Dreams don't always come true...and its ok!!

I have often dreamed about this day trying to figure out how it would be spent. Would I finally get that trip to Italy that I have dreamed about, be whisked off to Hawaii, go on that Alaskan cruise, splurge on floor seats for a Phoenix SUNS game, be surprised with the giant rock of a diamond I was promised, take a weekend trip to Las Vegas, send the kids to my mom, shut off our phones and ignore the world for a weekend, take that trip to a bed and breakfast somewhere in the White Mountains that we talked about doing almost every year, have an "April" week where I could do whatever I wanted, and so much more?? I have no idea what would've been on this day but I do know this...Clint would've given me the biggest surprise of my life and I would've loved every minute with him.


I am sure you are wondering what day I am describing here well...today...February 16, 2011 would've been our 10 year wedding anniversary. Ten years ago we loaded up in a rental car with his brother Ryan and sister-in-law Aften and set out to Vegas. We did this among much protest and Clint told me once that he was glad we went to Vegas instead of getting married in a church with people who weren't happy that we were getting married. We have always done things our own way and wouldn't ever change them.

Anyways we got to Vegas and went to check into our hotel, The Aladdin, and they wouldn't let us get the rooms because we weren't 21 yet, thankfully they let us transfer the rooms into Ryan's name. We got to our rooms and started calling around for a wedding chapel we decided on The Little White Wedding Chapel, though I am not sure why we picked that one and with Aften's help I got transformed into a beautiful bride. The limo picked us up and took us to the court house to get our marriage certificate and then off to the chapel. Sadly it was an extra $100 to have Elvis marry us so we got a minister from a church down the road. The service was short, sweet and to the point. I told Clint before we left AZ to get his ring sized but he said no it should fit. Well when it came time for me to put it on his finger IT WOULDN'T GO ON!! In our wedding video you can see me shoot him the "I told you so" look as I shove the ring on his finger. Afterwards we went outside and took pictures and we got back in the limo and the driver said "Well you are a quiet crowd for just getting married" I told her that I needed some caffeine because I had a headache so she pulled into a gas station so Clint could get me some Dr. Pepper!! We stayed one night in The Aladdin and the next day the 4 of us hit Vegas for some sight seeing and we had such a blast. We ate at a buffet, took 7 rolls of pictures, Ryan almost got pick-pocketed, played in an arcade and saw just about everything there was to see on the strip. Then we loaded up in the car and decided to make one more stop before heading home...we went to see the Las Vegas temple. It truly is a beacon on a hill, it was amazing the peace and quiet that was there as it over looks "sin city". They took some pics of the temple and we headed home where our second night as a married couple we slept in the back seat of a Chrysler Seabring on the side of a road somewhere.

That was a shortened version of our wedding in Las Vegas 10 years ago. Exactly one year later we got sealed in the Mesa Temple. When that happens you are married for TIME AND ALL ETERNITY... NOT AND/OR ETERNITY. So as I look back on my wedding and all the dreams I had for this 10 year anniversary one thing is clear...I am married to him for time and all eternity but my time with him is over. Our time here on Earth is complete but I know without a shadow of a doubt that he wants me to eventually be married again (ask my sister Robin she can tell you how she knows for sure). He wants me to find a man that can help raise and guide our kids throughout this life since he can't be here and he knows that in the grand scheme of things our time here on earth is but a small blip and he knows that we have all eternity ahead of us.

So yes, dreams don't always come true or turn out the way you hoped but just know that it is OK but there is a plan already set out for us and while we may not understand now we will understand one day!!!