Happy Anniversary!

I just wanted to let Nate know how much I love him and how glad I am that we have been able to share these two years, and many more to come!! Man life is just beginning still for us. For our anniversary we just spent the night in the holiday inn in St. George, the place we stayed our first night before we went on our honeymoon to Hawaii. It was kinda nastalgic I'm not going to lie. What a great day it was!
Our story is a good one, all those who want to read on, beware it gets kinda mushy and cheesy...haha, and writing this really was for me. We met the first day in the MTC. We both entered the same day and were in the same branch. Once the branch got together to introduce one another, Nate had the distinct impression that he knew me from somewhere. So we talked and figured out that he had probably seen my twin sister, who was good friends and danced with his cousin, and also had several friends in common. But Nate wasn't satisfied there, there was something else. I remember thinking how hot he was, but I was a missionary, so I just shook it off (it took quite a while to shake it off though let me tell you)! Well we had a great time in the MTC, we sang a couple songs together in church, so we got to know each other through our talents. I remember constantly looking for him at gatherings or in the temple sessions or gym time we would play basketball or volleyball together. I couldn't get enough of him, it was funny too because in the MTC, if you have been there(or even if you haven't) you would know how guys are period, some are after girls even if they are on missions, so I got a lot of elders writing notes and talking to me asking if they could write, no joke! But it didn't even phase me, it was easy to say no to those guys. But for some reason I was stuck on Nate, and many of the elders in our branch would tease us about it, and I got so mad at that. I didn't want to have those feelings for him especially because I was a missionary, and I had a guy that I waited for on his mission, and he was waiting for me kinda. But those feelings were inevitable, and I prayed almost everyday of the mission for focus on the most important things.
Well Nate and I finally parted ways, and it was sad to see him go, but so exciting to get to Tokyo! Nate and I kept in touch a bit via letters, and I always looked forward to it. Well I still was writing this other kid, and about two more months of my mission left, and he writes me a dear Jane, sure I was heartbroken, but I got over it quickly because I really started to care for Nate. Well, it gets worse. I come home, and I have a hard time adjusting, and also the kid that dearjaned me got married the week I got home. So it was tough, I started dating a different kid, and I ended up not even writing Nate for three or four months. He told me he was really bummed during that time too! Well, I went to school at BYUHawaii for a semester, which was the best thing I could have done, because I got away from the other kid I was dating and could rethink a lot of things. Well in the back of my mind was Nate the whole time I was home, and now that he was getting home, he was in the front! I transferred schools to be closer to Utah because I knew he'd be there! Well I didn't know exactly when he was getting home, but soon after he did, he called me needing someone to go to the temple with because he was making a trip down from Enterprise his home town, and no one could go. Fate was that I just happened to be free that night, it was the coolest thing ever. I really hadn't been that happy in a long long time, if ever.
We went to the temple like good old times in the MTC, and talked about our missions the whole night. Nate thought I was mad because he was late, (it was funny too because all the workers in the temple were helping me look for him, calling him my husband, I just hoped they didn't say that to him!) But I wasn't mad at all. He wasn't going to ask me out again that night because of it, he was going to wait a few days to call....well then I would have been mad. But fate played its role again, and I asked him to a play the next night. That was a fun night because during the play he ended up holding my hand and putting his arm around me. Gotta love those butterflies in the stomach! I'm pretty sure it was this night that he brought me home and we kissed! He was a fast mover for sure. We hung out pretty much every day that we could until he started school at BYU in the summer. Then we were making a lot of trips back and forth. It was good for us to be apart, we learned a lot of things in the process. Well he had already planned a trip with his family to Japan to see the sights and his old areas, and he asked me to go. Well we already knew we were getting married so I was needing to save my money for the wedding. Nate and I went ring shopping early and we got a great deal on a 5grand ring, so I knew he was going to ask me soon. Well he convinced his parents to pay for my plane ticket, and of course I couldn't accept that! Well somehow Nate convinced me to go too, (of course I was stoked to see my old stomping ground too) and it was obvious that he was going to ask me there right?? Well we get there, of course we're having a great time, it's gorgeous, nastalgic, fun. We get to this rose garden, the biggest one I've ever seen by far, and Nate's dad said that he should have brought the ring here...well of course me being overanalytical, interpret it to mean that he didn't bring the ring to Japan at all. (Come to find out, he just meant the rose garden). Nate thought that his suprise was spoiled, and I thought I wasn't getting proposed to at all in Japan. So i just expected something great when we got home.
We get to tokyo and I show everyone around, what a great time we had. We get to the temple, and it takes Nate forever to get into the session and I was so worried that he wasn't going to make it at all! They stall the session for a bit waiting for him, and he finally shows up! whew. glad he made it. Well in the celestial room I started telling him all the cool experiences I had in the temple, because I served in the area and was able to go quite regularly. I received a lot of revelation there and it was a special place. Afterward he started telling me his experience in the MTC when he first met me. I had been wondering what he thought the whole time we were dating, and he still didn't tell me. And now all of a sudden he was telling me his experience...I was excited but still confused because I thought he didn't bring the ring. He said that he had prayed about me in the MTC because he just couldn't get me out of his head. He prayed for focus, and got the answer that he would marry me if he was faithful and diligent on his mission. Talk about a revelation at the wrong time. What could he do with it then?? absolutely nothing, except be more diligent than he was. So when I didn't write him for a while, he was questioning that answer. But then he also knew that Heavenly Father would bless him no matter what, even if I used my free agency and chose someone else. But it turned out to be what Heavenly Father intended anyway didn't it?? I was so amazed at the story, and so glad to have heard it, it reassured me that I knew I wanted to marry him (but of course if he told me any earlier, then I would have been scared, so I'm glad he waited until then). I was so glad he told me, I was good right there to go, but then he gets on his knee...and pulls out the ring!! AHH! I was so so so suprised! Maybe it was trick his dad and him were playing on me, well it worked! Then he asked me to marry him, and I said yes of course! No one was in the celestial room except one of the temple workers, and after she saw, she ran down and told all the other workers. All of them congratulated us on our way down. I knew most of them from the ward I served in so it was fun. Jenny, Nate's sister got some pictures developed and put them in frames during the session, and got flowers for me when I came out. It was a fabulous day. I was and am soo happy.
We continued dating and planning the wedding for two more months and finally were able to be sealed in the St. George temple on Sept 16, 2006. We went on our honeymoon to Hawaii and have lived two years together in various parts of the US for school and work, and now back in St. George with our baby boy Jaxson. What a great way to start our wonderful family, and I will love Nate forever and ever. Thank you Nate for all you have done for me! I love you!!

