Celebrating 7 Years!!

And . . .

Even though we went to the same high school, we didn't actually meet and start dating until a few weeks before graduation!

It didn't take long to fall in love! We dated for a year and a half before Jason went on his mission. (You'll have to excuse the cheesy set-up of most of the pictures. I have some of them in a scrapbook that was made for us for our wedding, and the rest are in a cheesy little book I put together when we first got married.)

When he got back from him mission it didn't even take a week to know that we were still meant for each other.

He proposed on October 19, 2001 on the basketball court at their home ward building. He really wanted me to be surprised, and I SURE was. I wasn't expecting it then, I thought we were getting together with some friends to play basketball. He still laughs at the fact that I was disappointed afterward that we really WEREN'T playing basketball that night. Our families met us at the church right after and we had dessert and played a few games of H-O-R-S-E.

My sister made these shirts for us. Jason's is pretty self-explanatory. Just after being engaged, every time I would talk to my mom, I would say, "Guess what? I'm getting married!!"

On the big day, we got ready at home and all headed over to the temple. (Yes, this picture is posed, but it's the only one I have of us getting ready)

I decided to go comfy with my shoes . . . I think it was one of the best decisions that I made!

I put this next picture in here because it floors me to look back and see how THIN Jason was (It's not as if I haven't gained any weight, but I wasn't anorexic). I knew back then that he was thin, but until I looked back at pictures I don't think I REALLY realized! Now I know why I was always so uncomfortable when we cuddled. :-) Marriage has done you good, honey!!

I loved my dress with it's 87 buttons down the back, from the neck to the tip of the train.

Here we are in our first home: A basement "mother-in-law" apartment in Seattle, WA.

We all know it's not that easy. The most important part is that we are best friends that share in the good times and bad. We still love each other like we did the day that we were married. We've learned a lot about marriage, the things you can only learn through trial and error. I couldn't have chosen a better Daddy for my three little boys. They idolize him!

Now if we can just make it through the residency years . . . oh ya, and the teenage years . . . oh, and don't forget the empty nest years . . . we'll have another 50+ years of happiness.