Best thinking times.

I have times (and places) where I am enabled to think at my best.

1- In the shower.  I need to have some way to record all the epiphanies I have in there..

2- Cleaning, but while vacuuming especially.

3- Right as I am about to fall asleep.

So it should come as no surprise that ideas were flooding my little brain as I was scrubbing, totally delving into my “Spring” cleaning yesterday.

Yes, it was Monday, and I clean on Monday as we all know..  but I was really on one yesterday.  I tore apart our closet, bathroom, and bedroom and had at.

It was fun.

(I know, I am sick.)

I also had music on, (a must for just about any activity at our house) and right as my mind was going to solve all of the world’s problems, our song came on.

Now I have to explain, we have A LOT of songs.  Different songs for different points in our relationship.

- Head over heels hit us both at the same time on that drive home from the life-changing trip to Lake Powell, it was quite fitting as it all went so fast..  “Something happens and I’m head over heels..”

- Bread, because that was also during that life-changing trip to Powell, and the lyrics in that one song, fit so well.  (It also helped that Austin played it over and over and over again as Merrill and I talked on the sun deck.)

- Saved the Best for last is another one that kind of just fit, because of all the “bad timing”  moments we have had relationship –wise since we were 15, we managed to save the best for last (cheesy, I know).

But this one song that came on, means more to me than any other.

Merrill deemed it “our song”.

I will never forget the first time he played it for me, it was after he made me a DVD slideshow, a much better version of a “mix tape”.

I sat, listening to the lyrics of this song, watching as the pictures from our life together  flashed by faster than I would like it to, and crying.

Crying because I was so amazed that someone felt this way about me.

We had been married not quite five years, and I should have known of his feelings for me, but of that magnitude?  It simply blew me away.

I must also say, that every year gets better than the last, that the love I thought was so great, and so strong to begin with, only gets better and better.

So I sat, listening to the words, yet again, while I was scrubbing the tub, feeling even more gratitude for this man who loves me, for his thoughtfulness, for his kindness, for his unselfish ways, for the life we share, for how far we have come together.

“Oh, how blessed we are, to share in everything..  every time I see your face, I’m reminded, of what it means to be alive.”

Geez I love him!

9 years..

Merrill put this together for me right after we had Ash... I love it! It never fails to bring me to tears..
He put one of "our songs" in the beginning and then one that he turned into another of "our songs"..

Just a sample of the lyrics (and this is Merrill's gift, to find the perfect song..):
"You're the brightest shining star I've ever seen.. Oh how blessed we are, to share in everything.. Life before was cold, cold and empty.. every time I see your face I'm reminded of what it means to be alive.."

I love you so much Merrill!!!

Happy anniversary!

Happy Birthday Merrill!

Today he turns...
...he doesn't like me to say...
...so here's 29 reasons why I love Merrill Pitcher...
1. He's so darn cute!
2. He has good genes.
3. He is such a hard worker.
4. He's pretty darn smart! 5. He makes awesome memories with me.
6. He digs me.
7. He's such a good dad...
8. He likes a good laugh.
9. He puts up with all of my shenanigans.
10. He listens to me, most of the time... ;)
11. He enjoys my gullibleness. Example: One evening, while eating at our El Matador, I got a larger than usual portion of rice. He told me that there was a rice recall, and they were trying to unload all of their rice so it wouldn't go to waste. I believed him...
12. Heart to heart talks till the wee hours of the morning...

13. He had a dream, or should I say desire, to get married in the Salt Lake temple, and he stuck to it...
14. He honors his Priesthood... and blesses our family.
15. He has been with me (even though he really hates medical facilities of any kind...) when each of the girls were born, and would spend every possible second there with us...
16. He makes cute kids... Lynn looks like him...
So does Ashley...
As does Peyton... if you don't believe me, look at the first pic again...
17. He looks hot driving heavy machinery and big trucks... while welding... when he wears his beanie... when he holds babies...18. "You're my eyes Min-daay!" That's a story for later...
19. He's such a hot dog on the jet skis...
20. He's such a fun dad! He loves to play with the girls. They are always starting pillow fights with him... he takes them wherever he needs to go just so he can be with them.
21. He gave each of the girls a name and a blessing.
22. He gave me a blessing before we left for the hospital to have each of the girls.
23. I didn't know he could be such a goof ball.. but he can!
24. He's fun to play jokes on.
25. He retaliates well... (I'll have to tell the spider/pop it story later for those who don't know...)
26. He's a republican... that's an inside joke between us...
27. He can pull the appropriate movie line whenever he needs to.
28. He supports my scrapbooking addiction...
29. And 'cause he lets me kiss on him!
Happy Birthday Mer!!!
I love ya!

How I met the love of my life... (sigh...)

It all began 3 or more years before this picture was taken...We were 15... well, Merrill was 16. Joe (my brother) and Jackie (Merrill's sister), were dating. His family invited my family up for a barbecue and to swim. Jackie had mentioned a couple of times that she had a brother my age who was pretty cute. We should date when I turned 16. The night of the barbecue was the first time I ever saw him. After that, I couldn't stop thinking about him! I could even tell you what he was wearing... and I took extra time getting ready that day too. I did have a "boyfriend" at the time, and I still had Merrill on the brain.
We both dated, had relationships, but still kept tabs on the other. He would come over to my house occasionally with Joe to mess around... I would find a reason to go to Joe's room... wow.. he (Merrill, not Joe!) was (is) hot...
September 1996, Joe and Jackie got married. Here was our first real conversation. We took Kaitlyn and MiKell to McDonald's in the ZCMI center to get some fries while the endless photo shoot was going on. He really didn't talk much. I thought it was because he wasn't interested in me. He says he was shy, he really liked me. I didn't believe him until we watched home video of the wedding after we began dating, only to find him checking out my butt...
We still would ask about each other, and Joe and Jackie (but I think more Joe) began hinting to Merrill that he should break up my engagement, apparently, no body seemed to care for my doofy fiancee (including me). So Merrill said he'd do it.
August 1998, I was supposed to be getting married, but didn't want to (too long a story...) and Jackie knew I needed a break. She invited me to go to Lake Powell with her family. My payment: help to cook and to care for Kaitlyn and MiKell, going into 1st grade and Kindergarten (and now they are Lakette and Cheer captain? Where has time gone?!) I was game, and I left my engagement ring at home, I didn't want it to get lost...;)
Many prayers later... there was Merrill. We talked A LOT.
We hit it off. He was so sweet!
He kissed me.
We fell in love.
He rescued me. I broke off my engagement the day I got home.
Lake Powell is a sacred place to us.