It's been months since Tyler and I have written anything, but we're done with finals and now we're getting ready for Christmas. As we both made our shopping lists for family and friends and headed on out to purchase the items that will hopefully brighten eyes on Christmas morning, I paused to think about one woman who has taught me a lot about the true meaning of Christmas. I work with this woman, who is mentally disabled, in a residential living center. When asked what she wanted for Christmas her answer was simple, there were only two things on her list.
This wonderful, sweet woman reminded me about the beauty that comes with focusing on the important things in life this Christmas. Really, this Christmas there are only two things on my list. Spending time with family, and remembering the true meaning of Christmas. I look at our small, insignificant Christmas tree, standing just under four feet high, I realize that it's not about the size of Christmas. It's not about the grand presents that might be waiting under that tree on Christmas morning, but the reason that we celebrate this season. On top of that tree is a star ornament that I was given in high school. There is an inscription that reads, "Remember that He is the reason for the season." The savior was born that we may all live eternally. He died that we can return to him, and it is through his priesthood power that we are sealed together in family units. These are the best gifts that I could have ever been given.
I hope that as we prepare for this season that we won't let the hustle and bustle of preparations and traditions keep us from remembering and celebrating the majestic King of Kings whose birth it is that we celebrate. Let us think this Christmas of what gift we will bring, as the wise men did of old, to the Christ child. Will it be an added measure of love, more service, greater devotion? I know that no matter what I give this year, it will never compare in the slightest to the gift that I've been given by my Savior. He truly is the light and the life of the world. He lives and he loves us and wants us to have joy. As we seek to follow him, I know that we can and will find joy. For as the carol says, "Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!"
Merry Christmas! We love you all!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
A Park and Two Picnics
Hey y'all, it's been a while since we've updated our blog. We like to keep people in suspense. Anyway, to sum it all up Tatiana and I go to work and go to school. That's the gist of our lives. I thought I would share with y'all my first English paper because it's also the story of how I proposed to my beautiful, loving, talented, wonderful, beautiful...did I say beautiful? Well anyways, you get the picture. Enjoy!
**I have had many significant experiences in my life, but one experience that has had a particularly profound effect on me involved a picnic and two parks. I had been dating a beautiful woman named Tatiana for quite some time and decided that I needed to do something special for her. I needed to do something that would show her how much she truly meant to me. The question was how do show her that I care for her?
It was a Monday in the summer of 2007 and I spent all day trying to figure out ways that I could show her that I truly loved her. Thoughts were running through my head so fast that it was hard to focus on one thought long enough to make any use of it. It wasn’t until late in the evening that I came to a conclusion of how I was going to show her that I truly loved her. My plan was perfect, but I would need help from my family if it were going to work.
I talked to Tatiana on the phone the next day and told her that I wanted to do something special for her the following week. However, I made sure not to tell her any of the specifics. The only information that I gave her was to be ready by one o’clock when I came to pick her up.
The night before the event was to take place an overwhelming, anxious feeling came over me. It was so strong that I hard a hard time sleeping and hearing my brother snoring loudly only made it worse. I was as restless as a kid on Christmas Eve. It wasn’t until late that night that I eventually fell asleep.
When morning came I was exhausted, but the excitement of that day had helped give me just the right amount of energy. Just minutes before one o’clock I was pacing back and fourth in my room contemplating all the possible outcomes. Is everything going to be timed right? Is she going to like it? What if I say something wrong? I had asked myself so many questions and gone over them so many times in my head, that if a problem did ever arise, I would know how to handle it.
One o’clock finally hit and it was game time. I walked up to her door more nervous than a convict on death row and it probably showed from the perspiration dripping from my face. She came to the door and the first thing that caught my attention were her beautiful blue eyes staring back at me. I almost melted right there but I told myself, “keep it together.” The beginning of the date started a little rocky. “Hey?” I said and handed her eleven roses. “Sorry I didn’t realize there were only eleven till I bought them,” I stammered. “That’s okay twelve is a weird number anyway,” she replied. “You ready,” I asked. “Yep, are you ready?” she said. “Of course,” I replied. While walking back to the car I kept muttering to myself “keep it together, keep it together.” I’m almost positive she heard me one of the times. Luckily she didn’t ask questions.
The first event on the agenda was a picnic at the institute of religion building where we met. At this point the date started to go a little better and my nerves were finally settling down. We sat on the grass and watched the movie. The same movie we saw on our first date, “Ratatouille.” Halfway through the movie, the sun made it hard to see the screen, so we threw a blanket over the car and watched it there. To this day I wonder what all those people were thinking as they passed by us.
After the picnic we went back to my house to make dinner for the night. The items on the menu: hash browns and Jones Soda. After cooking the dinner we went to Liberty Park, which is where I asked her to be my girlfriend when we were first dating, and had a candle lit dinner. It was just cold enough to make her want to cuddle up next to me, but not so cold that we were both freezing. It was the perfect.
