9 Years Ago Today:
I was preparing for my first Fall Semester of college. I had one summer block under my belt, which consisted mostly of simple classes so I could get into the college swing of things. I had been told that the only Physical Science class I would need for my music degree would be Acoustics (makes sense, no?), but I really wanted to take Astronomy anyway and even felt the Spirit tell me to do so. I had no idea that decision would lead me to the best friend I have ever had, and my eternal companion. God is funny that way, I suppose.
8 Years Ago Today:
Ross and I were driving back to Idaho together. He had gone to California for the summer break, and I had gone to Utah. We met up in Salt Lake where we waited together at the Conference Center to watch the sister missionaries file into Temple Square so Ross could catch of glimpse of his beloved. The rest of the day we spent together. Just as we had pretty much every other day that summer. He was my best friend- someone I felt closer to than anyone else in the world at the time- with the exception of a beloved roommate who hated Ross..... He had just helped me through the ending of a pretty serious relationship, and I admit to hoping at times that I would be able to do the same for him at some point. Turns out he made his move 3 months later, AFTER I had given up hope of him doing so.
7 Years Ago Today:
Ross and I got married. I would like to say it was the best day of my life, but it kind of wasn't. I don't know of any other wedding having so much go wrong. It was pretty ridiculous. There were grumpy family members- which was a nice welcome to my married name. There was a last minute, crazy expensive limo purchased with an almost to the limit credit card that was necessitated by a last minute demand from an aforementioned grumpy family member. There was a lack of proper decor due to my low budget and short time-frame because of school and work. There was a lack of guests due to having to place the wedding on a Tuesday. Not to mention the fact that the sealer not only called me by the wrong name TWICE, but happened to choose the NAME OF ROSS'S EX. That was good times. Jerk. My cake was a mess. It tasted good, but it looked awful. I would have cried when I saw it, but I was so used to things going wrong that day that I just laughed and shrugged my shoulders. We were late to the reception because.... um..... traffic. There were other things that made the day stressful and less fun than it could have been- but in the end, we both said yes over a sacred altar in a sacred place which resulted in an Eternal marrriage. Yay!
This is also the night when I discovered Ross's deep dark secret- his SNORING! Seriously, I could have really used a heads-up there! :)
6 Years Ago Today:
I was pregnant with Emma and dreadfully sick. Ross was leaving for the military in a week. We were trying to figure out how to plan our living arrangements for when he finished Basic Training, but were positive he wouldn't go to Mississippi anymore since we had just watched the apartment complex we almost put a deposit on crumble to the ground after Katrina ripped through Biloxi. We thought we would be together again in 6 weeks. We had no idea we were about to be separated for 9 months. We had no idea I was about to go through an entire pregnancy on my own. We had no idea Ross was about to acquire a life changing disorder. We had no idea. We just had no idea.
5 Years Ago Today:
We were living in Rexburg, and had no idea why. Having no idea seemed to be a theme of our marriage. Ross had come home from the military 2 months before, and we felt led to Idaho. We still didn't know for a long time there, but looking back, I know EXACTLY why the Lord sent us there. Rexburg is where we reconnected as a couple. Rexburg is where Ross learned to be a father. Rexburg is where we established our first home as a family. We had to be away from other family members in order for this to occur. We had both been through so much the previous year, and we had become rather independant through those separate trials. We needed Rexburg to bring us back together. We spent this day eating Fongs and watching a movie on our tiny TV on our camp chairs. Good times.
4 Years Ago Today:
I had just found out I was pregnant with Sara, only we kept calling her Little Brother because we were sure I was carrying a boy. I planned this
http://goodmanscorner.blogspot.com/2007/09/our-3-year-anniversary.html for our anniversary. It was a rough year on the financial field but we tried to make the most of it. We were happy to be back in Utah, and happy to be expecting again.