Long overdue...

It has been way too long since I have posted anything...forgive me. I certainly have a lot to catch up. Our move from NYC to St. George was great, everything went smooth except a few days before, Jaxson got sick with the flu, and then I did the night before the flight, so it was a rough flight for me. Luckily Jaxson was an perfect angel. I think he cried once for like two minutes. We did take a break in SLC for a few hours so he could run around, but seriously I have never seen Jaxson be that good while travelling, well actually any baby that good while travelling. it was amazing. Right before we left I took these pics, and they are my favorite so far. Jaxson and daddy cuddling (which Jaxson hardly ever does by the way). The thumbsucker!

Best Pals

We are glad we are home for sure. We missed our family, and as soon as we got home we had the annual Enterprise CornFest. My father-in-law Jack Holt grows the corn locally in Enterprise UT, and has for more years than I have been alive! He grows the best corn in town and in the whole state in mine and many people's opinions. People come from all over the state and west US to get it! It's that good! And we're still getting tasty corn now...just perks of being family.

The yummy seredipity corn.

We actually had a wedding to go to during the corn fest, and it was Nate's best friend, Jordan, from high school. We decided we couldn't miss the wedding up in Provo, and missed the festivities of the cornfest...when I say festivities, I mean all the work! The Holt family (all 9 kids, in-laws, and grandkids) all get together to sell not only corn...but also navajo tacos, and tons of other baked goods and drinks for all the people that come to town for the corn fest. It's a ton of work, and I'm afraid if we get out of it next year again, the whole family will kill us. haha. So these are pics of only some of the fam after all their hard work. So they are a little pooped to say the least. Many of them caught the flu (and that's not the first time the flu has been spread at a holt gathering, it seems to be a tradition ahha). But this was a great event, and it was great to see the whole family again after a long summer. I wish I had pics of all of the family. Thanks everyone who helped and made it a successful year!

Me, Courtney Hurley, Jacquelyn Hurley, Chanda Holt

Jack Holt, Cory Holt, Kaye Holt

Alesha Holt, Cory Holt, Chanda Holt

Jared and Heidi Moody

McKayla

Kevin Holt (Sick with the flu)

Courtney and Grandpa

Eva Moody, Jaxson's little cousin
Other updates for our family...
Well school started for Nate and I. Although because I was admitted late to SUU, I couldn't get into two very important classes that I needed, so I decided not to attend this semester. Nate is in all the classes he needs at Dixie and is doing great! He spends a lot of time studying and isn't working this year to meet his goals of getting his schooling done with better grades. Great idea in my opinion. He will be done with his associates finally in June, and then will work for his bachelors after that. I am now trying to find a good job that will work with both Nate's and my schedule so that we don't have to worry about babysitters. I started coaching volleyball with my alma mater...Snow Canyon High School. I really love coaching. It's something I want to do the rest of my life, and I'm just getting started, yay. Thanks to my Dixie college coach...the Parker's, I have this awesome opportunity!
I just gave my boys haircuts, and did nate's without clippers which was a first for me, and very difficult. But they both needed it badly, Nate was starting to look real shaggy (which I like if it was on a younger kid), and Jaxson had a mullet on the back of his head! haha.

Nate's before pic

And After...All of you who have cut baby's hair know how hard it is to get behind the ears and neck...well, after a lengthy amount of time I finally go it!

I had to throw this picture in...we were in the other room and usually I can hear Jaxson pretty good because he is a talker for sure, but for a while he was quiet...you all know what I am about to say...yes he was getting into something. It was the Oreos!! Can you believe it. I wasn't so much upset he was eating straight sugar as I was rolling on the ground laughing.

Well, finally, you got the highlights of our life up until now. Congrats to all those who have had kids recently, moved recently, graduated recently, started new schools recently, and won games recently. So much has happened in all of our lives...so lets keep blogging about it eh?