Our first anniversary

Best read while listening to our song. [: I listened to it on repeat during this entire day.

 I left copies of four journal entries of different events in our relationship for him to find - one on the mirror where he'd find it before work, one in the car, one on his desk at work, and one on the front door for when he came home. The first one was one of the first times I mentioned Ryan in my journal, and I talked about how much I admired who he was and liked being around him. The second was the day I realized I was starting to really crush on him. Third, our first kiss; and fourth, a letter I wrote to him throughout the day while he was at work.

Throughout the day I was walking on air. I felt like it was our wedding day again. That day and all those emotions and experiences are some of my most happy and perfect memories. It was a fairytale. Walking out the temple doors to a cheering crowd of our family and friends. Kissing my husband every second I got the chance. Getting to talk to everyone who came to support us. I listened to our wedding playlist, looked through our wedding album, and unwrapped our cake while my brain floated through the memories of that Tuesday morning and everything that had happened since then. 365 days. Three hundred sixty-five. I could have shouted it! I was so happy and grateful for the man who had asked me to be his forever.

He brought me roses when he came home. We got dressed up and went to dinner and walked around the Riverwoods, where we had gone on our first date together. Chalk-the-Block was going on, so we grabbed some chalk and left our mark on the sidewalk. We came home, turned on our wedding playlist, lit candles, turned off the lights, and ate our cake. It tasted amazing! We were so excited that it was just as good as that day a year ago. We each had multiple pieces. [:

We danced in the living room to our song, and I felt like my heart couldn't possibly hold so much love. I couldn't hold back my happy tears. A year ago from that moment, I was dancing with my Mr. Gray, my husband, beneath twinkling lights, and surrounded by the people we loved. I still cannot comprehend how I got so lucky. I knew I loved Ryan more than I'd ever loved anyone, but looking back, I honestly didn't know the half of it. Since that day, it's only gotten better and sweeter. Sometimes I can't believe that I'm married to this man. It would make so much sense if it were just a dream. How is this real? How can someone love me so much?

There aren't words for the feelings I have, and I can only put it this way:

I love this man. I love him. I love him. I love him.

And I get him for eternity.

Three hundred sixty-five

It's been the happiest year of my life.

Life is so good with you, my love.

A clean apartment is a happy one.

Well, I'm sick and it's the poops.

Over my four years of being a college student, I've averaged probably a sickness three times a year.

That's pretty darn good compared to middle school and junior high when I was getting sick every other month. So I'm not complaining too much.

But then there's Ryan who NEVER GETS SICK.

He has been sick once in the two years that I've been dating or married to him.

Immune system of steel, that dude.

Anyways, I came straight home after a short work day today because as much as I was trying to push through the nasty symptoms, my body had had it with being out of bed. Now I'm waiting for my cuddle buddy to get home and do said cuddling. So blogging and journaling is my time filler 'til then. 

Last weekend I did my monthly deep-clean of our apartment and decided to get some pictures while it was looking somewhat nice. A while ago I took pictures of our living room for the same reason.

 We haven't invested a whole lot in our place, as we both see it as a temporary, jumping-off point. If we really wanted to, we could repaint the cupboards and the walls, but why do that to a little rental that you're only going to up and leave from after college graduation. That being said, I love the light, bright windows and the big bedroom and the big mirror closet. I like our shower curtain that we got for 7 bucks on clearance at Bed Bath & Beyond and the shower head that my Dad gave us, which presents the illusion that you're not showering in a shower tub that was installed in the 70s. I like those big yellow stacks of my Nat Geo magazines, and my bright red KitchenAid in the kitchen. I like that both our couch and our recliner are from my parent's house, even though they're not the most stylish. [: I like the painting of Mount Rainier we bought at Pike Place last Christmas, the National Park map Ryan got me for my birthday, and the 2-leafed dining table that my Papa & Nana gave us recently. I like that most of our things have been given to us as gifts from family and friends. A group effort. Our little place on 87 West is a little old, but it'll always be in our memory as our first place together. And that's happy. [:

Enter to learn, go forth to kick butt

And serve. That too.

Secretly patting myself on the back for walking in August. It's nice and small and doesn't take 5 hours to read through everyone's name.

Elder Russel M. Nelson, who spoke to us about how marriage is the most important achievement of this life, and that we as young adults must go out into a world that doesn't believe this, and defend marriage between a man and a woman.

After commencement.

I ran into Dr. B before convocation! My boss and favorite professor ever. Dendro nerds for life.

Diplomas presented by Dr. B, which was awesome.

Ryan was still laughing at the fact that he had written his name and had it read as "Ryan Ricardo Gray" as he walked across the stage. His mom's face - priceless.

My beloved Kimball Tower. [:

 Above: Freshman year, 2010. // Below: Senior year, 2014.

So weird that this happened, but so awesome. I love this university.

Summer evenings

This kid is SO DARLING. From the pictures I've seen, he looks a lot like Ryan did as a kid. This is me crossing my fingers that our kids are this cute!

Cousins with their "old lady sticks." [:

 The next four photos come courtesy of various kiddos. [:

Blogger is doing its weird airbrushing thing again...

We were thrilled to have Amy and her kids in Utah for a few days before Ryan & I headed to Montana. Since Ryan's parents just recently moved from Ketchikan to the Salt Lake area, we've gotten to spend a lot more time with his side of the family. It's AWESOME. I love being an aunt to these adorable little people.