Thursday, February 16, 2012

Happy Birthday Ben! Your letter included.

Ben turned 28 on January 30th. I took Ben to Tucanos the first part of January for his birthday and Marshall and I took him to The Brick Oven (one of our faves) the weekend before his birthday. It has been a birthday tradition with us to eat at The Brick Oven. Ben, Marshall, Madison, Courtney, and I celebrated on his birthday by staying home and having a simple, yet fun, birthday party for him with yumminess cake and ice cream. I made a chocolate mousse crunch cake from my 'Our Best Bites' cookbook. One word: amazing!





The kids helped Ben blow out his candles :)

Courtney and Ben indulging in the deliciousness!

Marshall thought it was delicious!

Silly Mady! She thought the cake was delicious, too!



Ben was born at Mountain View Hospital on January 30, 1984. He weighed 7 lbs.14 oz. and was 20 inches long at birth. He was born at 2:39 am. Ben and I were both born in 1984. Ben's mom teases him about his wide shoulders. His shoulders got stuck during delivery and she couldn't push him out without help.
He and his family lived in Payson until he was 8 years old. They then moved to Mona where him and I met for the first time.
Since Ben and I are the same age, we were in the same church class when we were younger. Ben says that he used to always stare at me in class and he thought I was so cute in my cute little church dresses.
Ben's older sister and I were best friends.
Ben's big brother and I secretly crushed each other. Haha.
Ben says that he had a huge crush on me and that I was his first crush. I am the first girl that he has ever told that he loves. He never felt it was right with anyone else, and he didn't feel it was right to tell those precious words to just anyone because love is delicate and it's not right to just throw those words around.
Ben's little sister said that when we were all younger and living in Mona that she used to wish that she was me because she thought I was so pretty. That was so sweet of her to tell me that.
Ben's most vivid memory of me when I was younger was when I came knocking on their door late one night. I was crying because I had just gotten into a fight with my family (I'm sure one of my 7 sisters). I was saying that I wanted to be apart of their family. Haha! Well, I guess I got my wish. Little did I know that Ben would make that happen. :)
When Ben and his family moved to Mona they lived a couple of houses down from us. They were the fun family. Everyone would come out to play basketball, baseball, night games etc. with them. They were always doing something fun. I always looked forward to getting home from school and meeting them, and some other neighborhood kids, at the Mona park basketball court. I thought they were so cool.
They moved away for a year to Cedar City. They drifted back to Mona after their year adventure in Cedar City. When they returned to Mona they moved into the house that my family had just moved out of. My family had lived in that house for 7 or so years before we moved into our brand new home just 2 houses down from where we had previously lived. Ben's room was in the same room as mine used to be for part of the time that my family lived there. He had to share that room with some of his brothers and I had to share that room with some of my sisters.
I eventually went off to live with my aunt and uncle in Goshen for a few months. When I returned, they were gone. They had moved to Nephi. I never knew (until a couple of years ago) that they had moved to Nephi. I always wondered where they went.
Life went on but I always remembered them and wondered how they all were. It wasn't until March of 2010 that I would find out how they were all doing. I came across Ben and a couple of his siblings on one of my friend's 'friend's lists' on facebook (back when we both had a facebook account). I requested them as friends and we picked up as if we had never lost contact.
Ben came into my life at the hardest time of my life. He was a great friend to me and helped me pull myself out of a depression state and one of the lowest points in my life. I didn't understand then why he cared so much about me. I didn't feel like I was worth being cared about at that time. I'm glad he never gave up on me and that he cared about me so much. Now, here we are: married and our baby is due on mine and Ben's 2 year anniversary of us seeing each other again for the first time in over a decade.
 So, here is a little description about what happened in Ben's life throughout the years that we lost contact:
Ben and some of his brothers religiously attended a Martial Arts, Chun Kuk Do (Chuck Norris) style karate class. They were avid trainers. Ben's big brother teases him how he was their teacher Sue's favorite. Ben received his black belt and then pursued and received his 2nd degree black belt. Martial Arts was his passion in life.
Ben taught karate for a teen center in Nephi for a couple of years.
Ben fought in the cage twice and then decided that wasn't for him. He realized he didn't like hurting people for the fun of it. He won his first fight and lost his second fight due to his opponent throwing an illegal punch to his throat. Everyone saw that it was an illegal punch, but for some reason the judge called it a TKO. Ben was surprised that they had ended the fight and not let them finish the fight rightfully. 
Ben considered opening his own martial arts school but decided not to pursue it.
Ben taught a couple of woman's self defense classes at BYU.
Ben used to own a bullet bike and some lady drifted into his lane pushing him off the road. He was fine, but his bike wasn't so fortunate. His bike was totalled. I've wanted a bullet bike for the past decade, so I wish he still had his.
Ben is my soul mate. I have no doubt about that. God knew he was the one for me and sent him into my life. I will be forever grateful.

