My Valentine!

Valentines Day! I have wanted to do a post about my sweetheart since I started contributing to our family blog and now seems an appropriate time. I also hope that this will somehow take the place of flowers, chocolates, and/or a card, all of which I struggle to purchase partly because of time constraints but mostly because I have a difficult time spending money on things other than food, shelter, and occasional fun. Flowers die quickly (my last few l0oked good for less than 24 hours), cards are sentimental but once they are read there's not much more, and chocolate . . . well, lets' not go there :-) I would give her money, but she already has all of mine so that would be pointless.


For anyone who has met TerriLyn, they are usually impressed by how kind, considerate, friendly, and pretty she is. On the surface she seems to be a very terrific individual. That's on the surface. When people actually get to know her they come to find out she is pretty-near-darn-perfect! Born the last of 9 children to parents who had thought they were done having kids at least 3 years prior, she came as a surprise but very welcome addition to their family. Sometimes the best is saved for last, which, I believe, was the case in her family.







Missing out on her parent's educational years and career beginnings, as well as the hefty discipline that often gets worn out of parents over the years, she was a little spoiled (being the youngest girl may have influenced this as well). This did not affect her adversely and she had many opportunities with her hobbies and education available to her that she still cherishes.

Favorite activities in her early youth and teen years included: dancing, running (sprints), exploring the outdoors, and water sports such as slalom skiing to name just a few. Making bows is a cool new talent she has developed since we have had girls. She was (and still is) very smart and always earned great grades.




TerriLyn has a very sill streak which came as a great surprise when I got to know her. Especially in her early college years, she would involve herself with dressing up, role playing, riding bikes off of bridges, and film making that she and her friends would participate in. I still get uncomfortable when I watch some of their works, but they seemed to have a good time!



Probably her best friend growing up and throughout college was her niece Natalie whom she still keeps in close contact with. I especially approve of her niece because she married one of my best friends from high school and former roommate in college. It sure makes keeping up with friends easier when they are part of the family!

My first memory of TerriLyn was at tryouts for the Ricks College Ballroom Dance Team. She was fun, talented, and "dead sexy." I was pre-mission so I tried to admire from a distance. We were in the same circle of friends so we had many opportunities to interact and quickly developed a good friendship. Unfortunately, TerriLyn did not put on anti-boyfriend spray before she left her apartment each day and had several relationships while I was away on my mission (I came across many pictures during this time period while researching for this post that I had never seen before. I am feeling even more grateful that she was still single when I got home!) We kept in touch while I was gone for the two years and fortune smiled upon me that by the time I returned home there was a lull in male prospects. I apparently beat the rush since, after we started dating, several old flames came out of the woodwork hoping to rekindle what they had lost. For what it is worth, I thought TerriLyn looked better when I got home than I had ever remembered her looking before I had left; tan, toned, and as fun as ever. I had always known that I wanted to marry someone strong in the gospel with many of the virtues that TerriLyn has, but I also thought I would compromise in the looks department to get the things I really wanted. I never thought I would marry someone with her spiritual beauty that was only matched by her physical beauty. Things moved quickly when we got over the awkward stages of her knowing I was interested (I wasn't even a bit subtle about it) and we were soon married in the Salt Lake Temple.

We have been poor students for the entire 6 (almost 7) years of marriage and TerriLyn has been a terrific sport about living poor. While those around us have usually been in the same or similar situation, I feel that TerriLyn has done more with less than about anyone else I have ever met. I hope our (mostly her) sacrifice will be rewarded 10 fold in the future. Even through pregnancies she has continued to look great even as we gear up for our 3rd girl in April. She is such a great mother for our little girls! This picture is from TerriLyn's pregnancy with Tabitha.

When the Sealer was talking to us prior to the ordinance of marriage ceremony, he made the comment that I should always put TerriLyn up on a pedestal (he actually said "platter" but we knew what he was meaning). So I decided, with some child labor involved, to create a snow sculpture titled "Pedestal." The labor involved represents my efforts to put her on the place she deserves (on the pedestal) and the height (total, including the snow person on top, is >14 feet) represents my attempt to do the best I can do. The snow person, of course, represents TerriLyn. I rolled the snow so that as the temperature warms and the snow on the ground melts it will reveal the shape of a heart around the sculpture (not seen very well in the pictures).

TerriLyn is the best person I know and a wonderful mother to our girls. I really hit the jackpot when I married her since she is the best wife I could have ever asked for. She is a perfect friend who never speaks ill of anyone and is completely unselfish with her time and talents. Our religion is a big part of our everyday lives and she lives up to her beliefs. She helps me stay on task and keep perspective and priorities in line even in the most difficult situations. The Lord has blessed us immensely and I can't imagine another person who deserves better. I only hope that I can provide for her as she deserves and give her the "wings to fly" so that she can do as much good and share her talents and virtues with as many people as possible so that they may be blessed as I have by knowing her.

TerriLyn, my sweet Valentine, we love you!