20 Years Later

We have been married 20 years  Ok, that is a long time!  I was so skinny!  

We celebrated our anniversary a week early because Don had to go out of town on our actual anniversary.  We spent the night in Vegas at the JW Marriott.  We went to a late lunch at Claimjumper and then we went shopping at Boca Park which was close by where we were staying.  We wandered around the hotel property and then decided to go to a movie.  We went and saw Jack Ryan, Shadow Recruit and then since we could and we were close by we went to Cheesecake Factory after the movie and got our favorite crab bites and nachos and a piece of cheesecake.  We haven't been out super late like that since I can even remember and it was kind of fun to be almost the last ones at the restaurant before closing time.  We slept in the next morning and then had a late breakfast at Mimi's Cafe.  It was a short trip-less than 24 hours but it was nice to be together.  On our actual anniversary we sent silly texts back and forth to each other like "you are the bread to my butter'" and "you are the bacon to my eggs".  As I was going through my day I would think of different things and text them to Don.  I also sent him a bunch of Youtube music videos like Barry Manilow's "I Can't Smile Without You".   The one song that Don could think of was Proclaimer's "500 Miles".  He was in meetings and traveling all day so he didn't have lots of time to think up goofy songs.  

I am one lucky girl to be married to such an amazing man!

Here are 20 things about my wedding.

1.  We were married on an overcast day in March.  One of my favorite pictures is standing at the front door with the storm in the background.

2.   My wedding colors were burgundy and forest green-totally 90's!

3.  We had to go to Vegas a few days before to get a marriage license and it was St. Patrick's Day week where the it seemed that every drunk in Vegas was downtown where the county office was.

4.  I had the most beautiful wedding cake.  Sandy Cameron made the cake and decorated the sides and then I had lots of fresh flowers for the tops.

5.  I really loved my bouquet.  There was a lady here who owned a flower shop who was absolutely gifted with flowers and arranging.  Incidentally she sold her shop and moved away to work at Disneyland!

6. Linda Bohn and some other ladies made lots of cookies for my reception.  Linda was a good family friend and she passed away a few years ago.  I think her name was Connie Anderson.

7.  My wedding ring was a marquis diamond and I loved it.  My fingers got too fat when I was pregnant with Kyle so I put it in my jewelry box.  One of my children got into my jewelry box and the ring is gone with the wind.  We hunted high and low for that ring.  We emptied every toy box and drawer and even dumped out every bin of Legos looking for it.  

8.  Grandpa Gessel walked me down the aisle.  My dad had died just the month before.

9.  President Alma Whipple married us in the Logandale church.  He was such an amazing awesome man.  He died in April of 2007.  There have been lots of significant events in that Logandale building.  3 of my kids were blessed there.  3 of my kids were baptized there.  3 of my kids were given the priesthood there. And I was married there.  I was so very sad when that building burned down.

10.  We didn't have any money to have a wedding so Don's parents paid for most of it.  I borrowed the dress and it was the exact kind I would have picked if I had a million dollars and a million to choose from.

11.  Cydnee made made my veil.  It was made with white flowers around a full circular headband with the veil in the back.

12.  I did have a bridal shower a few days before the wedding.  I'm not sure who actually threw it for me.  Dena and Darbie were there and of course Dottie and Brigette-the only friend I knew in Logdandale.  Cydnee had to keep me out of the house for a while so they could set up and so we went to the church to iron tablecloths.  It was quite the surprise.  Someone gave me some silver hoop earrings.  I don't know if I have those exact ones but silver hoop earring about the size of a quarter are my go to every day earrings.  Unless I am specifically going somewhere and I want my earrings to match my outfit I wear the hoops.  

13.  We tied a quilt at the shower.  It was a king size flannel quilt with a white floral print on the top and light green flannel on the bottom.  There was pink lace edging around it too.  I still have that quilt.

14.  We stayed in Mesquite for our honeymoon.  We went to Vegas though and went shopping.  We had no money but we did wander around and look and lots of things.  I think we only stayed 2 nights.  I was worried about Cody.  I hadn't left him overnight alone very much.

15.  Cody stayed with Don and Dottie the first night and then my mom came and picked him up and took him back to Provo with them.  I think.  Mom had married Roger just the month before.

16.  Dottie was very insistent that I get the thank you cards out for our gifts very very quickly.

17.  Dena gave us a blue comforter and shams for our bed.  That has been my most favorite bed set I have ever had and I wish that it hadn't torn up or I would still have it.  I even looked on line trying to find one just like it a few years ago.  I have done different colors in our room like plum and green but I always keep coming back to blue.

18.  We had our apartment in Orem to return to.  It was at 1438 S. 300 E.  It was behind Barnes and Noble.  It was a 2 bedroom basement apartment.  One of the first things we did purchase was a washer and dryer.  We bought it on credit at RC Willey.  Cody had that awful coughing until he puked thing and I could not handle having to haul puke covered blankets and clothes to my mom's to wash.  It was so frequent too like at least a couple of times a week.  

19.  Theron Giles was Don's best man and Cydnee was my maid of honor.

20.  We were sealed for time and all eternity on April 15, 1995 in the St. George temple.  

It has been a crazy 20 years!  I can't believe it has been that long and that we are getting that old!