the BIG T.W.E.N.T.Y.

Who knew we were going to celebrate our 20th Anniversary in Utah?!!  Not us!  A few weeks prior to our anniversary I got a call from my bestie, Brooke Cox saying that we was going to get married and would love it if we could be at her wedding in Utah.

Birch and I feel blessed that we were able to make it work especially with it being the weekend right after Thanksgiving.  We were so grateful for all of our Spokane family being willing to take care of the kids while we made a quick trip to Utah.

We flew out of Spokane early Saturday morning and landed in SLC just in time to pick up the groom's brother-in-law from the airport.  I had been totally sweating our timing with the flight landing so close to the temple sealing and needing to rent a car and make the drive to the Bountiful temple.  We ended up having totally smooth travels and even beat the bride and groom to the temple.

Gotta take any chance we can get to kiss!

I absolutely LOVE this picture - this is when Brooke first saw Birch as she was walking into the temple to get married.  

Our first embrace!!!  My heart was bursting with love and happiness for both Corey and Brooke.  This was also Birch and my first time meeting Corey.

Check out the beautiful family!!!  A family of eleven...including their late spouses and seven children.

It was so wonderful to have so much of the Yakima gang come and cheer on Brooke and Corey!

Sisters!

The rest of the weekend was a whirlwind.  We spent a night at Leah and Geoff's house.  Birch even got to go to a BYU football game while I snuggled at home with Leah and the kids.  The next morning we drove down to SLC to meeting Matt and Jessica and the girls for 9 am church.  Birch had a special experience of a little chat with President Monson.  He attends the ward right after Matt and Jessica's and we were in the hallway chatting away when President Monson and his escorts drove up to the church.  Pres. Monson came in almost in like a gallop, quick walking with two escorts by his side.  He stopped at Birch at said, "New tie?"  Birch said something silly as he was still in shock and then President Monson kind of waved Birch in the face with his program.  It only lasted a minute but we chatted about it all afternoon.

We did a speedo trip around temple square and the Church History Museum.  We enjoyed watching one of the new Meet the Mormons segments.

Then we made a quick stop to visit Grandma.  What a delightful hour we had chatting and Grandma sharing her seven new paintings she did this past year.  She told us about the symbolism of each painting.  Such talent!

Love this lady!

Then we were off to celebrate our anniversary at the Homestead Inn in Midway, UT.  I've wanted to go there for a few years now.  It isn't really fancy but it was TOTALLY peaceful.  We stopped first to have a dip in the Homestead Crater.  This was a pretty cool (and kind of spooky) experience.

You walk through this blasted rock tunnel into the crater and then change clothes.  The water was warm and because of the freezing air outside the picture is foggy.  It was kind of creepy for me but my man kept me safe!

We stayed in a little cottage on the Homestead.

Overnight we woke up to a layer of clean white snow.  Everything was quiet and it was a perfect get-a-way.

I just feel so lucky to have this man in my life.  I'm not sure if I would have believed anyone if they told me at my wedding that I could love him more in twenty years.  It's possible, I tell ya!  Love my LOVER!!!