Our anniversary was AWESOME! Tyler really surprised me! He stayed up late, until 2, the night before and went in the office so I couldn't see what he was doing! He had a beautiful card, roses, and then blew up 37 (my favorite/lucky number) turquoise balloons and drew a heart on each of them and wrote something he loved about me on each of them. Wow! What thought, and he made me feel so special and loved! He also bought a really nice, new humidifier so I could see if that helps with my dry skin and bad headaches.
Here's what he put on the balloons:
1. How you honor your parents2. Your smile
3. Your loving touch
4. Your beautiful soul
5. Snuggling and holding you close
6. How you love to have fun
7. Your testimony
8. Your love for the Savior
9. How you love to dance
10. How you complete me and make me whole
11. How you love children
12. Your golden hair
13. How you are always there for me
14. How you love to serve others
15. How you show charity
16. Your courage
17. That you are my eternal queen
18. That our hearts, souls, and family are forever sealed together
19. Your sweet femininity
20. Your beautiful eyes
21. How you make our home clean and beautiful
22. How you hold me
23. Going for walks and holding your hand
24. Your kind heart
25. Looking at you when you don't know I'm looking and my heart swells up.
26. Your selfless heart
27. Your sense of humor
28. How you are always there for me
29. The way you flirt with me!
30. Your musical gifts
31. How your countenance beams with light
32. Waking up to your sweet embrace each morning
33. How you honor your Father in Heaven
34. For making my lunches
35. How you love the gospel so much
36. Your soft and gentle hands
37. (Can't find it)
The rest of the card was so sweet and personal, reminding me of the sacred day we were sealed in the temple. Thank you, honey, for making me feel so loved and special EVERY day!!
Wow!!! He has such a way with words, and speaking right from his heart. I'm so thankful to be his wife for eternity. My heart was so full all day yesterday. When I woke up to see the balloons, Tyler was still sleeping. I felt bad I had fallen asleep so quickly, before I got a chance to do his card. I made him a waffle breakfast, and served egg nog too! I made his lunch, but was sorry I didn't put a note in it. He was running late and hurried off after giving me the card, flowers, humidifier, and after I was able to give him the new belts I bought for him and the new King bed sheets. We also talked on the phone on his way to work and I told him how much everything meant to me. What a sweetheart. I'm so thankful we are sealed for eternity!
At 9:19, he sent me a text that said, 41 more minutes! I had taken a little nap, studied the scriptures, made some calls about adoption, and I was watching wedding video clips that Brandon Orton had taken. What a wonderful day was Nov 5, 2011!
I also got a text from Mom that said Happy Anniversary to the cutest couple ever! How sweet! She also said they were at IMC with Grandma because they found blood problems on her spine from the MRI, and they were going to do back surgery that day! What is it about Nov 5th? I'm glad all my dad's siblings and some of their spouses were able to be there with her. She was on much better spirits, and after surgery was doing much better. She had been losing the feeling and use of her extremities, so they knew they needed to do something soon! So glad it went well.
At 10:00, I called Tyler and we both sang Happy Anniversary to us to each other, and he called back after he finished up a call with a customer so we could talk more. We reflected more on the day, two years ago. And I read to Tyler what I had written to go along with the medley of songs I put together and played on the piano. I was in tears throughout reading it, feeling such gratitude to be married to this wonderful man! He cried with me too, and I felt bad doing that while he was at work. Ah, what a sweet day and what a blessing to be married. For eternity! I love him more and more each day.
At 12:40, Tyler called again, this time on his lunch break, and we talked more and read scriptures. We decided to read the first 32 verses of D&C 132, about eternal marriage! More tears of gratitude flowed as we contemplated the wondrous blessing of being sealing for eternity in the Lords house and having those eternal blessings. I love my dear Tyler with all my heart. He is my home. I love how we can laugh, have fun, cry, feel the Spirit, talk, cuddle, understand, and serve with one another. We were meant to be together, and when I think of that word, "foreordained" I still am amazed and in awe. We talked about the Abrahamic covenant, and how Abraham himself didn't have children until he was very old, but he still had numerous posterity.... And think of what adoption means with that blessing. Those of us adopted into the house of Israel, adopted into Abraham's family, receive the promised blessings as well! They are eternal blessings, not just what we will see happen in this life. I love how Tyler assures me that whether or not we are able to have children or even if we are able to adopt in this life, those blessings are ours too. I am so grateful that regardless of children, Tyler and I have a wonderful eternal marriage, where we can enjoy learning, serving, traveling, and experiencing life together! We are so blessed.
