31 December 2008

*You may want to skip this post if you have a weak stomach*

Ok, I'll get to the Thanksgiving, Christmas and other posts later but for now I need to tell you all how much I love my husband since I didn't get the chance to post on our anniversary.

5 years ago, on December 20, 2003, we were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. I can't believe it's already been 5 years because honestly we still feel and act like newlyweds. 6 years ago we had our 1st date. Who knew that it would turn into forever? I love to think back and remember the first time we held hands, the first time we kissed, the first time he told me he loved me and when he proposed. Each one of those precious moments was made into an eternal story as we kneeled across from each other inside the temple and made promises with our Heavenly Father to honor Him and one another for always. Someday I would like to go back in time and relive those moments. As we drove home from Utah the other day we decided that it's a good thing we're going to be together forever because even that isn't going to be enough time.

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Dear Brent,

I have so loved being your wife for the past 5 years. You make everything in my life good and I can't wait for the rest of forever. I love to look at our wedding pictures because the joy you can see in our faces is the same joy I feel in my heart everyday. Thank you for being a wonderful husband, friend and priesthood leader. Thank you for being you. Thank you for loving me and for making me want to be a stronger, better person. I love how you make me laugh and how you make me feel. I may not get butterflies anymore when you hold my hand but what that has been replaced with is so much better. You are my everything. I can't wait for the exciting places you will take us. I hope that Heavenly Father will bless us with a baby soon so that we can share the incredible amounts of love we have with a sweet little one. If I could be permanently glued to your side, I would, because I hate to be away from you. Some of my very favorite moments in my life have been when we are just sitting around being silly together. All I will ever need in this life is you and my faith in the gospel.

Forever yours,
Emily

P.S. Can you believe how young we look in these pictures?! Man, those were the days. Thank you for not being afraid to fall for an 18 year old. You cradle robber. ;)




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"[The gospel] takes men and women and it joins them together in an eternal covenant of matrimony, holy and pure, given of God, which supplies the necessities and meets the purest and strongest desires of the soul. It makes men and women complete--husbands and wives for time and for all eternity. What a glorious thought this is!"
-Joseph F. Smith

"As a husband and wife are each drawn to the Lord, as they learn to serve and cherish one another, as they share life experiences and grow together and become one, and as they are blessed through the uniting of their distinctive natures, they begin to realize the fulfillment that our Heavenly Father desires for His children. Ultimate happiness, which is the very object of the Father's plan, is received through the making and honoring of eternal marriage covenants."
-David A. Bednar

"When all is said and done, when you have lived your lives and go on to eternity, you will not take five cents of wealth that you have accumulated, not five cents. There is only one thing that you can take with you, and that is your eternal soul and the love and companionship of your husband or your wife. Live worthy of it."
-Gordon B. Hinckley

"There is no scene so sweet, no time so sacred as that very special day of your marriage. Then and there you glimpse celestial joy."
-Thomas S. Monson

19 December 2008

Merry Christmas!

I don't have time to write a long post but I wanted to wish you all a very merry Christmas! I didn't have a chance to get Christmas cards sent out this year so I hope this counts. We hope you all have a wonderful holiday week! We will be in Utah for 10 days enjoying the freezing cold snow. We can't wait! (And no, I'm not being sarcastic, we actually can't wait for the cold weather.)

I promise when we get back, I'll start blogging more regularly. Ever since Nov, I've just been too swamped to blog.

Here is one parting thought:
If your stocking can easily fit a 6 month old Kaleb, you may have made it too big...

15 December 2008

Something to look forward to.

I was talking to my mom tonight about our move to London and she reminded me of a funny bit from the Simpsons. I know that this is not entirely true but it sure is funny...



This is another funny one I remembered last night whilst I was thinking about "British Smiles".

Watch more Saturday Night Live videos on AOL Video

08 December 2008

Skype



We have it. You should, too! Especially if you'd like to actually talk to us while we are in England. You pay for a mic and optional camera (or have it already installed on your computer), and pay nothing else to make computer-to-computer calls from anywhere to anywhere. You can find us at username: b_e_gray.

04 December 2008

Gray's + Gordon's = Awesome!

Brent and I went to Arizona a few weeks ago to visit Melissa, Jake & the girls and I'm finally getting around to blogging about it. Actually, Melissa finally blogged about it so most of this (especially the work of choosing which pictures to upload) was done by her. Thanks, Glow Bones!

We had lots of fun while we were there. The first night, the Gordon's got a babysitter for the 2 older girls and just the grown-ups (plus Ella) went out to a yummy Chinese buffet and then to see Quantum of Solace. We love the kids but it was fun to go out as just the big people. We hadn't done that since Molly was a baby.

The next day we went to the Goldfield Ghost Town. Jake had been there before, but none of the rest of us had. There were even some things that were fun for the little kids.




We took a 20 minute train ride on a little train tour around the town and surrounding desert. (That ride is where the new pic at the top of the blog comes from.) Molly took the next 2 pictures. She's pretty good once you can get her to stop putting her fingers over the lens.






Really boring prospector/train conductor guy.

After lunch we went on the mine tour.

I'll let you figure out what that last picture is of. The tour guide called it the "Honey Wagon".

Janie was too tired, though. She was fussy and cranky for the beginning of the tour. By about halfway through she fell asleep on Jake's shoulder. This is how she spent the rest of our time at the Ghost Town. My favorite part is the giant trail of drool running down Jake's back.
There was also lots of playing, for the adults and with the kiddos. And lots of baby Ella snuggle time for Aunt Emily and Uncle Brent. I was sick so I tried not to hold the baby for the first day or so but it was too hard and I caved.
(Just to clear the air, that hand in front with the hairy knuckles and the boyish wedding ring is not mine. It's Brent's. He was holding Ella but I wanted a picture with her so I just snuggled up behind. Long story to explain to you that I don't have hairy knuckles.)
As always, we had lots of fun and had a really hard time leaving. We got to our gate 5 minutes before boarding. Maybe someday we'll get to live closer. Although this move to London might set us back a few years on that plan...

02 December 2008

Pops and The Goob

I'm really behind on my blogging (sorry!) but to tide you over until I can get caught up, I thought that I'd post this picture of my dad and my "little" brother, Brendan. This was taken last week in Houston. Pretty good looking guys, huh? And they are both about 6'5", (I think dad's actually 6'6"). Brendan will be turning 17 next week. I haven't seen him in a couple of years but I think about him almost every day. He is a really smart guy, plays the saxophone, and got his Eagle last year. I will forever and always think of him as being 7 years old. Love ya, Goob!