10 Years Ago Today

Ten years ago today Eric asked me to be his wife. We had gone to the temple to look for the elusive and in Eric's mind mythical Hummingbird moth. We ran around the flower beds searching and then at dusk sat and chatted on the bride's benches. When Eric asked me to marry him, I was so surprised. My response was "I'll think about and get back to you."

It was a quiet and awkward drive home.

The next day we took a road trip to Royal Gorge. We rode on the cog railway that makes you wonder as it pulls along if it can handle all the weight. We rode the tram over the gorge which is breathtakingly beautiful. Last we walked across the gorge on the bridge, at the highest point I told Eric I would love to be his wife.

At lunch we both started planning - using napkins to write on. I planned the wedding and he planned the honeymoon. We did not have my dream wedding, but we did have a wedding appropriate for our family. We did not go to Tahiti on our honeymoon but it really didn't matter where we went as long as we together - alone.

Our marriage has been much like that trip to Royal Gorge where we first made a commitment to each other. We have had exhilarating times when our family relishes success and growth. In ten years we have had our own two children, weddings, a mission, grandchildren, bonus grandchildren, graduations as children pursue their schooling and many beautiful families created as each of the children start out on their own.

We have had moments where it felt like our family was like the cog railway. It seemed frail and we unsure how each person would survive the ever changing stressful landscape of a large patchwork family like ours.

But mostly we have had the constant everyday walking together towards the same goal. We mark the passing of time by birthdays, the traditions we have as a family and the changes we see every year.

I only have one regret....

I should have said YES right when we asked me.