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| Look how cute he is! This is one of my favorites overall. |
Tyler and I got married July 14, 2012. It has been a whirlwind of change and growth and realizing that I am not as perfect as I always thought I was. Not that Tyler would ever tell me something like that-he's pretty much perfect in every way (Except that he snores...pretty loud too.) and tells me how awesome he thinks I am on a pretty much hourly basis and it never gets old. NEVER.
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| We were showing off our...assets. |
We moved to Oregon about a month after we got married. It has been a roller coaster of finding a job/place to live/making friends. (Couples dating is so hard! But a subject for another post) We moved in to a ward that is pretty student friendly, most are students in dental school and our bishoprich is pretty much the best ever. It is a super musical ward (they have an open mic night every 5th friday at the stake center with bands and the like. RADICAL!). All in all things have been pretty awesome. About a month ago I got called to be in the Young Women's program which has been my life long dream about as long as I can remember. I always said the second I got married, the first thing I wanted to do was get called into Young Women's and be like my leaders from church. I have such fond memories of doing make-up at Sister Dee's, dancing in the bathroom with Sister Weggland and Ma Newman to 'Going to the temple' (sung to the tune of 'Going to the Chapel') and of course the skits at girls camp and putting my cousin Tammy's underware up the flag pole. I have such a testimony of the Young Women's program and the values that I learned there. Again, another post for another day.
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| First dance. Nobody ever tells you how absolutely awkward this moment of your reception is. Everyone is STARING at you! |
My first week in Young Women's, we stood to say the Young Women's theme. I was a little nervous because I knew that they had added a line in somewhere since my day so I was trying really hard to concentrate on not messing up at all. I got through the values, and I even remembered the added line about virtue. As we got to finishing off the theme, my lip started to quiver. 'As we come to accept and act upon these values, we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.' It was at that moment I started crying and really let it out.
My whole life-from the time I could date I guess is more accurate, I have looked for someone who could love me in the way that the Lord had set, who could take me to the temple and who would be the celestial partner and parent to our children. When I graduated from high school, I had no clue what that looked like (sorry YW leaders...I didn't listen as well as I should.) When I left on my mission, I thought I knew what it was, but again, I was so wrong. When I got back from my mission I had a new perspective, but nothing seemed to work out. I went through years of praying and fasting for a worthy priesthood holder, someone who could be what I needed. It was a hard couple of years. Years that I cried a lot in. Countless phone calls to sisters and parents and trying my faith and testing my patience. Years that I wouldn't take back for anything because, well, they paid off.
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| How cute is he? |
I could never have been ready for my life with Tyler had I not lived through the hard times. I wouldn't have been me, and I wouldn't have been what he needed. I thank God for those times of trial. I am so grateful for those hard times, those difficulties and for the chance I have now to cherish and be grateful for him every day for the rest of forever.
I am also glad that nobody noticed me crying in the back of that Young Women's room.
