15 years

Today marks Garry's and my 15th wedding anniversary.  That's such a big number!  In past blogging years I have chronicled our courtship story, listed anniversary milestones, cataloged our history in numbers (which post has mysteriously disappeared from my blog...sad), told about our real life, and taken really bad pictures of myself.

This year, I'll just say that I'm really blessed that Garry is so patient and kind.  He is forgiving.  He is generous.  He is selfless.  He has endured quite the roller coaster ride with his crazy wife.  He is more than I deserve.  I'm grateful for a companion who always sees the bright side of life.  I'm also glad he will change diapers, wash dishes, bathe children, and whistle while he works.

The biggest gift of our marriage is our family.  We have five awesome children that I love dearly.

Happy anniversary to us!

Celebrating the graduate

My baby sister has graduated high school!  In the midst of the drama related to my parents' house fire, we were happy to celebrate Holly and her many accomplishments.

On Sunday we attended Baccalaureate at Mesa High.  Holly was relieved to wear her own cap and gown, which had been airing out all day and was amazingly free from its smoky smell by 6:00 p.m.  Holly accompanied a musical number during the program and posed for many pictures afterward.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, we attended two Senior assemblies.  As student body president, Holly conducted both.  It was fun for me to see her in action.  Holly also earned a scholarship through the Service Learning program and received the Principal's Award. She has done great service to her school and community during her years in student council.

Holly graduated from the LDS Seminary program on Tuesday evening.  Most of the family attended that graduation ceremony, and then we went out for ice cream.

My parents treated a party of 22 to dinner at Rosa's to celebrate Holly.  I didn't take any pictures, but we had a great time.

Mesa High graduation was Thursday evening.  Holly had a big cheering section in the stands.  We did the wave and hollered like crazy when my parents (seated on the field) were recognized because Holly is the sixth and last Dixon child to graduate from Mesa High.  My brother David, his wife Rachel, and I sang along (in three-part harmony) with the MHS choir when they sang "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."  And of course, we made quite a ruckus when Holly received her diploma.

I'm so glad I had the chance to participate in all of Holly's graduation festivities.  She and I had some good times together last week.  She was just two years old when I left for college, so I'm happy that we have developed a good relationship.  I am very proud of my little sister.

Bride & Groom

One of the many reasons I came to Mesa this week

was to attend a wedding.

Karlie, the bride, is the daughter of my dear friend Melanie,

who moved to Gilbert two years ago.

The sealing was beautiful, the bride was radiant,

and the reception at my parents' home was perfectly lovely.

I am so glad I got to be a part

of such a special day for people I love.

Best wishes for your "happily ever after," Karlie and Andrew!

A toast

On Wednesday afternoon, I noticed a remarkable thing: I wasn't nauseated.  Wow!  It was a condition I had been longing for since the beginning of the year.  I hadn't known I was pregnant for a week before I started feeling nasty, and it was less than two before barfing began in earnest.  I was begging for relief soon after and started taking Zofran on January 16th.  Things sort of spiraled out of control from there.

So it was pretty amazing to realize at 3:30 p.m. that I hadn't taken Zofran all day.  I hadn't needed it.  I didn't need it.  And I haven't needed it since then.  Wow!

By Friday evening it seemed my new-found freedom from nausea might be permanent, so we celebrated as a family.  I decided it would be fitting to toast the return of my health with a grape cream slush from Sonic.  Happily, my favorite pregnancy treat was even more delicious without waves of nausea pressing on my stomach.  The kids got to order whatever they wanted and were delighted with their treats, too.

Here's to a new lease on life!

Lucky 13

Today Garry and I celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary.

A lot of water has gone under the bridge since this day,

when I thought I couldn't possibly be happier.

All I knew back then is that Garry made me happy.

He was smart and funny and the perfect balance to my Type A personality.

And he loved me.

Once the honeymoon was over, he still had all those qualities.

He still loved me, and he still made me happy.

