Anniversary

For our 16th wedding anniversary, my mom took the kids for two nights. Unfortunately we had soccer games on Thursday night and Saturday morning and it was also General Conference weekend, so we really only had Friday to enjoy as a couple. But having the night before and after was really a nice perk.

After dropping Peter off at my parents home (Ammon and Laurie were already there) we decided to get a late dinner. I wanted to do something out of our normal routine so I mentioned the idea of Thia Basil which is a restaurant just outside of my parents neighborhood in Riverton, UT. We have heard lots of great things about it over the years, but have never been.

It didn't take us long to get there, but on the way we quickly realized that we had absolutely no idea what to order. Peggy and Derrick have really enjoyed Thai food in the past, though, so we called Peggy for some advice. She gave us her recommendations while we sat in the parking lot and then we went on in.

I quickly scanned the menu and found several enticing options that I thought Andrew would enjoy. I was surprised to realize how much the menu intimidated him. I forget how hesitant he is to try new and different foods. He definitely likes to stick with what is familiar. I was actually really touched that he had been so on board with coming to this restaurant when I realized how far outside of his comfort zone it put him. I also decided that I wanted to splurge on a sampler appetizer because I like trying lots of different things. Again, several of the items made him nervous, but ultimately, he tried everything but the egg rolls (something he has had in the past and knew he didn't like). We both ended up ordering curry dishes. The next day we passed an Indian restaurant that we had eaten at (the one and only time we have ever gone to an Indian restaurant). We realized that we enjoy Indian curry flavors more than the Thai food. But it was fun to try it out and I felt really loved knowing that he did that with me without hesitation.

The morning of our anniversary, we actually had some errands to take care of since our weekend was going to be full with general conference. Andrew took the car to work on getting it registered while I went to the doctor for some routine blood work. (They actually took my test a month ago but forgot to run the right tests on it so they needed to take it again.) I also coordinated with my mom's friend Cathy Bang to help her with some babysitting she needed for her granddaughters.

Andrew and I got back from our errands but he also needed to run into work for something that he had left undone the previous day. We did that and decided to take advantage of a gift card he had been given a while back for a diner there in the same parking lot as his workplace. Because the owner banks with Wells Fargo at his location, she knew Andrew by name. My brother Dan also goes to that restaurant a lot and she is familiar with him. I had forgotten that this might be the case so I was surprised when she greeted me and mentioned that I look like my brother. It was fun to be in an environment where I was known by a stranger. It reminded us of the life we enjoyed in Alaska.

After breakfast, our "date" really began. After having recently taken the children to the Church History Museum, I had decided that I really wanted Andrew and I to go to the museum without children. He is an amazing church history buff and gets kind of passionate about what he learns in that regard. I don't have nearly the passion for history - even church history - but I have always had a fondness for the Church History Museum. When I was a missionary, I remember missing it. And I've enjoyed being told some of the things my parents have learned there as docents over these past many years.

We took the time to go very slowly through the different videos and artifacts. It was fun. We also went upstairs to learn about the pioneer trek to Utah and look through an amazing art gallery that was called Saints at Devil's Gate. It was a series of paintings representing different scenes along the path that the pioneers made on their trek west.

We left the Church History Museum and were debating what to do next - whether we should explore Temple Square or move on to our next intended activity which was to go shooting. As we walked out of the Museum our ears were immediately assaulted by the sounds of General Conference protestors shouting all sorts of angry words condemning our faith and beliefs. We didn't want to walk past them to go across the street to temple square, but I was curious about the Family History Library so we ducked into there instead.

We had a blast at the Family History Library. They had nine different stations and we enjoyed each one. Andrew even recorded his version of the events of our engagement. (I wrote one many years ago that is a more complete account of the events but it was fun and entertaining to hear the things that he remembered. He was really having fun playing to the camera. He keeps me laughing.)

After a wonderful time downtown, we went home to rest for a bit before going shooting. For some reason, at that point, Andrew decided that he didn't actually want to go shooting so we decided to scrap that plan. Also, during this time, we learned that Rebecca's boyfriend had moved out and that she was having a rough day. It was her intention for him to leave, but the actual change was abrupt and wasn't as cordial as she had hoped. We tried to figure out what we should do for her and ultimately decided to take her a treat from CostCo. After going there for gas and some treats, we headed, through rush hour traffic, across town to Rebecca's house.

When we got there she had obviously been crying. She had already asked people for help with cleaning and reorganizing this weekend, and its seemed apparent that we could jump in with that. Without really discussing it, I started in on cleaning Rebecca's kitchen while Andrew helped her rearrange some furniture and clean the living room. My heart was warmed by an amazing husband who was willing to spend his anniversary night cleaning a house belonging to someone else. I was even more amazed when he took a minute to pull me aside and with great concern asked if I was OK with MY anniversary being spent that way. He hadn't even thought to be distressed for himself, but was only worried that I was satisfied with the course of events. We were in perfect agreement in thinking that nothing we could have been doing in that moment was more meaningful than helping Rebecca. So we decided to treat her to dinner as well. Once again, my heart melted as we sat in the restaurant on a special occasion and with arrangements having been made for our own children, knowing that my husband was willingly paying for two extra people, at a restaurant we likely would not have selected, with a rambunctious toddler that made the experience less relaxing. And he did it willingly and feeling confidently pleased with his choice to do so.

By the time we took Rebecca back to her house, it was after dark. We decided to stop for some cheesecake to take home and just take the rest of the night easy at home. The next morning we woke up and it was back to the crazy juggle of schedules with multiple events happening simultaneously. I missed Ammon, Peter and Laurie for our two nights without them, but I am so very grateful that my mom and Grandma provided them with a great environment that they were happy to be in, and that Andrew and I had a special day to laugh and play and enjoy each other's company on our own terms.