Fifteen Years With My Best Friend

In celebration of our fifteen year dating anniversary, I thought I would share 15 facts about us with you.  This is us, Josh & Shelly, in a nutshell.

Junior Prom 2000

1) We met in sign language class in high school.  We were juniors.

2) He walked me 100 miles (slight exaggeration) to my car every afternoon when school let out.  I loved him for it.

Homecoming 2000

3) We wrote love notes like crazy and still own all of them.  I carry 2 of them in my wallet.

4) Our first date was the movies.  He made the first move and held my hand.

Winter Tolo 2001

5) I still remember our first kiss.  And the smell of his hair gel from high school.  Both make me swoon.

6) I knew I could marry him before we'd even been together a year.  He was my soulmate.

Spring Dance 2001

7) We dated two and a half years attending countless dances (homecoming, prom, tolo) and going on countless dates.  On one of our dates he took my on my first and only ferris wheel ride.

Us 2002

8) Josh said, "I love you" first, on May 26th, a mere five weeks after we started dating.  I didn't say I love you back.  I didn't want him to think I was saying it just because he did.

9) Josh proposed on bended knee in Canada & exactly one year later, we were wed.

Engagement pictures 2002

10) Josh and I saved ourselves for marriage.

11) At our wedding I sang, "I Could Not Ask For More" and we walked back down the aisle after the ceremony to "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)".

August 8, 2003

12) We were married five years before we got pregnant and when we found out we were expecting twin boys, Josh said, "They'll be best friends."

13) When we found out I was expecting Wyatt I was hysterical with worry.  Josh held me and said, "But it'll be another little baby!"

August 2011

14) We go to bed at the same time every night. I sleep better with him by my side.  (Sidenote: I went from sharing a room with my sister to sharing a room with my husband.)

15) Josh has made all my dreams come true:
Marrying my best friend; becoming a mother; and being a stay-at-home-mom.

"And I'd choose you;

in a hundred lifetimes,

in a hundred worlds,

in any version of reality,

I'd find you and 

I'd choose you."

-The Chaos of Stars

The Happiness Project :: PASSION :: November

This month's happiness goal area is Passion. I am passionate about a number of things.  Namely happiness, homemaking, blogging & reading.  So those will guide this months' goals.

1) Read For Pleasure

My goal is to read for at least 6 minutes everyday.  It has been shown that reading for pleasure for only six minutes each day noticeably increases happiness.  Following October's goal of reading four books, I am still working on #4, which was Outlander, and this goal will help me reach October's goal, albeit a bit late.

2) Capture Everyday Life

I want to have my camera out and capture the "boring" everydayness of our life.  I want to capture more smiles, more brother moments, more happiness.  I also want to remember/write down fun & silly moments.

3) Blog Freely

After capturing my everyday boringness, I want to share it with you all.  I want to feel free to write whatever I want.  And I want to write about what I'm passionate about.  Two things come to mind when I talk about writing & passion together. One is, the truth.  The raw, ugly, sometimes uncomfortable truth (which is exactly what I've been doing since I lost my pregnancy); and I also want to share little known twin facts & bust myths that exist regarding twins.  

4) Write Down One Thing I Love About Myself Everyday

I have had this list of "Passion" goals written in a notebook since last April when I started my Happiness Project, but especially in light of the miscarriage, I find that writing down something I love about myself is really important.  I am doubting my body, doubting my worth, questioning my value and hating my physical appearance.  With this month's goal being passions, I want to focus on things I love about me & I want to get kick my self rejection habit.

5) Play A GREAT Song Everyday

On Monday I downloaded a few new songs.  It's ridiculous how happy some good tunes can make me.  We have started listening to music during school; use music as a treat for the boys while they do chores (putting away laundry, cleaning their playroom); and I always have something playing while I'm in the shower.  The right music can lift my mood and put a bounce in my step.  So I'm going to keep the trend going this month and pump the jams!

6) Don't Save/Hoard

I want to trust in bounty.  I tend to slowly dole out projects for the boys, and candles or scentsy for myself.  No more.  I want to use the cute stationary, wear the pretty jewelry and burn the delicious candles.  

"Don't save things for a special occasion.

Everyday of your life is a special occasion."

-Thomas S. Monson

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