So Lucky

So I've been reading a lot of Nicholas Sparks books while I nurse (yup. I completely skipped out on the ward BOM challenge in favor of sappy love stories... I'll admit it) and with all of the characters who are hopelessly in love and who... end up dying, I've been thinking a lot about my own life, and how I would feel if Paul were to um, be gone for whatever reason. Yup. I've been thinking about what I'd miss if he were to die on me. (he'd better not!!!)

I won't list all of them, because I know most of you don't really want to know (his mom, his sister...) but here are a few:

• Paul is super knowledgeable when it comes to gospel-related stuff. Which is sort of why I can get away with slacking on my own spiritual knowledge (I know, I know... it's total badness on my part! but at least I know it!) And whenever I have questions about ANYTHING, inevitably he'll know the answer. Or at the very least, he'll know where to look for it. 
• He is really sensitive to my needs. As in, he understands me better than anybody else does, and acts accordingly.
• Paul is the one who can make our girls laugh the hardest, but he is also better at discipline. In other words, he completes our parenting team, and I'm really grateful to have him. 
• He can also make me laugh. Which is good, but not so great 2 kids later and bladder-control being that much less... 
• Yup. I like being silly with him. Y'all haven't seen me be silly the way I'm silly with Paul when there is nobody else around to see and judge... and he'll tell me that I'm a dork, but I know that deep down, he's just as dorky as I am, so it's okay, and he loves me anyway. 

I also realized as I was thinking about this post that I totally skipped out on posting that WE HAD A 6YEAR ANNIVERSARY LAST MONTH and wow, what a sad thing to miss! We've been married for 6 years, sealed for 5. Crazy, right?

We didn't do tons for our special day, but our good friends Tiff & Kent came over, and spontaneously offered to do a little photo shoot of our family, since we didn't have any family pictures that included Lydia. Here are some of my favs that I sent to my grandma in CA, since she's always begging for pictures:

And while I'm all "counting my blessings" and stuff... I've got to say this: I love my life. I feel really blissfully happy, knowing that I've married my best friend, we make beautiful babies who grow up into sweet kids (so far, at least) and I love my home, and I love our ward. I love making our house pretty and clean and homey, I love it right after the girls have had baths and they smell so good. I love going to church on Sundays (and other days, too) knowing that I am useful and that I know most of the people there and that I LIKE the people there, and that they probably like me too. And it's nice to know that our family is eternal, that we'll be together forever. I love what I do, I love making projects, and I love when people call me for help or to tell me that they've gotten a project back and how excited they are. Or when they call me to tell me that their friend saw their project and loved it and they want to meet me to learn more. I have so much fun doing that. The biggest challenge in our life right now is that Paul still hasn't gotten a job, but even then, our needs are met and honestly, it is so nice to have him home and to have his help in everything. Since we've moved and are no longer resident managing, it just seems like life is so wonderful and calm and full of good things.

It's just funny to realize how happy I am, and why, and to look back to when I was still in college - the things that I thought would make me happy at the time probably wouldn't have really, and back then, I don't think I really ever pictured myself loving being a wife and a mother. And not moving all of the time (army brat/gypsy) which of course, takes me back to being grateful for Paul, for helping me figure out the things that actually make me happy.

Yup, done being sappy now :) Don't worry - I've read almost all of Nicholas Sparks' books at this point, and soon I'll move on to something else. :)