10 Years Already?!

Today Darrell and I have been married for 10 years! I can't believe it! Time has really flown by- well for me at least, maybe it's been dragging by for Darrell!:) For stories of our Engagement and how we met click here and here.

I counted up how many major moves we have made in our 10 years of marriage- and we moved SEVEN TIMES! Maybe that's not a lot to some- but that seems like a lot to me! I don't have picture's of our apartments, but here are our homes.

When I look at this picture it brings back so many memories! This was our first home- it was really fun to build a home and get to pick everything for it! We moved in December of 2001. Lexi was 1 1/2 and Ashlee was 2 months old. We had great neighbors and friends! Darrell was finishing school while we lived here- in fact we didn't see much of each other during the week with school, work, and church callings. I think of Darrell out in the yard with his pick and shovel digging trenches for the sprinkling system. We never would have tried to do our yard if we would have known how many boulders were under ground! We were sad to leave this home, but felt very good about moving back to Las Vegas when Darrell finished his masters program. Well, Darrell was excited to move back- I was not. I knew we were suppose to go, but I didn't want to raise my kids there. We moved in September of 2003.

This was our next home. We moved to Las Vegas and the housing market was INSANE! We were happy to have a lot and house before the prices got really high. This home took almost a year to build- normally it took 4 months! In that time my Dad passed away, and we were living with my mom while waiting for the house to be done. We were so glad to have the time we did with my Dad before he died- I know Lexi and Ashlee don't remember much, but we both have memories of watching them play with my dad. While living in this home we had some pretty big water issues- we won't ever build with KB Homes again! But we survived all the chaos and were happy to be in the home two months before Carly was born. Darrell was working for the Health Department there, and was happy to only have to inspect new buildings. Having to inspect a strip club with people in it did not appeal to him for obvious reasons! After being in Las Vegas for a few years we started getting the itch to move again. The school system wasn't what we wanted, and we really wanted a more family friendly environment for the kids. Darrell started looking at jobs and was offered one in Washington. They flew us out to look at homes, and for Darrell get a feel for the city. While we were there we both just had a weird feeling. Finally on the last day we both knew this was not where we were to move. Darrell turned down the job- which was hard because it meant staying in Las Vegas. All three of the girls were growing and we were accepting the fact that maybe we were suppose to stay. I think of all the dance recitals, soccer games, swimming lessons, the many different church callings, and all the fun we had with our friends and families while living in this home.

This is our home right now. We moved here in January of 2006. Never would I have guessed we would be living in Bentonville Arkansas! But out of the blue Darrell ran into his old boss from Salt Lake and he told him about working for Wal Mart home office. Darrell told me about it and when his old boss called him and said there is a position opened- that's when we started praying again. Well, Darrell did- I was NOT going to move to Arkansas! Obviously I had some prayers answered myself and Darrell and I were really excited to move. We love it here! I have no desire to to move again! We are surrounded by members of the church, the schools are incredible, and our family has grown stronger since we've been here. When I think of our house we are in right now I think of softball games, swim lessons, tennis lessons, tumbling, church callings, spiritual growth, BBQ's in the backyard with friends, and our family growing and anxiously awaiting Baylee to arrive!

The past 10 years have not always been easy, but we are both so thankful for that. We have grown so much individually and as a married couple by the challenges we have faced in life together. I love Darrell and am so thankful for him! I'm excited to see what the next 10 years will bring us!