May 4, 1995

This was the day that I promised to be with my best friend for time and all eternity. Even when I look back now I am still in amazement that we actually made it to the Temple and were sealed a year after we were married. Our first year of marriage came with so many trials that once we made it through all the funerals and postpartum depression, we really didn't have a good reason to ever throw away our marriage that we had worked so hard to hold together that first year.

When I say funerals, there was only two before we were sealed. Kenny's next door neighbor from his childhood died suddenly in an accident while he was away at Guard (he was in the Air National Guard). That was hard because he was one of the men in the area that had taken Kenny under his wings and helped him through those awkward teenage years. My foster brother, who had been battling cancer for several years, passed away not to long after. I think he was only six years old (or somewhere right around there) when his battle ended. It was nice to think that he was without pain but it was so hard to see his little casket. The third death was our little girl. We didn't get to have a funeral for her and neither Kenny nor I got to ever hold her. She was born early with several birth defects and died during delivery. I think of her often and think about each milestone that we have missed. Hormones are not one of those that have been missed :) Two months after we were sealed my dad passed away suddenly of a heart attack.

After going through all of this (even though my dad's was yet to come), here we are before we left for the Salt Lake Temple. We had worked so hard to reach this point and all though I was extremely nervous, I was as excited as I had been on our wedding day the year before.

This is the Salt Lake Temple and where we were sealed for time and all eternity. It was a magical day and I was so completely pampered while we were there. I had the most beautiful dress to wear that day. It was so me, it was more Victorian looking and had an empire waist. I loved it, I wanted to bring it home. I still remember it 16 years later. I promise that I do remember more than just the dress that I wore. I can remember everything like it was today, all the emotions that came with the commitments that we made and all the love that was shown to us and that we felt for each other. We do have the traditional pictures of us in front of the Temple but most of them are of us being silly and you can see Kenny pulling faces in them. The only one that sort of turned out has us so far away in the picture that you can hardly see us. So instead of bothering with any of those pictures I just have the Temple. Please also notice that along with all the other beautiful spring flowers that are in the picture that we also have the state summer "flower" in the bottom corner. I just noticed them myself, the lovely orange cones. Below is Kellie and Duane Shephard. Kellie was Kenny's friend from high school and she became my friend after we were married. Kellie was my chaperon that day because it was my first time going to the Temple. She was there to help me and walk me through each step. We have lost touch over the years, but I still remember her being there for me that day and how much love and patience she had with me.

We had so many loved ones with us that day, both in person and in spirit. Kenny's Aunt Katheryn (and her now ex-husband Dave) were there along with his Aunt Patricia and his Uncle Steve. Bob and Sharon Brand came which was so extremely nice. My Aunt Fran even surprised me and came on her lunch. I had no idea she even knew that we were being sealed that day, but she arranged her lunch (she worked right down town then and was only a couple blocks away) so that she could be there for me. Kenny's mom was even there to meet us outside and be there to celebrate with us.

I can't believe that all of this was 16 years ago. There were so many people who helped us to get through each of our trials and I am so thankful for each and every one of you. Without you, we wouldn't have been blessed with the blessings that we now get to enjoy forever!