From there we went to our “spot” at Granite Park. It was a beautiful night with the full moon shining brightly and a slight breeze. We sat on the edge of a hill that overlooked a small valley as we listened to our song, “Here in Your Arms,” by Hello, Goodbye. It felt so nice to sit there cuddled up in a blanket with someone I cared about. We both sat there soaking in the cherished memories we had experienced together.
It had been a successful night. Everything had gone according to plans. There was just one event remaining. As we walked back to the car, we passed a volleyball court and something caught our attention. The volleyball court had a soft, sparkling light coming from within. I looked at Tatiana and said, “Why don’t we go see what that sparkling light is?” She immediately looked panicked. “No, way, I’m not going over there. It looks like there’s some sort of sÈance going on.” I felt fear overcome me. If she didn’t go over there the whole night could be ruined. “Tatiana, I think we should go see what’s going on,” I said. Her answer was the same, “I’m not going.” At this point I was so desperate that I could have bribed her to go over there. I asked her one more time, but this time emphasized my words a little more. “Tatiana, I REALLY think you should go over there.” She gave me a suspicious look, but agreed. As we neared the volleyball court, she saw that there were candles and they spelled the phrase, “Will you marry me.” I got down on one knee and said, “I want to marry you.” She immediately responded with tears in her eyes, “I want to marry you too.” She kissed me and afterward I asked, “so can I take that as a ‘Yes’?” She smiled and said, “Of course!” Then from behind my back I pulled out the twelfth rose and said, “I guess they gave me twelve roses after all.”
So many thoughts and emotions were running through my mind at this point. I felt a powerful joy that I couldn’t put into words. It brought even greater joy to know that Tatiana reciprocated those emotions. Right after I asked Tatiana to marry me, she asked me, “How were you able to set up the candles?” I then yelled, “Dad, Shane!” Out of the bushes came walking my dad and my brother. I looked at her and said, “I had a little bit of help.” **
We love you all! Thank you and goodnight!!
**I have had many significant experiences in my life, but one experience that has had a particularly profound effect on me involved a picnic and two parks. I had been dating a beautiful woman named Tatiana for quite some time and decided that I needed to do something special for her. I needed to do something that would show her how much she truly meant to me. The question was how do show her that I care for her?
It was a Monday in the summer of 2007 and I spent all day trying to figure out ways that I could show her that I truly loved her. Thoughts were running through my head so fast that it was hard to focus on one thought long enough to make any use of it. It wasn’t until late in the evening that I came to a conclusion of how I was going to show her that I truly loved her. My plan was perfect, but I would need help from my family if it were going to work.
I talked to Tatiana on the phone the next day and told her that I wanted to do something special for her the following week. However, I made sure not to tell her any of the specifics. The only information that I gave her was to be ready by one o’clock when I came to pick her up.
The night before the event was to take place an overwhelming, anxious feeling came over me. It was so strong that I hard a hard time sleeping and hearing my brother snoring loudly only made it worse. I was as restless as a kid on Christmas Eve. It wasn’t until late that night that I eventually fell asleep.
When morning came I was exhausted, but the excitement of that day had helped give me just the right amount of energy. Just minutes before one o’clock I was pacing back and fourth in my room contemplating all the possible outcomes. Is everything going to be timed right? Is she going to like it? What if I say something wrong? I had asked myself so many questions and gone over them so many times in my head, that if a problem did ever arise, I would know how to handle it.
One o’clock finally hit and it was game time. I walked up to her door more nervous than a convict on death row and it probably showed from the perspiration dripping from my face. She came to the door and the first thing that caught my attention were her beautiful blue eyes staring back at me. I almost melted right there but I told myself, “keep it together.” The beginning of the date started a little rocky. “Hey?” I said and handed her eleven roses. “Sorry I didn’t realize there were only eleven till I bought them,” I stammered. “That’s okay twelve is a weird number anyway,” she replied. “You ready,” I asked. “Yep, are you ready?” she said. “Of course,” I replied. While walking back to the car I kept muttering to myself “keep it together, keep it together.” I’m almost positive she heard me one of the times. Luckily she didn’t ask questions.
The first event on the agenda was a picnic at the institute of religion building where we met. At this point the date started to go a little better and my nerves were finally settling down. We sat on the grass and watched the movie. The same movie we saw on our first date, “Ratatouille.” Halfway through the movie, the sun made it hard to see the screen, so we threw a blanket over the car and watched it there. To this day I wonder what all those people were thinking as they passed by us.
After the picnic we went back to my house to make dinner for the night. The items on the menu: hash browns and Jones Soda. After cooking the dinner we went to Liberty Park, which is where I asked her to be my girlfriend when we were first dating, and had a candle lit dinner. It was just cold enough to make her want to cuddle up next to me, but not so cold that we were both freezing. It was the perfect.
