Snowball Effect

Last Sunday we were at my parent's house for dinner when my dad told Abby one of my all time favorite stories.  It is the story of the first time my parents met...

(Not an actual photograph of described events.)

It was a beautiful winter's day up at University of Utah campus.  There had been a huge snowstorm the night before, so in between classes, my mom and her friend decided to throw snowballs at all the cute boys walking by on their way to class.  Who knows how many snowballs were actually thrown, but as the story goes, my dad was the only one who stopped and threw one back.  And that is the way it all began...

As my dad finished telling Abby the story, he gestured to everyone sitting around the table: my mom, my seven siblings, our spouses and the nine grandchildren running wild through the house.  "See Abby, this is what happens when you throw snowballs at cute boys."

Without missing a beat, Abby said with newfound understanding, "Maybe that's why they don't want us throwing snowballs at recess."

It was a hilarious response - but over the past week, I have thought about the story and how grateful I am for those two crazy college kids who met during a snowball fight, were married a year and half later, have raised and loved eight kids and have been in love for more than 43 years.

Now that is the perfect definition of the snowball effect.

Forty Years in the Making...

The day after Andrew and I celebrated our tenth anniversary, my parents celebrated their 40th anniversary.

As part of their celebration, they took my siblings and me and our spouses/significant others to dinner tonight. We ate at Creekside Restaurant at Solitude Ski Resort and enjoyed amazing views and incredible food.


As a "party favor" my mom gave each of us a small box of treats tied with brightly colored bows. Inside each box were forty pieces of candy, forty dollars, and forty of my moms favorite quotes, scriptures and oft repeated family mantras. It was such a sweet touch - totally typical of my mom. We had a great evening together and it was a fun way to celebrate my parents and their wonderful marriage. (The only sibling who wasn't there was my brother Peter who is serving an LDS mission in Osorno, Chile - which is exactly where my parents want him to be.)

We missed you Peter!

I am so grateful for my parents and for their marriage. They have always been an example of a great partnership and an affectionate relationship. They gave me a template after which I could pattern my own marriage and I am so thankful for that example.

So, Mom and Dad, thank you for a wonderful evening tonight and for a lifetime of love and happiness as your daughter. Here's to many more years of a practically perfect marriage.