Diamonds and Daffodils

Ten years ago today, Robert Barnard pronounced Mary and me wife and husband in the Seattle Washington Temple.

It was an amazing day filled with love, peace and joy. The past ten years have been filled with the same. Sure, there have been times of sadness, disappointment, heartache, despair, grief and a slew of other negative feelings and emotions. Nevertheless, we are both better people and are closer together because of them.

Mary doesn’t like me talking about the potential of her dying someday and my remarrying. I certainly don’t think about it as often as she likes to illustrate. I am confident that our chances of living to a ripe old age together are very good. I do think about what would happen if she died, however, because I honestly don’t think there is anyone else out there like her.

When we were first married, I could have probably married any one of a good number of women. Mary has changed in the past ten years from what she was in the 20th century. Her values and ideas of changed in some areas. Some of them have changed to match mine. Others have changed along with mine. She has experienced events that she never had before.

I think about what would happen if she died because I worry that I would have to settle for someone far less than she is. I worry that if our children were still young, they would have to settle for a mother who is far less than the ideal. And Mary is the ideal.

Mary sees my good side. She avoids seeing my bad side. She extols my virtues to everyone and keeps my vices to herself.

She is truly amazing. She is talented, beautiful, intelligent, compassionate, selfless and loving. I consider myself very fortunate that she is still with me. I consider myself fortunate to have no idea what the seven-year itch feels like.

If I had known ten years ago what Mary would be like today, I wouldn’t have waited two and a half months to marry her.

If my life is a result of the last ten years with Mary, I am excited to see what life will be like in 2015.

8 thoughts on “Diamonds and Daffodils

  1. Happy anniversary, Kim. Ten years sounds like such a long time, but it goes by so quickly …

  2. Thanks, Dave.

    Ten years is a long time. It actually seems like we’ve been married longer. I can imagine what it will be like at our 25th anniversary.

  3. Congratulations Kim! We’re coming up on five this year and I feel very similar (though more than half!).

  4. My wife and I are approaching our 18th, and I feel like I’m just starting to appreciate how magnificent she really is.

    MRKH

  5. We are both very very proud of you both, of your hard work you put forth in your marraige, the dedication and commitment you put towards your marraige and of the love you show your children. You are an inspiration to your other brothers. We love you

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