f i v e

To five years with my squints.

Life with you is simply more than I ever imagined marriage could be.  You came in to my life as such a surprise a little more than five years ago.  I had plans to leave for a mission and you had plans to go off to Utah for school.  Our paths collided in Georgia and within a matter of weeks we changed everything to be together.  Dating you was electrifying and comfortable all at the same time.  I'll never forget the moment I was riding in Laura Bain's car and you were in Colorado for Christmas and I finally said it out loud, "I think I'm going to marry John Murphy."  

On January 3rd you put a guitar string ring on my finger and asked me to be your wife.  I remember hopping back in the car after you asked my fathers permission and both of us squealing at the tops of our lungs saying how exciting and fun life ahead of us was going to be.  

 I was never more certain of anything and choosing to put my life with yours has been the easiest and best decision I ever made and we've both never looked back.

Thank you for being an excellent communicator, an easy going man, a wonderful listener, an enthusiast for learning, a committed student, an intriguing conversationalist, an everyday comedian, the ultimate tickler wrestler and massager, a spiritual leader, an eclectic and classic music maker, a tender hearted observer, an engaging friend, an exceptional father, a determined provider, and an incredibly sexy husband. And oh so much more...

5 years, 4 moves, 2 babies. Let's just keep on going ok? I love you endlessly.

Love, wife of your life aka freckles

(thank you for keeping our annual wedding clothes anniversary tradition alive)

And a BIG thank you to Whitney Gossling Photography for these shots.

a little girl in her mothers dress

Oh Evie, today you made my dreams come true.

This morning I taught a seminary lesson about eternal marriage.  I set up the room like a wedding reception and I had my wedding dress on display.  

About 15 years ago, well before I knew John, I started writing letters to my future husband. I would tell him about the things going on in my life and what I was doing to prepare to marry him someday.  It helped me keep an eternal perspective as a youth as to the goal that I wanted.  It is hard when you are young and there are  so many temptations and struggles placed in your way but writing these letters helped me keep an eternal perspective.

The night before John and I were married I gave him the box of letters while sitting in our rented white Mustang.  We laughed and laughed as a lot of them were pretty lame and embarrassing.  However what was clear was that even before I knew who my husband was going to be I prayed for him, thought of him, and tried my best to stay worthy of him by keeping him in my mind and trying to reflect that as best as I could with the decisions I made.

I shared some of those letters with my class today and I encouraged them to write a letter to their future husband or wife. I was amazed at how almost every single one of them went silent and took the time to write what looked like long thoughtful letters.

When I got home I hung my dress in the living room and hopped back in bed.  I woke up to Evie saying, "oh mommy, I saw your wedding dress in the living room!"  I swear. Nothing gets by her.  Later while I was getting ready to put it away she asked if she could try it on.  

Well why not?!

So we did, and she was giddy and happy and looked so beautiful.  My heart was just bursting with joy seeing her in the dress my mother made for me.  It made me hope so much that she does what ever she can in her life to look forward to the day when she gets to go to the temple with her own love to be married.  Making choices that will cause her to be worthy of that is the most important thing she will ever do. 

She tells me all of the time that she wants to marry someone like her daddy.  I tell her that he is the most kind, handsome, and genuine man I've ever met and that she has to marry someone just like him.  

Marrying my John Murphy was the best decision I ever made. Hands down.  

the list

I love my Lisa and our little conversation about 'the list' this past weekend. All I have to say is that I'm glad my husband isn't everything I put on my list. God gave me so many nice surprises of things I never knew I wanted, or needed, I'm so grateful that sometimes we don't get the things we ask for.

Thank you John Murphy for being a kind genuine man. Thanks for being a good listener and quiet observer. Thank you for being the perfect fit for me. And thanks for reaching over and holding my hand in your sleep last night.