One year ago

Engraved in my wedding band is 11/17/07. It was the day Sam and I finally met face to face after about two months of talking on the phone. It was day of our first kiss. And even though he didn't ask me to be his girlfriend until January it was the day he completely lost interest in the other girls he was dating, or so he says. :) This was the first picture we took together. This was just an hour or two after I picked him up at the SLC airport. On the ride there I was so nervous I thought I was going to puke! He tried his best to help me relax but when our hands barely touched I almost floated off the ground!

We went to Chilli's for our first date and afterwards we watched Elf and snuggled up on the couch. That's when I started to calm down. I didn't want the night to end. When I dropped him off he gave me an awkward hug because we were in the car and got out. I then got out of the car because I wanted a real hug but Sam thought I wanted a kiss. We hugged, there were stars and a super bright moon. Then he looked at me and said, "Come here." He pulled me close for the bestest, softest, sweetest, most amazing and romantic kiss I ever had!

Happy one year Kiss-a-versary babe! Te amo con todo mi corazon!

Evil, thy name is Bowflex!

This piece of machinery is my nemesis, the Bowflex Tread Climber! When Sam works out he walks on this and then also uses a weight lifting Bowflex. In recent years I have lost some weight but I am not done by any means. I just got a little distracted by falling in love, getting married, and moving to Cali.

Anyway, my dear sweet husband loves to squish and squeeze my fat and make fat squeezing noises. I'll say it's more of a musical hug on my "loveable" areas. He loves it for some strange reason. To be honest, I have put on a few pounds since getting married, not as many as my fat squishing husband, but a few. So I decided it is time to get back to work.

With my mind made up I put on shorts and sneakers and headed downstairs. The Tread Climber is in the living room. I thought to myself that I would walk while we were watching the Lakers game. Sam walks on it for 20 minutes, no sweat. How is only twenty minutes going to help me lose weight? I'll start at 30 minutes.

Sam shows me how to work it and I begin.

Time 0:05 Got water, got a towel, ready to go!

Time 0:12 Man, this is hard. I say to Sam, "Babe, why do I have to push?"

Time 0:27 Sam says to me, "How's it goin, baby?" I respond, "This is not as easy as it looks."

Time 1:45 Breathing gets harder, in through my nose out through my mouth.

Time 3:37 I say to Sam, "Babe, I am not going to be able to do this for 30 minutes." He says, "No baby, only 20 minutes."

Time 5:06 I cannot focus on the game only the pain in my legs. Breathing getting harder, chest starting to burn.

Time 6:58 Sam says, "How's it goin, baby?" Lungs on fire!! I'll stop at 10 minutes, I can make it to 10 minutes. What's the score? Can't tell vision is also blurred.

Time 8:12 I'm not gonna make it, my lung is going to pop out of my chest! Is this timer slower than normal? My legs feel like jello. Check and make sure the safety key is in so if I fall this devil contraption can't eat me.

Time 9:42 Sam says, "How's it goin, baby?" This is what death must feel like. Lungs burning, legs numb, double vision, inability to hear anything but the screaming inside my head.

I made it to 10 minutes but it took me a good half hour to recover. Then Sam showed me how to set it to just be a Treadmill. I went through 10 minutes of Hell when I could have had a nice 30 minute walk?!?! I did another ten minutes, this time on a setting for a normal person!

I hate exercising, maybe I'll just stay fat!

Prop 8-Are you a wheat?

I hate to admit this but I have not done anything to help the cause of protecting marriage in California other than put a sign in my yard. Now, I am angry and disappointed in myself. I have always tried to stay out of politics because I get so angry that I almost always lose my temper. I thought that since we all have different talents that politics was going to be the fight for others that have the patience to handle it. Like my friend Trev. :) I also didn't think that the world was that far gone yet. This issue and this election has made me realize that I was very wrong. I always thought I would be ready when the Lord needed me to fight but I have clearly missed the call.