I hurried to finish up and get ready, running out of time to exercise, and then taught piano, DURING the time Grandma T. was in surgery-- isn't that ironic, since she taught me the piano? :) Dad sent a text at 4:40 saying it went well and she was already able to grip the docs hand better after surgery, but it would be quite the road still to recovery. Phew!
When Tyler got home at 5, he loved the cake and the card and poem I had written him (more tears!) and then we got dressed for the temple and did SEALINGS! It was wonderful to be there, thinking about those promises, and kneeling across the alter again from each other, pronouncing, "yes" to the questions! And we were able to go into the actual room we were sealed in and hug and reminisce. We enjoyed sitting and whispering together in the celestial room too. After the temple we hurried to Herriman town hall to vote, and then came home for an 8:00 dinner at the Kendrick Inn and Suites. Hey, it's fancy if we make it, right? I arranged the table with pictures from our wedding, candles, and our "anniversary cake" and set the place settings with matching turquoise placemats! :) My sugar needed so e exercise, so we had fun dancing in the living room, and enjoyed the rest of our night together. Every prayer we offered together during the day was full of gratitude to our Father. Two years. Wow! And my plan tomorrow... I want to do notes for Tyler's lunch...and write things I love about him!
NOVEMBER 8TH- Next MRI and Radiologist Appointment!
Good news!! The tumor has actually shrunk in the 3 months since completing radiation! And Dr. Hunter said it will continue to do so for the next several years-- Hallelujah! We are thrilled to already have this kind of result! He said there is a chance it could grow if I am pregnant, so we are going to steer clear of that possibility and continue with our plan to do adoption. Tyler was really cute and said to the doctor: "You know, we would love to grow old into our 90s together... does that seem likely?" He said, "Absolutely!" It was wonderful to have Mom and Dad there too, to rejoice in the good news and feel continued answers to our prayers!
It may be hard to tell, but the left image is the most recent image, and is showing a less cloudy tumor, and it's pulling away from my left eye--the good one--and the doctor says he can tell it's more pronounced... signs that the tumor is being more limited and defined. Hooray!!
As you can tell from above, my Grandma wasn't doing so well. The fall she had on November 2nd was causing her more and more grief. After weeks of fighting to stay alive and enduring lots of pain, she was able to be released from this world and be with Grandpa again. Grandpa has been gone for 18 years, so I'm sure it was a great reunion for them both. :)
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I am going to miss being able to stop by her house and visit, to call her up and see how she is doing, to have her meet my future kids and teach them, and to see her bright, smiling face. But I LOVE the words of the blessing she received the night I was at the hospital and was able to say my goodbyes to her. The blessing said that in a way, she'll be able to help her family more on the other side of the veil, where she will be, than here. The blessing also told her that her Heavenly Father loves her very much, and she was about to experience a wonderful, joyous reunion.The day of her funeral went quickly and it was so hard to see the casket close and tell her goodbye. I'm so grateful the family were all aboe to say their goodbyes and that she didn't have to experience any more pain than she did. I'm also grateful she was able to have her mind about her, and that she bore testimony of the Savior and her love for Him and for her family until her last breath. I'm glad I was able to help arrange and accompany all the grandchildren in singing a couple of her favorite primary songs at her funeral: "My Heavenly Father Loves Me," and "Beautiful Savior," with the testimony and love and giving my all to the talent that she helped bless me with. I loved preparing a slide show for the Christmas Eve party with all the Thomas relatives to show how she has had a life of miracles. I love you so much, Grandma. Thank you for visiting your grandchildren even now. I and others have felt of your spirit since your passing, and have felt your appreciation of our efforts to do good, and we have felt of your love. Your life has touched mine and many others for good. Until we meet again!
THANKSGIVING!!!
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner on the Sunday before Thanksgiving at my parents' home with all my siblings... except Laura, who was actually on her way with Mike, his sister Liz, and the three Carlston children! Laura had just decided to drive from Chicago to be here for Grandma's funeral, and things worked out perfectly for Mike's work-- of course it did, right? :)
We had a nice dinner with everyone, including all of the grandkids and Becky and her two kids (which are now going to officially BE family!...they got engaged November 29th!)
Then on Thanksgiving Day, Tyler and I went down to the Kendrick's home to surprise them and put up their upstairs Christmas tree, and enjoy a LOVELY dinner with the Leavitts and the Leavitt grandparents! I was so full of love and gratitude for this family as they expressed their love for everyone in the room and said what they were thankful for. :)
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