From there we went to our “spot” at Granite Park. It was a beautiful night with the full moon shining brightly and a slight breeze. We sat on the edge of a hill that overlooked a small valley as we listened to our song, “Here in Your Arms,” by Hello, Goodbye. It felt so nice to sit there cuddled up in a blanket with someone I cared about. We both sat there soaking in the cherished memories we had experienced together.
It had been a successful night. Everything had gone according to plans. There was just one event remaining. As we walked back to the car, we passed a volleyball court and something caught our attention. The volleyball court had a soft, sparkling light coming from within. I looked at Tatiana and said, “Why don’t we go see what that sparkling light is?” She immediately looked panicked. “No, way, I’m not going over there. It looks like there’s some sort of sÈance going on.” I felt fear overcome me. If she didn’t go over there the whole night could be ruined. “Tatiana, I think we should go see what’s going on,” I said. Her answer was the same, “I’m not going.” At this point I was so desperate that I could have bribed her to go over there. I asked her one more time, but this time emphasized my words a little more. “Tatiana, I REALLY think you should go over there.” She gave me a suspicious look, but agreed. As we neared the volleyball court, she saw that there were candles and they spelled the phrase, “Will you marry me.” I got down on one knee and said, “I want to marry you.” She immediately responded with tears in her eyes, “I want to marry you too.” She kissed me and afterward I asked, “so can I take that as a ‘Yes’?” She smiled and said, “Of course!” Then from behind my back I pulled out the twelfth rose and said, “I guess they gave me twelve roses after all.”
So many thoughts and emotions were running through my mind at this point. I felt a powerful joy that I couldn’t put into words. It brought even greater joy to know that Tatiana reciprocated those emotions. Right after I asked Tatiana to marry me, she asked me, “How were you able to set up the candles?” I then yelled, “Dad, Shane!” Out of the bushes came walking my dad and my brother. I looked at her and said, “I had a little bit of help.” **
We love you all! Thank you and goodnight!!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Ok, so I admit, Tyler's fashion sense is a little off...... What you talking about no it's not(in typical husband fashion he has to put in his two cents, IN THE MIDDLE OF MY SENTENCE :). Anyway, like I was saying, his look in this picture may not be picked up by Vogue or anything, but doesn't he look just so darned cute?!? He was definitely the most attractive thing at Hoover Dam, though I think the sidewalk won out in "hotness" department. It was 113 degrees that day. Ouch! But our trip to Las Vegas was a blast. It was so much fun to see Alycia and Allen and the girls. Thanks guys for letting us stay with you!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008
"Tyler in Real Life"
Well after talking Tatiana into wanting to marry me, having used nothing but good looks, my charm, and a few hundred Benjamin Franklyns', we moved to the sweet land of "can't make up your mind what kind of weather it's going to be today, Logan". There we enjoyed our first few weeks of married life. Awe twere' days never to be forgotten. We had snowy days and sunny days. We even had hot and sunny in the morning and really cold and snowy at night days. Those were my favorite. Always an adventure. You would go out riding in your car with the top down and come back home with thick ice chunks in you eyebrows, your hair frozen back, and large frozen saliva stalactites hanging from lips and your chin. It seemed like hours before you were able to feel your face again. I'd imagine If Bilbo Baggins were still alive and hadn't died in that awful steam roller accident, he would envy the kinds of adventures I have here in Logan. I'm a wild and crazy guy. Kinda like to take the pig by the horns. I guess you could say I live life by that famous quote Jane Fondu once said "When my pants fall down I pick them up and run like the dickens." Whoever that is. Oh how they were days never to be forgotten. Life in Logan is truly bliss.
Well after talking Tatiana into wanting to marry me, having used nothing but good looks, my charm, and a few hundred Benjamin Franklyns', we moved to the sweet land of "can't make up your mind what kind of weather it's going to be today, Logan". There we enjoyed our first few weeks of married life. Awe twere' days never to be forgotten. We had snowy days and sunny days. We even had hot and sunny in the morning and really cold and snowy at night days. Those were my favorite. Always an adventure. You would go out riding in your car with the top down and come back home with thick ice chunks in you eyebrows, your hair frozen back, and large frozen saliva stalactites hanging from lips and your chin. It seemed like hours before you were able to feel your face again. I'd imagine If Bilbo Baggins were still alive and hadn't died in that awful steam roller accident, he would envy the kinds of adventures I have here in Logan. I'm a wild and crazy guy. Kinda like to take the pig by the horns. I guess you could say I live life by that famous quote Jane Fondu once said "When my pants fall down I pick them up and run like the dickens." Whoever that is. Oh how they were days never to be forgotten. Life in Logan is truly bliss.
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