This weekend our sign was stolen and it really bothered me like way down deep. Not that it motivated me to get involved, because it didn't. Then at work a friend of mine told me he wasn't 100% sure which way he was voting. It devastated me! This was the first time I had heard anyone I know say they weren't sure. I didn't know enough to even discuss it because once again talking politics puts me in a murderous rage! LOL I made up my mind as soon as I heard about it without any research. I thought about it and had an instant strong confirmation in my heart and mind of which way I should vote. Once I have made my mind up about something it is darn near impossible to convince me otherwise. Some people have called me closed minded but I actually believe I am extremely opened minded. I say that because I am prideful and really like to be right, who doesn't? :) So I always want to know that the side I am on is the right one. After I have decided which side is right I am done listening to the other side. When the Church released it's statements it only confirmed that the decision I had made was right.

On the way home I saw teenagers at four corners of an intersection holding up Yes on Prop 8 signs. It made me so mad at myself and I know that I seriously need to repent. Those kids probably do not have the testimony that I have and yet there they were. This blog is the start of my repentance, I guess. To openly admit that I have done absolutely nothing but to say to my friends and family reading that I tonight I will pray for the strength to never have to admit something like this again. I heard the letters from the First Presidency urging us to get involved and I ignored them. I am ashamed of myself. The vote is next week and I hope there is still something going on that I can help with. I felt very strongly today that I will be held accountable for what I did not do concerning this cause.

My initial reactions are that I cannot separate my emotions or take the religion factor out and the fact that people are doing just that is what is wrong with our country today. It scares me and angers me. This is so ridiculous that there are people even debating this. That internal feeling of right and wrong comes from our creator. Those "rights" that they claim to be entitled to come from God Himself. He created marriage and the rules don't change because a few people decide they aren't fair anymore. The time has come when you must choose between what is right and what is popular.

Another friend of mine and I were talking and she was down because we were discussing these things. She said she feels like she is fighting a battle that we are losing. From the deepest part of my heart I want her to know that we will win! I used to think that the final battle between good and evil would happen long after I left the earth but I know that it has already begun.

Taken from Trev's email sending me all his info on Prop 8, "I hope this helps. There are many who are choosing to go against the First Presidency on this, and it is sad. The philosophies of men, and views of the world are more acceptable to many than the word of the Lord. This is a wheat and tares issue. I'm glad your wheat."

Well, I wasn't but I am now. My days of sitting on the sidelines are over. I hope I am not too late to join the fight!

Sweetheart Tag, SillySuperSam

WHAT IS YOUR HUSBANDS NAME? Samuel

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN MARRIED? 5 months and 1 day

HOW LONG DID YOU DATE? 6 months, 3 of those we were engaged.

HOW OLD IS YOUR HUSBAND? Turning 28 on Nov 9th

WHO IS TALLER? Sam

WHO SINGS BETTER? Um, I have to say me. Sam's accent always makes me laugh when he sings but it warms my heart!

WHO IS SMARTER? Sam for sure!

WHO DOES THE LAUNDRY? I do but he has a few times.

WHO PAYS THE BILLS? I do, those of you that know me might not think that is wise. :) I am learning though.

WHO SLEEPS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BED? Sam does and I sleep in the middle.

WHO MOWS THE LAWN? Emanuel, our gardner.

WHO COOKS DINNER? I do usually but Sam has a couple of times

WHO IS THE FIRST TO ADMIT THEY ARE WRONG? Always me! I even say I'm wrong when I am not because I hate when we are in a fight. But trust me he's the only one I am like that with! Everyone else will go to they grave never hearing me say I am wrong! lol

WHO KISSED WHO FIRST? Sam kissed me. The first night I was dropping him off since he came to visit his brother. I got out of the car because I wanted a better hug but Sam thought I wanted a kiss. So after a hug he pulled me in to give me the best, most romantic, under the moonlight kiss ever!!

WHO WEARS THE PANTS? Sam does and that is one of the main reasons I married him. I had finally found a guy that was tough enough to tell me no. I needed someone who wouldn't put up with my crap!

"He's my hunny bun, sugar plum, pumby-umby-umpkin, he's my sweetie pie! He's my cuppycake, gum drop, snuckum-snuckums, he's the apple of my eye!"-Cuppycake Song