SeVeN

Today is our 7th Anniversary! This is going to be kind of a 2 part thing. I'd like to share the story of how Nate and I met, and then share with you some things we've done and learned in our marriage.


Part 1: The Story

Call it Fate, Destiny, or the Hand of God, but I'm a firm believer that Nate and I were directed into each other's lives and meant to be together. It was June of 1998. I was with my youth conference group for church attending the Manti Pageant. We were playing a game called 'sting' with a volleyball on some grass across from the temple grounds, waiting for the pageant to start.
All the girls were talking about him, the boy in the baseball cap sitting alone under a tree. They were all gushing about how 'cute' he was. I wholeheartedly agreed with them, but kept it to myself. Then I did something TOTALLY out of character for me. I went over to him and invited him to play with us. He accepted. All the other girls were flirting shamelessly. I don't flirt(ask Nate) or I can't flirt. That might be a better way to put it. We found out he was from Las Vegas and was traveling with his grandparents. Anyway, he left that night with about 6 of our names and addresses and had given his to us. It was so funny because all my friends said they weren't going to write to him, but I found out later that they ALL did. So, Nate and I exchanged 3 letters. He stopped writing me because his mom found out and nixed it.
Fast forward to the Spring of 2001. I was in my first year of college at Southern Utah University. One day, while writing a few of my missionary friends, I came across Nate's picture with his address on the back. Something told me to write him a letter. I dismissed the feeling, but it just kept pestering me. So I wrote the letter. I didn't hear from him for a few months because he was on his mission in Mexico. We started writing regularly.
He came home from his mission on April 10, 2002. Exactly one week later he showed up at my door. He was actually on his way to see a different girl up in Logan(needless to say, he never made it). He and his friend were stopping in Roy to visit his friend's mom(I was living with my Mom in Farr West). It was snowing really hard(as it sometimes does in April here in Utah) and they were locked out of the house and had no coats. His friend asked if he knew anyone up here and he thought of me. He hadn't been planning to stop and see me, but they were freezing. So, he came over and we ended up spending the entire evening together. We started talking on the phone every night and he came up again two weeks later. That was the weekend that we got engaged. Eight weeks after that, we were married.



Things Nate & Ashley Have Done or Learned during Our 7 Years of Marriage

• We've moved 8 times
• Brought 3 children into the world in 3 different cities with 3 different doctors
• Held 15 different jobs- I've only had 2- The rest were Nate
• Attended 3 different colleges
• Attempted camping 3 times with our longest camping trip totalling 24 hrs. Yeah, we're not avid campers
• Had our own little weekend away at Disneyland, Denver, Pocatello, Evanston, and Salt Lake
• We learned very quickly that 10 weeks is not long enough to know someone before getting married
• We also learned to roll with the punches and appreciate our differences
• We grew up
• We've owned 8 vehicles
• We've watched approximately 2,555 movies together(probably more)
• I don't even want to think about how many diapers we've changed
• Held 12 church callings
• Almost given up
• We've learned the art of forgiveness
• We've supported each other through difficult situations(I won't go into details)
• Overall, we've learned what love and marriage and family are really all about

So...Happy Anniversary to Us! Here's to an Eternity More!