Ode to Mandy

Mandy has done such a wonderful job keeping up with this blogging world that I haven't had to do much. But after such a beautiful anniversary blog, I have decided to dip my toes into the blogging waters and try it out. So here goes......

Before I do begin my "Ode to Mandy" I must confess that I forgot our anniversary this year. Well... maybe "forgot" is not the right word, more like messed up which day it was. And in my defense, Mandy did too. For some reason we both thought that our anniversary was on the 4th. So on the 4th, Mandy and I shared our congratulatory statements of love and appreciation as if nothing were wrong. We had planned to celebrate on the weekend because of school so that actual day wasn't a big deal. Come to find out, when Mandy was writing her blog, she wrote down the date as the 2nd. This got the gears rolling and she realized that our anniversary was not on Wednesday but rather Monday. So it only took me 4 years to forget an anniversary, but at least I wasn't the only one. Now back to the real purpose of this blog.

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It's hard to believe that 4 years have past us already. As I look back on it, I realize how fast time flies and how many great memories we have created together: Canadian trips, coastal road trips, Hawaiian beaches, Mexican fun and hurricanes, Disneyland, Dental school applications and interviews, and summer visits by our niece Sadie to name a few. We have enjoyed ourselves during our time together and hope to continue the adventures for many years to come. Mandy has been a real trooper following me with my dreams of becoming a dentist. Her love for me has brought a small town Canadian girl to a big city out in the middle of a scorching desert were the closest thing to snow is white landscape rock. If that is not love, I don't know what is. I appreciate so much what she has given up for me and my dreams and I hope that I can someday repay her for all the love and support she has shown me.

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Mandy is a gorgeous woman and, being a guy, that is what originally sparked my interest in her but that is not what prompted me to marry her or drag her to Las Vegas for 4 years. Mandy's love for me, her desire to be better in every way, her drive for perfection, her compassion for others, her love and devotion to her Heavenly Father, her sincerity and honesty, and her amazing ability to tolerate me are a few of the reasons why I wanted her to be my wife and eternal companion and I am glad that she said "yes". Life has not been easy with me being in school most of the time and now being very busy with dental school. But through it all Mandy has stuck by my side and lifted me up and supported me when I have been down. She is all I have ever wanted and could ever ask for in a wife and I am eternally grateful for her. Mandy, I love you and I promise that I will not mess up the day of our anniversary next year. XOXOXOXO

Happy Anniversary To Us!

On June 2nd, 2004, Chad and I got married at the beautiful and unforgettable Salt Lake City Temple where we were sealed for all time and eternity. How time flies! It's very hard to believe we've been married for four years already! Although we had some trials while dating long distance and trying to make everything work to be together, things worked out... after all our hard work and look at where we are now babe! Our anniversary was on Monday but we are going to celebrate it this weekend.

Chad and I had the opportunity to get to know each other spiritually for 6 months before we physically met. Before I met him in person I knew he was the man I wanted to spend eternity with. I was really relieved when I met him in person for the first time that he looked as good as he did in his pictures because I knew he was "the one" and there was no turning back for me. We prayed and fasted to know if we should be together over a long period of time and each time we prayed or fasted, we knew that we were definitely supposed to marry each other. I don't think I felt the spirit that strong when praying for answers as I did when I asked Heavenly Father if Chad and I should get married. I was a little worried at first because he worried too much about what other people thought and I was completely opposite but it all worked out and we are both happy mediums now. It is a big step to marry someone from another country but we both knew in our hearts that we were supposed to be together and that's all that mattered to us. More importantly, we listened to the spirit and didn't let anything else get in the way.

Chad has been a real blessing to me and has helped me through so much. I had difficult trials I was scarred from before we met. He knew that I had a healing process ahead of me but was willing to take those things upon himself as well. He would take me by the hand and walk me patiently and lovingly through it all. He would sit down with me and discuss scriptures and valuable things he learned from his mission and every single time I would end up in tears feeling the spirit so strong. He has really taught me how to bring the Saviour into my life more and how to love Him to no end. Chad has such an amazing love for Christ and it has influenced me greatly. I truly did fall in love with Chad's spirit before I fell in love with the rest of him. He has been such a great husband and been so patient and kind with me. He is very thoughtful and always cares about how I'm feeling. He can never wait to get home from school to be with me and it makes me feel so loved. He always has a huge hug for me when he walks in the door and always looks like he's had the best day of his life because he's so happy to come home to me. It has been a great blessing to have him in my life. My family loves him so much and he's been a great influence to them. I can't wait to have children and bring them into our loving home and to raise them in a way that they will be fortified against evil as my blessing says. I love you so much Chad and I thank you for all the wonderful times you have given me and I look forward to many more to come. I'm so happy to be on this dental school adventure with you despite the complaining I do about it but I am getting better, right hun??

My First Haircut

A few weeks ago I gave my very first haircut to my brave husband. He insists I start cutting his hair from now because he refuses to pay $10 every month for someone else to do it. After all, we are paying for dental school so we are trying to lessen the quarter of a million buck debt we'll be in when he's done. He said that if his haircut doesn't work out then he will just buzz it all off... wow, is he ever getting tight with money!! Either that or he's very brave or just doesn't care what he looks like. I think it's a combination of all. Anyway, I was doing really good. The tough part was the blending. I was doing amazing until oops... I was so into what I was doing that I didn't realize I put a big gash in the part of his hair I had already so nicely cut. I was so busy making sure the blending was going good that I wasn't paying attention to the bottom part of the trimmer and all of a sudden there was a big beautiful bald gash. So I had to make the rest blend in and he basically only had about a centimeter of hair left on the bottom of his head by the time I blended in the gash with the rest of his head. We've been to Utah since then to see his family and none of them said anything so it must not look bad but it did have a chance to grow for a week before we went. Nobody at his school said anything except for a friend of his who saluted him because his hair was so short I guess it looked like an army cut but that's not necessarily indicative of a bad haircut. Oh well, his hair grows fast. Until next time!!! Here are some pics, you can decide for yourself how bad it is.
P.S. Thanks Brian, for giving me the great blending tips!!!