But as we have weathered so many experiences together,

some fun and adventurous,

some annoying and difficult,

some heart-breaking and gut-wrenching,

some beautiful and joyful,

I have come to appreciate Garry's deeper, stronger traits--

the ones that help us live our

"happily ever after"

every single day.

Garry isn't one who likes to be in front of a crowd,

who revels in pomp and circumstance

or any kind of public praise.

He's just a quiet hero, going about his business,

working hard for his wife and his kids

and building our happy life with his own bare hands.

I love him for that, and for the way he completes me.

I have been pondering the beauty of our relationship,

the way we just work together to do all of the things that need doing.

Simple things like taking out the trash and picking up some groceries,

setting up new apps on my phone, tucking kids in bed,

paying bills, resolving insurance matters, teaching Family Home Evening,

subbing in Sunday School, dusting off the ceiling fan,

running kids to school, reaching the high shelves, and fixing the torn window screen

are just a few of the little details that Garry fits so well

into the big picture of our family life.

I couldn't have known when I was barely 19

and Garry was fresh from a mission,

when we were slogging through school,

living in a dingy old apartment,

and trying to figure each other out,

that 13 years later I would be so deliriously happy.

Of course there are days that are difficult,

and we actually joke about how rarely we see eye to eye

(even/especially on big things).

But when it comes to the things that really matter,

we are united.

Quite suddenly we are living the life I have always dreamed about:

a bunch of little kids,

a happy home,

a secure job,

a strong marriage.

And while I'm not as young and innocent as I was on my wedding day,

I'm glad for every pound and wrinkle and gray hair

that represents a day of happiness with the man I love.

Happy anniversary, Garry.

May there be many more.

Remember when Eric got married?

When I think about my brother's wedding weekend, I might remember the arduous 15-hour trek our family took to Mesa. I might remember how we all slept in one bedroom (plus the closet), that Garry forgot his dress pants, or that our credit card was on fraud alert. I might remember the stresses of finding matching clothes and of keeping the kids out of the way during reception set-up, of feeling awkwardly fat in all the pictures, or that Lexi slept badly during our stay and cut her fourth tooth. I might remember all of those crazy things.

But what I will remember most about the weekend Eric and Jentry got married can be summed up in one fabulous word: family.

I will always remember how much I enjoyed being with Angie and Rachel and seeing our three little girls together. I am really looking forward to the day when park dates and game nights and pedicures and family dinners are a regular thing.



I think it's so cool that once upon a time these three ladies, my mom (in pink) and her sisters, once had three baby girls in the same year, and that we are the lucky second generation that will have close cousins.



I will remember the time spent with grandparents who rarely see my kids. I will remember play time and story time and dinner time with all the cousins. I will remember the way Gavin called his cousin "Little Pink Iris" every time he saw her.







I will remember laughing with my own cousins...laughing and laughing and laughing. I hope that the cousins who are thinking about moving to Arizona will actually move there! What a party we could all have together!



I will remember missing Elder Dixon, but being thrilled that he still attended the wedding festivities in spirit (and in cardboard).



I will remember the glorious day, March 19, when Eric and Jentry were sealed for time and all eternity in the Arizona Temple. I will remember holding Garry's hand during the ceremony, reminiscing about the day that we made the same sacred covenants that seal our family together forever. I will remember the sweet friend who watched our children during the sealing, and the miracle that kept Gavin in the stroller the entire time. I will remember the feelings of love that surrounded me as my family gathered on the steps of the temple. I love that I am related to all of those wonderful people!



I will remember the gorgeous reception in my mom's backyard that night. (For some fantastic pictures of the event, visit my sister's blog.) I will remember how much I laughed as we tried to pose nine kids under 9, and that for a small moment I didn't care about how I looked -- I cared about how happy Eric and Jentry were, and how glad I was there to celebrate their special day.




I might remember the long drive home, too...how we were packed together for 14 long hours, how the van became a toxic waste dump, how we just beat a giant snow storm, and how the door to the house was open when we finally arrived.



But I'm sure I'll mostly remember the love...for these four kids, my dear husband, and all the family we are blessed to call our own.