New Home Sweet Home

Okay, here I am. As most of you know Felicia and I got to move three times this past summer. That's right, three. Every move was a blessing. You've probably all heard the story so in a nut shell, Felicia and I were on the verge of having very little to no work at all so we had to act fast as our rent was going to eat up all our money. So we moved in with Mom and Dad for six weeks and it was really nice, it was. It's just better to not live with anyone if you're married, I found that out. We were not chosen for an apartment management job we were hoping for and had to make a quick decision on a place to live, including find that place. We did in a matter of two hours on a saturday. Rent was cheap, the place would do, and I borrowed a gun from Dad and kept it under my bed. Okay, so the gun part wasn't so good. The reason for and the item itself made Felicia uneasy. We slept there for one night, went to the Browning's for two, and then slept one last night there. We had finally received the long awaited call from subsidized housing that a place was available immediately. The unit we moved into was the very, former unit of the people who beat us out of the apartment management job. We moved in the weekend before school. Just in time! I will have to brag because I'd feel I wasn't giving credit for our huge blessing that is helping us out so much. Our rent is $68 a month, utilities included. BAM! In the words of Mike Landrum, "you can't rent a gameboy for that cheap". We couldn't be more happy with it and with out neighbors, which mostly consists of fellow ward members. It was nothing short of a miracle to much prayer and fast. Come and visit. We have a spare bedroom. You'll have to bring your own bed though.

This post is simply to promise a real one real soon.  ;)

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

MyHeritage: Celebrity Collage - Geneology - Family history sites

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

MyHeritage: Celebrity Collage - Pedigree charts - Family tree template

One Year Later

A year and a month ago I was living at Aunt Janet's home to get away from too much congestion.  Too many peoples thoughts, concerns, and emotions had my head cluttered and my heart confused.  I needed time and I needed space.  Felicia so happened to be staying there also and I'm sure that caused even more concern but a better environment I couldn't find.  There I was, with a quiet house, a beautiful, tranquil yard, relatives who just wanted to listen and feed me, and the one other person on earth I needed by my side.  I spent most of my time pondering my past, present, and where I wanted my life to be.  

 

After a long terrible day of mixed feelings, I got on my knees and pleaded for an answer.  I'd prayed countless times before  in searched for guidance but the Lord knew I was at the end of my rope.  I opened my frustrated and teary eyes and picked up a book I had been reading.  I flipped to a random page and read a highlighted quote that said, "Don't pray so much to have what you'll love, pray to love what you have."           

Felicia and I celebrated our one year anniversary this sunday.  Can you believe that it's been a year already!  Time sure flies by when you're having fun with the one you love.  I remember being asked several times if I was nervous, scared, or anxious.  There's no doubt I had questions before making the decision to ask Felicia to be my wife but after I knew my answer, and I knew it, everything that followed just seemed natural.  I never felt home sick, or out of place in my new apartment and new life.  It was what I was suppose to be doing and my heart nor mind ever questioned again.  I love her so much!  

 

What a better way to celebrate your anniversary than to give a talk in church with your sweetheart.  Funny how things work out.  The Lord has never stopped answering my question.  

I'm going to attempt to attach our talks.  Felicia's is a must read.  Mine is a bit long but the last page or so has a funny story about how I fell in love with Felicia worth reading.  By the way, she did such a great job.  She had many people thank her and even got a hug from a touched lady in the ward.  

      

High on a Mountain Top

There is a trail Felicia and I have enjoyed hiking that has engraven itself upon our memories forever.  The majority of the trips we've made to the top of Lewis Peak have been nothing short of amazing.  The first time we hiked it was during the first month of our new relationship with each other as boyfriend and girlfriend and the first time Felicia admits to having the desire to kiss me.  The second time to the top, after a short lunch and a great conversation, I proposed to her.  The fourth and most grueling hike to the top we were accompanied by our best friends Emily and Shawn.  We all packed our sleeping bags, tents, food, and any other belongings we thought we needed and slept at the top after the most memorable 4 of July experience I've had.  After Felicia lost her hot dog and we all lost our breath, we pitched our tents and found the prime spot to what ever fireworks Ogden, Huntsville, Eden, Farr West, Plain City, countless families and who know who else, had to offer.  We counted at least 12 different major firework shows.  Two of which we think might have been from Park City.  My camera did a poor job of capturing the fireworks but I did get breath taking pictures of both the sunset and sunrise, not to mention those of my best friends.  

Getting ready for the hike

  

         Watching the sunrise over Eden
        Sunrise over our campsite

The hike down

Disneyland 2008

All 16 of us in one whole boat on Pirates of the Caribbean 
Electric Parade
Paradise Pier Hotel (sideways)
Katie and Aidan on Buzz Lightyear 
Dad and Asher on Maliboomer 

As you all know I Felicia and I had the opportunity to spend a week with the Brownings and Mom and Dad in Disneyland.  The Rowleys even showed up to for a couple of days to increase the excitement of it all.  I know much of it has to do with the fact that I grew up vacationing in Disneyland but it really is, at least one of, the happiest places on earth.  It doesn't matter if you are in a bad mood, once you sit down in one of the rides or some sort of entertainment begins you can't help but smile.  That very thing happened to Felicia and I on our last day.  We were in a bit of a disagreement of what we should be doing next and so we sat down to apologize to one-another  and one of the employees there came up to us and asked if we'd like to ride the Toy Story ride that wasn't opened to the public yet.  We had actually headed to that part of the park just to ride it but were turned away.  We were so excited we couldn't help but smile and forget about what was bothering us.  It was a really fun ride ride presented in  4D (meaning we were able to interact with the ride).  We were followed by that luck the rest of that night.  We got a pineapple float for nearly half the price because of a mess up on their part, were able to see the Electric Parade, fireworks show, and Fantasmic water show.  Then while waiting in line to get an ice cream sundae an older couple behind us gave us 6, yes 6, fastpasses to any ride in the park!  The got them from a Disney tour they were on but weren't going to use them.  So we were able to ride Indiana Jones, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Space Mountain, our three favorites, all within about an hour before the park closed.  It was a great farewell to our last night there.  Being there with Mom and Dad and the Brownings, being able to experience the excitement with first time kids, having the benefit of short waits with Scottie's wheelchair, and the added life to the party the Rowelys brought, made this trip the best one yet!  I wished so much to be able to go back to when we were kids and experience it all as a happy Anderson vacation that we had so many times.  What do you remember about our Disney trips?