Flowers, Chocolate, and Anniversaries...

As we're getting ready to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary (February 18th) , I've been thinking about some of the fun memories that Kevin and I have shared... as well as some of the great traditions we've started- most of which involve chocolate in some way.

Valentine's Day is a special day for us because 2 years ago it was the day when we started dating exclusively. I knew Kevin was the right guy for me when he showed up at my elementary school in the middle of the day with a huge bouquet of flowers (in the pretty vase to the right) and lunch for us to share from The Olive Garden. The little people thought it was SO CUTE (as did all the secretaries in the office) and I thought it was darling because he was so nervous. Later that night we went to Starbucks for hot chocolate (he wanted to take me somewhere fancier, but I had a tight deadline for a paper and couldn't stay out late :-().

About eight months later (October 10th), Kevin proposed at Ghirardelli Square- right after we'd finished eating HUGE ice cream sundaes! After we got home and called all of our parents/siblings, I went into my room and found another beautiful bouquet of flowers (stargazer lilies, roses, etc).



Since then, we've celebrated many anniversaries by eating some of our favorite treats- Godiva chocolates, Mrs. Fields cookie sandwiches (and cookie cakes), Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake, and the Great Wall of Chocolate... but mostly, we just enjoy spending time together. This year for Valentine's Day, Kevin was on a business trip (fortunately only 2 1/2 hours away), so he was so cute and sent me the most beautiful bouquet of flowers and made sure they arrived early, even though he still drove home to see me on Valentine's night. He was so sweet to drive 2 1/2 + hours through awful East Bay traffic just so he could spend the evening with me. He even stopped at Mrs. Fields on the way home to surprise me with a cookie sandwich filled with pink icing- my favorite! (I'm easy to please)

Our first year of marriage has been incredible! We have been given so many blessings. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has said, "the prophets tell us that true love "beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, and endureth all things"... One of the great purposes of true love is to help each other in these times (trials). We can endure almost anything if we have someone at our side who truly loves us, who is easing the burden and lightening the load." I am grateful for Kevin and all the thoughtful things he does for me. I am also grateful to have him as a best friend- he is my perfect match- teaching seminary together each morning is so fun... because he is so hysterical and just keeps me laughing (and the kids awake). I am also grateful for his testimony- he is such a great example of patience and faith- especially as his dad has been going through some tough times this year.

Thanks to everyone who has wished us a Happy Anniversary! We especially loved the Mrs. Fields Cookie cake- and as you can tell from the picture, we have enjoyed a lot of it already!