Boy,

You changed my life. It just took that one date on that one Saturday night that bled into a Sunday morning. It just took a little bit of time with you painting shakers and eating Fazoli’s for me to feel that I needed more time and it only took a little more time on the hill near Rock Canyon before I realized that I shouldn’t see you again.  At least that’s what I told my mom the next day when she asked about our date. You were different. You were different from my date the night before ours. You were different from every guy I’d met in Provo. You were different from every guy I knew back home.  You were different from any person in the world that I had encountered and I liked that. I felt so at ease with you. I felt so intrigued by you. My heart begged for even more time with you while my head was explaining why that would be a bad idea.  I’m glad my heart proved the winner. Thank you for having the courage so many years ago to invite me to go with you that night. Thank you for seeing in me something worth the inquiry.  Thank you for sitting there in Color Me Mine while patrons streamed in and then back out having painted much larger items than a pair of shakers.  Thank you for taking serious my desire to hike Y Mountain and persisting in finding sleds when the hike didn’t pan out. Thank you for staying out into the wee hours of the morning with me that very first time and every time after it. I wouldn’t have put a label on how I felt about you that night. It happened so unexpectedly and frankly, it terrified me, but it also made me so happy to be with you. I am still so happy to be with you. I feel so humbled to be yours.  I feel so blessed when I look back and when I look forward and when I sit in this moment considering our life.  Thanks for that first date and the wonderful life that has followed.  I love you

L

Dear Boy,

It’s hard to believe my month off has already come to an end. In some ways I’m relieved to get going again on this crazy path I’ve set off on. In other ways, I’m completely terrified of the workload, tricky tests, and the clinical experience which is often so out of my comfort zone. Really though, this entire path is out of my comfort zone and I see that as a good thing.  To me, staying purely comfortable implies an equally stagnant and complacent existence.   I tried organizing my schedule of tests and assignments for the semester today and got so overwhelmed. My body and mind felt so drained when I finished (if I really even finished—-some of it was a little unclear).  Whew!  This is going to be a doozy. 

It was so good to spend time with Sam. We read books, played with cars and dolls, and cuddled on the couch.  It was nice to do some projects and play some games with Auby. I’m glad we could celebrated Gerret on his birthday. He’s an amazing kid. I worry about him sometimes, but I also don’t worry about him at all other times. He’s a kind, perceptive, intelligent kid and I trust that he’ll be fine. I guess I could say something similar about each of our kids. I worry about them and then I don’t. Maybe that’s how God feels about all of us?  We’re worrisome, but also not at all because faith is having trust that everything will be fine. Right?

Thank you for sticking by me.  Thank you for encouraging me and believing in me.  Thank you for picking up after me. Thank you for your patience with my impatience. You are the best friend I could ever ask for or dream of.  I love you. 

The cricut was a very amazing surprise. Thank you so much. I’ve really been enjoying it.  And there is so much more I could do with it in the future beyond making cards and cutting paper. It’s pretty exciting to me. Thanks again. 

The date we went on was a good time. Thanks for spending time with me and apparently being happy to do so. It’s so good to go places and do things with you. I love looking back on memories like that. The ones we make together. Even the ones like spackling and painting the bathroom ceiling. I treasure every moment spent with you. 

I love you so much. See you mid-May!  (just kidding) (half kidding)

L