22 Years

 Saturday was a special day because it marked 22 years since the day Josh got baptized. I always get him a tie to celebrate and this year there wasn't much of a selection. I try to get him one that kind of represents our year so I finally picked one that has a geometric pattern that kind of looks like mountain peaks because of our trip out west. He got it the moment he saw it and it honestly made me love him a bit more. He and I have really been in tune with each other lately and I am totally in love with him. I mean, I have been since I was 17 but I think our extra time together lately has made us especially tight the last few months. 

Anyway, we were kind of busy on Saturday to celebrate but I did give him his tie but then on Sunday we had a special dinner and dessert and during dinner I asked the kids all kinds of questions about Josh's baptism. They did pretty well for the most part. They knew he was baptized in Orlando because he was going to school at UCF. They knew sister missionaries taught him and they guessed that I had given the talk on baptism. It was the Saturday of General Conference 22 years ago too and so we talked about how he wore an orange shirt to his baptism and then to conference. 

I was going to school at BYU and flew in for the weekend. We spent Friday at Clearwater beach and went on a dolphin cruise and walked on the boardwalk where we saw a funny magician from Boston. I got a terrible headache from not eating or drinking and being out in the sun so I wasn't very fun on the drive back to his apartment but I remember him ordering this amazingly large pizza when we got back and us eating a ton of it. Saturday morning was his baptism and then we watched conference and then he made me dinner and we went to see a movie. Sunday we watched conference and then he took me to see the temple but it was farther away then he expected and I ended up missing my flight back to Utah. I wasn't too bummed because it meant I could spend another day with him but I did end up with a B+ in my New Testament class because I missed a quiz on that Monday that she wouldn't let me make up. 

 

His actual baptism was simple and sweet. The ward he was in was very welcoming and so supportive of him. There was a particular family that invited him over for dinner every Sunday and he really appreciated it. Their son was his home teaching companion and a return missionary and taught Josh a lot. At the baptism I spoke on baptism and then he was baptized by one of the elders. Then one of the sister missionaries that had taught him spoke on the Holy Ghost and the other elder confirmed Josh. The bishop welcomed Josh to the ward and then invited him to share his testimony. It was all wonderful and so amazing me to me that something I wanted so badly to happen had actually happened. 

It really was such a beautiful day and one of the most important days of my life so I enjoy celebrating it every year. Last night I even went back and read through my journal from the year he got baptized and it was really fun. I read it out loud to Josh and we just marveled and laughed at our discussions and doctrinal disagreements and then how he became more and more interested as Catholicism became less and less fulfilling to him. I am so grateful that the Lord softened his heart and that Josh was able to recognize the truth. I'm so amazed at the wonderful life we've built together on the principles of the gospel and by keeping sacred temple covenants. He is the joy of my life and my best friend. He gets me in a way no one else does and I am grateful for that every single day. It was really special to go back and remember that part of our journey and celebrate that very momentous occasion. 

October 2 is also the day my sister, Angela, was born and that she died. She would have been two years older than me and it is hard for me not to try and imagine how different my life would have been if she had lived. I think it is really special that Josh was baptized on her birthday because during that time in my life, when things got hard, I often had the feeling that she was watching out for me. That is why Lily's middle name is Angela and another reason October 2 is a special day to me. I'm so grateful for eternal families and to meet her some day.