Travels

A couple weekends ago we got to head up to Logan for the sealing of Jared's mission buddy Connor to his new wife, Lindsey.

Accompanying us on this fun trip were our friends Chad and Emily Turner (Chad also served in the same mission as Jared and Connor). 

 

Chad gave us the extended tour of Perry, Brigham City, and  Logan since that is where he grew up. Jared then felt the need to be like Chad and had to explain the architectural style of the Logan temple.

This was the first live sealing Jared and I had been to since we have been married, and we are very grateful for the opportunity we had to be there. What a blessing it is to know that we are sealed as one for eternity. All growing up I dreamed of the day I would be married in the temple and knew that it would bring great blessings. I never knew that it would feel like this. It's a feeling that can't be properly explained. Having the joy of the gospel and the power that comes from making and keeping sacred covenants is something that leaves me in awe and humbled to realize that I have been given this blessing.

This last weekend Jared and I were apart for the three longest days of our lives while I was in Seattle to present at the annual PSA conference (Pacific Sociological Association). The trip started out early Thursday morning when Jared dropped me off at the Wilkinson center to catch my ride. I then rode for 15 long hours in a twelve passenger van with a professor and four other students. We were scheduled to give our presentation at 8:30 Friday morning. For those of you who don't know, I have been working for the last three years for a sociology professor researching adoptions. Our most recent project is on Post-Adoption Depression Syndrome (PADS), which is what our presentation was on. I felt like it went well. It helped us see what we had done well and where we could improve. It is always nice to get differing opinions from people outside of our own network.

Following the presentation I had the rest of the day to explore Seattle. Fortunately I had Kelsae, Andrea, and Bethany to keep me company so I didn't just lock myself in my room missing Jared. Instead I missed him while I had a bit of fun :)

Awesome coffee table in the hotel lobby. This was like a giant iPad, so of course we had to try it out. Yes, we are all college students (one has her master's and two are in the master's program) but we were definitely as entertained with this as any child is on Christmas morning.

These are the two girls I have been working with for the last couple years. There is never a dull, uninteresting moment when you get us together.

No rain but there were plenty of clouds and wind.

Taking pictures and feeding the seagulls our leftover fries.

Like I said, never a dull moment. In the back is Bethany, not on the research team but the trip wouldn't have been half as bearable without her.

Checking out the different vendors at Pike Place Market

Kelsae coming so close to catching a Seattle pigeon that she insisted were fatter than pigeons anywhere else.  

Disgusting gum wall!! whoever thought to make a tourist attraction of disposed gum? I really want to know how it started.

While I was wandering around Pike Place and touring Seattle, Jared was thinking of anything and everything he could justify getting me as a surprise for when I got home. Friday night he found me a new pair of black heels which I have been in need of and some awesome red heels (those were just because I have been wanting a pair for a while and they were on sale). On Saturday he made sure to do the grocery shopping and clean the apartment so I didn't have to do it when I got back. He's so good to me. After a not quite as long as the first 13 hour drive home, Jared was ready to meet me at our front door with a warm hug and a big kiss. Coming home had never felt so good. That wasn't all.... he then lead me inside to the kitchen where I put my bags down and he prepared the most delicious strawberry complete with a candle. I wish I could remember he words he sang, but it was a cute, cheesy homecoming song that he made up as he lead me into the living room to blowout the candle and open the pile of gifts he had for me. He had already told me about the shoes, but that was only two things and there were five presents.

In an effort to make Jared quit getting me stuff, I once told him we only give presents on special days. First I opened the package labeled "Happy March 12th" (after all it would be the only one we would have this year!) containing batteries I had him get from the store. Then it was the deodorant he had also gotten for me on his shopping trip (Happy Saturday, the only one we would have this week). Then I opened my shoes--Happy Welcome Home Day and Happy 209 Days of Marriage Day. The last present was Happy I Love You Day (this is every day, but that doesn't make it less special). In this package was a pair of work out shorts for warmer weather. Jared justified getting me these because they cost the same as flowers, but we could keep the shorts instead of throwing away flowers in a few days. Jared is so wonderful and I could argue that he is the best husband EVER.    

The aftermath of my homecoming surprise.