1 Month, 1 week, 6 days and counting...

Wow, it’s been a long time since I wrote. The last month and more has been a complete world-wind. Yesterday we went got up early, went garage selling, came home and I got to work on the house. That’s when I knew things had finally settled down. From 9:30 to 3:30 I put up shelves, did some cleaning, weeding and planted our garden. A real Saturday! We’ve spent the last few Saturdays in Wedding Planning Madness, Honeymooning, Washington Trip visits home and an Open House, More Wedding Planning Madness (My little Sister got married on May 5th!) and then last Saturday was catch-up on the previous 6 weeks.

Outside Salt Lake Temple on April 6th

Hiked out to Marymere Falls while at my Parents

Picture I took of Susie outside the Salt Lake Temple on May 5

One of my best friends also came down from Rexburg Idaho so I could take her engagement pictures. I love taking pictures and they made it so easy because they naturally poised so well and we’re just fun to be around. I’ve been saving up and buying better equipment and hope to take a class this summer to broaden my training. I’ve been working towards doing it professionally but I know I still have a long ways to go and lots to learn.

Annalisa and Adam last Saturday

Being married is great. People often ask, “So how do you like married life?” For a while, I think I was probably getting asked that daily. Yes, it comes with small challenges but overall, it’s absolutely wonderful! It’s fun having plans together, working things out, having someone to make dinner for (or make dinner for me!), someone who is supportive, caring and sympathetic and patient while I struggle through challenges. Yes, I like being married. Especially to someone as selfless and caring as Derek. I couldn’t ask for more.

Another picture of Annalisa and Adam

Less Then 3 Weeks and Counting...

I haven’t written in a while. Things have been crazy but I’m sure it’s time for an update. The last few weeks have consisted of wedding planning, parent-teacher conferences, crazy work situations, our big school fundraiser, catching up on cleaning and trying to stay sane. I think being engaged is fun however, that being said, I cannot wait for the stresses of all of this to be over! We have most of the big stuff done: centerpieces almost completely gathered, engagements & bridals taken, play list to the DJ, reservations made, outfits completed, cake ordered, announcements sent out, bridal shower done. Now it’s just all of the small stuff. Oh, and we need to pick up our marriage license! Last week Derek & I gave talks in my Sacrament Meeting at church. They asked us to speak on Happiness & Hope in relation to our relationship. Derek shared how we met. I always love hearing him tell it. One of these days I need to write it down. It’s interesting because I think sometime people aren’t completely honest about relationships. If it’s not perfect, it’s not right, so they have to only tell the ‘perfect’ parts. Ours is not perfect at all. We definitely have lots of perfect moments. I love him more then anyone else I have ever dated and I see the potential for that love to grow beyond anything I feel capable of now. However, our relationship at many times has been hard. The longer we’ve dated the easier it has gotten but at the same time the more work it takes. I love the scripture in 2 Nephi chapter 2 vs. 11 & 23 in the Book of Mormon. It says: “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so… righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad… having no joy, for they knew no misery…” The more challenging in life things are, the more we grow to appreciate them and find greater joy. The majority of our relationship has been wonderful and full of joy and happiness but I think I recognize that more and can experience it more because we had to work so hard at it, especially in the beginning. I think that’s why marriages bring challenges and I’m positive ours will too. If it was meant to be easy, we could have just stayed in heaven to do it but it needs to be hard if we are to have the experience our Heavenly Father wants us to have. I look forward to the good times and the challenges we will have because it will be worth going through them for and with Derek.  The good thing about having been stressed to the max the last two weeks is this. I have seen how Derek supports me while I have been a crazy & emotional woman. There were a few times where we were both stressed past healthy at the same time and although there was tension we both were able to handle it well and still give and take a little. It’s good to see how we handle these things and I’m glad to know that we work well together, even under pressure. Although, definitely not perfectly and that’s okay because constant perfections is unrealistic and if it were so it would rob us of growth and joy.

Now that we have our Bridals/Groomals done and Derek has seen me in my wedding dress I can post pictures. We don't have the bridals back yet but here are some of the dress (no crinoline under it yet in these pics) and veil:

My mom made it out of lace from my Grandma who has passed on. I think my grandmother would be very pleased! My mom has always had amazing sewing skills.

I'm excited to show pictures of the dress and veil all together with the purple sash around the waist, veil which turned out to be a perfect length and everything else all put together! Derek has a grey suit with a grey vest and a matching purple tie. He looks very good in it!

Expanding our Diet

We went to the Ocean (Asian) Market Monday night after registering at REI. We came out with some yummy food and used the steamer from our good friend Desiree to make it. It was mmm, mmm, good!

26th B'day! ~Family B'day Party

Disclosure: Sus and Wens and DK were there too!

Birthday Kisses!

Presents from Wens and Sus

Love it!

So does Derek!

My B'day cake Sus made me!

Our First V-Day!

My Valentines Gift for Derek in the Works

So we might be chocolate snobs... Utah Truffles are the Best!

Dinner Derek made for me

A picture of our dinner with the Flowers he surprised me with. He specifically hand picked them out at the florist because he knows that wild flowers are my favorite. 

Bridal Shower

Ange & Kay

Marie and Dixie working on our Quilt

Sue, Allison and Teresa

Engaged Sisters!

Megan & Jodi

Gift from Merissa & Jenna

Tying the Quilt

Artistic Shot by the Amazing Wendy (unless Susie stole the camera!)

Kay and Kay

What an amazing idea for a bridal shower! We love it!

Shower treats and goodness!

My 'surprise' from Derek when he
came to pick me up from the Shower.
I think he won all the women's hearts.
I found myself a good man!

Out of my League

I was posting on fb one of my current favorite songs that I like listening to over and over and over and over…. again J. It made me think of another song, one that I fell in love with last April that I listened to many times. It’s still one of my top favorites. This one has special meaning. On our first date, I shared some of my favorite music with Derek for his road trip to California. Although he had not heard this song before, he and his roommate came back a week later with it memorized. It was one of those first moments I had where I thought that he could really like me. I asked him about the other day. He said that they listened to it during one of the most crowning moments on their trip. It reminds me of our first memories together and makes me smile.