A time every girl imagines. I remember it all sinking in and thinking "I guess I can call it off later if I'm not sure" It was just all such a surprise. I ended up being "sure" eventually though.
Then, in picking a date, I just couldn't wait till Spring Break like Bart had suggested so we chose Feb. 2, Groundhogs Day. And what a beautiful, sunny, perfect day at the Salt Lake Temple. After only 7 months and a camping trip in August where I forgot to bring my birth control we found out I was pregnant.
We finished college together while raising our Jadon. I remember choosing our classes and having to arrange everything with each other carefully so one of us could be home with Jadon. I would go to a class and then Bart would drive up and switch me so he could go to his next class. It's what we did for 2 years. I remember him working full time, being a full time student, and managing our apartment complex so I could finish school and spend time with Jadon. We moved 8 times in our first 6 years of marriage and have finally "settled down" in our home now and have been here 3 1/2 years. (Yet, our home is up for sale now)
We had so much fun graduating with each other from 2 colleges, then supporting each other as we each found jobs and decided what we were going to do with our life. Bart started working for Bank of Utah, we built a house, and had our baby girl, Zhoee ,all within a year. Then time just flew by. We moved, yet again, when Zhoee was just ready to turn 1, and found out that I was pregnant again. Our little Bostyn has been such a blessing to us even though I remember us both being a little stressed out with our crazy life with 3 kids and two of them less than 20 months apart. And it's been a whirlwind after that. Which scares me because all those old ladies who have always told me. "Enjoy every minute with your little ones because before you know it they'll be all grown up and your won't know where the time went." They were right. It's going too fast.
The country song, "I thought I loved you then" is my exact thought as I look back through our marriage: I remember thinking I loved Bart so much that day we got married 9 years ago. I really didn't even know what love was then. I'm just starting to figure a little of it out.

This man I married is incredible and I'm so lucky he chose to marry me. Over the years I've just started to realize how much I love him and how incredible of a father and husband he is. I'm just realizing that service for one another makes you love each other more and more. Bart does so much for me and if I ask him for help with anything he supports me and helps me. I've taught school part- time for the last few years and last Spring announced I was ready to stay home full time. I remember in college and after graduating truly feeling that it would be a waste of time to not work and use my degree. I told Bart I would always be a working mom. He supported me and then had to switch modes when I grew and changed my perspective and decided I could do more for our kids by staying home full time. He totally supported me and makes me feel like I actually do a good job running kids around all day, cleaning, making dinner and making appointments. I love that he makes me feel like I have the most important job!!! It can be a huge struggle just to loose a part-time income but he is so supportive and works hard to provide for us.
In 2006 we started to take a vacation for a week each year without our kids. It's been a fun tradition and I hope we can keep it up. We have such a great time sight seeing, laying around, talking, and remembering that without our crazy life of work, running kids around, making dinner, homework, kids coming into our bed at night..... We love each other and are happy to be alone together just like it started!!!!
I look forward to many many years together and I am grateful to know we can be together forever, and that's what it's all about.
I love YOU, Bart!!! Happy Nine Years! And, happy Groundhogs Day, too! :)