3 Years Ago Today:
This was not the best anniversary ever. We were in a crisis at the time. The big D word was being thrown around, and might have been utilized had we not had two beautiful children to protect. We had just purchased a home which we had felt inspired to do, and then Ross became pretty much unemployed right after. Awesome. We were fighting all the dang time, and I was trying to find some way to supplement our income while Ross searched for another job. His condition makes it hard for him to get hired because of his medical history and his prescription showing up as meth-like drugs on urine tests. It was amazing how many of our other marital problems resolved once he got his job at the VA, but that didn't take place until a while later. This was a rough year. They all seemed to be rough years, but this one just about broke us.
2 Years Ago Today:
We had just returned from an awesome trip to Portland, and we had just lost a baby to miscarriage. Other than that, we were kind of in shock at this point. It seemed like the first time since we got engaged that we weren't facing some ginormous trial. Our entire marriage was like a waiting game as we struggled through one (or 12) things to the next, and then all the sudden the waves of anguish subsided, and everything was good, and we had no idea what to do with ourselves. This was a nice problem to have. I was weepy that entire day as I kept thinking back to how close we were to severring our marriage bonds the year befpre. I was so in love with Ross and our family and so grateful we had made it through all that stuff with our covenants intact.
1 Year Ago Today:
Jack was a few months old, and we were still in the baby-euphoria stage. I was starting to feel the pangs of post-partum, but for the most part, we were still wondering when our next big trial would hit. Aisde from the pregnancy of the previous year, everything had been calm and good for us. It was an eery feeling. We were too accustomed to drama, I suppose. This was a laid back, but lovely day with my beloved.
Today:
I am more in love with Ross than ever before. Our anniversary started at midnight, and we chatted and snuggled until the wee hours of the morning about our early years hence the constant thoughts that have led to this post. I had hoped he would stay home from work to celebrate our lucky #7 day with me, but he is fulfilling his husband responsibilities.
Ross, I love you so much. You truly are my very best friend. I love our relationship. We are such an odd mixture of two very different worlds, but we are so similar in the most important ways. You are the most amazing father. The way you love our children melts my heart. You are never more attractive than when you are loving on our babies. I love that we never seem to stop laughing. Even in the temple... We share so many inside jokes, and we know each other to the point of mind reading. We still fight, but I am even grateful for that because it means we will be making up at some point.... Neither of us is perfect, but I feel like I get a tinsy bit closer to that goal every year because of your influence on me. You are wonderful, and I am so grateful that I decided to take a challenging but unneeded class in my first year of college. I am certain my Acoustics Lab partner would not have been nearly as deserving of my assets. ;)
For those who made it to the end of this monstrosity and are dying for more juicy posts of our love, here are some tasty treats from past years. Enjoy! :)
http://goodmanscorner.blogspot.com/2008/08/august.html
http://goodmanscorner.blogspot.com/2008/02/happy-anniversary-ross-thank-you-for.html
http://goodmanscorner.blogspot.com/2007/10/how-it-all-began.html
http://goodmanscorner.blogspot.com/2009/08/five-years.html
Sara wanted in on the picture fun too. These girls are so funny together!
They tried to match themselves today, which I loved. So cute!
Daddy came home from work early so we could all walk Emma to her first day together. He helped me stay away from the teary place as well.
We got there early enough for her to play on the playground for a bit.
In front of her classroom.
In the shade.
Her seat is right next to Peyton- her best friend from pre-school!
She didn't know I was taking these. I loved her candid little faces.
We made it without shedding any tears. We got a bit weepy on the way home, but it wasn't too bad. I had a heavy heart all day.
Coming home. She can't find me.
First day all done.
After this, we went and got some ice cream as a first day of school treat. We then headed to our ward garden to do some work, came home to have dinner and do homework, and then crashed in bed after a nice little interview of her first day at school. It was along and emotional day- but happy overall.
Her seat is right next to Peyton- her best friend from pre-school!
She didn't know I was taking these. I loved her candid little faces.
We made it without shedding any tears. We got a bit weepy on the way home, but it wasn't too bad. I had a heavy heart all day.
Coming home. She can't find me.
First day all done.
After this, we went and got some ice cream as a first day of school treat. We then headed to our ward garden to do some work, came home to have dinner and do homework, and then crashed in bed after a nice little interview of her first day at school. It was along and emotional day- but happy overall.
