Idaho Wedding

Brad and I got to celebrate my nephew's wedding a few weeks ago. Strangely, I have not a single picture of the bride and groom, but I do have lots of pictures of Ellie!

Heidi drove down for the day with her oldest and youngest, and Ellie loved being part of the adult world with no other little kids around. She snatched my phone, and when I got it back, there were two dozen of these selfies:

Ellie is such a good girl, and it was fun for me and Brad to have to talk with her about her exciting life in Idaho.

Kate also came along for the trip, and she was definitely loved on.

Ellie loves looking at Grandma Tucker's box collection, and since there were no little ones around, Grandma allowed her to keep the panel open and look at them all by herself--a pretty grown-up privilege.

Look at that raspberry bush. The bride's mom had been so busy preparing for the wedding that she'd neglected her patch. She gave the kids at the reception free rein, and they ate and ate and ate.

Grandma helped her find the best ones. I love these pictures. I haven't seen my mom this genuinely happy in a long time.

Here's the mom of the groom.

And Heidi. I always feel a little better when I'm outside in Idaho and Heidi gets cold, too. She's lived in Idaho ten years now and still pulls out a jacket before everyone else.

Love this picture. That baby Kate is the easiest, sweetest, chubbiest cheeked little love.

The reception was gorgeous--outside in the bride's back yard with all of the flower arrangements from her mom's cutting garden. The light was beautiful. The food was good. The company was amazing. The music was tender.

And every time I go back to Idaho in September, it makes me want to move home. A lot.

I need to remember that in February.

Salt Lake City

President Russell M. Nelson announced the closure of the Salt Lake Temple in April’s General Conference, and that’s when Brad and I decided we needed to take a trip north back to the place where we were married thirty years ago.

While I had been back a few times, Brad hadn’t been back since June 1989, and we wanted together to see our sealing room. 

Heidi and Katie accompanied us, and it was an adventure better than expected. 

Plus, we scored the best table in all of Salt Lake City—the corner booth at The Roof restaurant. What a beautiful evening! 

I took the time to reflect back over the last thirty years of my life, and I can't believe how blessed I am--especially to be walking through life with Brad. He is incredible and the greatest blessing I ever received.

I can’t wait to go back in four or five years when the renovation is complete. That sounds like a long time away, but the Mesa temple is less than a year away from its two-year projected closure time, and I know it will pass quickly.