I am trying to make it a tradition to write each person in my little family a letter for their birthday. So, here is your letter Ben.

Ben,
I love you for more reasons than you realize. You are my hero. You are my rock.
Thank you for being you. Thank you for your example. Thank you for your kindness. Thank you for not always telling me what I WANT to hear, but what I NEED to hear. Thank you for your words of wisdom. Thank you for listening to me when I talk endlessly (or so it must seem), which is often. Thank you for all the help you give to the kids and I. Thank you for making me feel like I'm the only woman in the world to you. Thank you for making me feel beautiful. Thank you for being amazing with the kids. We love you so much. Thank you for putting up with me, especially on my bad days. Thank you for always understanding me and never ever judging me.
You are one of a kind and I'm blessed that you chose me to be your wife. You are truly amazing! Thank you for being strong enough to wait until we were married to "go all the way". I cherish that about you. You truly are a gentleman. Thank you.
I can't imagine my life without you. Thank you for all of your amazing adventures that you have taken the kids and I on. The kids and I look forward to many more adventures with you. 
Thank you for bringing hope back into my life. Thank you for lifting me up and always wiping away my tears as I know there have been many. Thank you for putting endless smiles on mine and the kid's faces. But, most of all, thank you for loving me for me and loving the kids and I with all your heart.
I promise to always love you with all my heart. I promise to always be here for you. I promise to love you on your good days, but especially I promise to love you on your bad days, too. I promise to always be faithful and true. I promise to always love you the way that you deserve. I promise to never speak ill of you. I can't even imagine the thought of speaking anything but good about you.
Never forget how deeply in love I am with you!

Love,
Jamie

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Christmas 2011

Christmas 2011!

We had a wonderful Christmas together! Christmas came and went so fast. We still have our tree up. I know, sad..... I'm considering just making paper hearts and putting them on the tree so it can be a valentine tree.... KIDDING!! It's coming down today or tomorrow. I want it down before Marshall's baptism this Saturday.
Here is our Christmas in pictures. I took so many pictures Christmas day. It would have taken forever to upload them all, so I'm just including some of their faves.

Santa came! The girls LOVE LOVE LOVE their new dollhouse. It has taken it's new residence in our living room. One day we'll find another place for it's home.... like in the girl's bedroom, but for now it remains downstairs.

Madison looking through her stocking stuff

Courtney looking through her stocking stuff

Marshall wearing his candy necklace from his stocking.
Do you see the picture of me on the tree in the background? My Husband saw it on the floor one day in December and put it on the tree. He's so silly.

Santa even brought a gift for our baby girl who is due this March. Isn't Santa so thoughtful? I think so, too! :)

The girls mobigos (so fun) and Marshall's double light sabers (so cool)

Marshall's Nintendo 3DS bundle with Super Mario 3D Land!

Courtney's new big girl bike!

Madison's Easy Bake Oven (She hearts it and I do too)!

Courtney's paint/chalkboard!

Madison's magnetic paper princess doll set!

Marshall's new pants. He's been complaining of his other pants being "floaties". I think they were fine, but what do Mom's know? ;) These are his new favorite pants.
Courtney has a walmart gift card, and Madison has some new pajamas.

I love this picture. Ben holding the girls and some of his new gifts.


Here is the aftermath of the morning. Most of the wrapping paper had been picked up at this point.
I wrapped Marshall's new gloves in that empty tide box. When he opened the gift I told him that we got him laundry soap so he can start doing his own laundry from then on. He didn't fall for it.
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