After a 3 year hiatus from
blogging I have decided to give it another try, yes I know I’m really bad at it
but life got crazy! My journey to Peru seems so long ago now but looking back
through my old posts reminds me of all the things I had the privilege of
experiencing while I was there and how much I not only learned about the
Peruvian culture but also about myself.
Not too many weeks after my last
post in 2011, my wonderful boyfriend (at the time) arrived in Trujillo to go touring
the country with me. This journey lead us to a llama farm, beautiful old
churches, Machu Picchu, and finally to the jungle of Puerto Maldonado.
Early in the morning on our very
last day of the trip we set out with our group on a monkey tour but before we
could go Taylor decided to leave me with his backpack while he went to get some
bug spray. I was trying to find a pocket
to fit my water bottle in when of course, in the best-shaped pocket for a water
bottle, I stumbled upon a little box with…you guessed it a ring in it. Well
that solved the mystery of if I had scared him out of proposing or not with my
earlier indecisiveness and/or denial. Later that night he did propose on a bridge
leading into the jungle! And after first making him promise to kill any bug I
would ever see from that day on, yea we saw way too many bugs on that trip, I
said Yes!
Fast forward four months and this wonderful day happened!
We were married in the Nauvoo, Illnois LDS Temple for time and all eternity on August
18th 2011. I couldn’t have
pictured a more amazing day with this kind, funny, handsome, and ever oh so
ever patient man.
Why Nauvoo? Well the Nauvoo temple was the very first LDS
temple I had ever seen. Back in middle school I participated in a Youth
Conference trip to Nauvoo when I was not yet a member of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints. The beauty and spirit surrounding that sacred
building touched my heart and left a lasting impression of peace. I remember
talking with one of my best friends Amy Beenfield, on the bus ride home from
that trip, about temple marriages and how it would work if I got sealed in the
temple, with my family not being LDS. Little did I know then the path my
Heavenly Father had for me and that one day I would be able to return to that
very first temple to be sealed to my incredible husband forever. Finally I was
able to go inside that beautiful castle like structure I had once sat outside
pondering about.
My life with Taylor began surrounded by my wonderful family,
in-laws, and our closest friends. I am
ever so grateful for the sacrifices they made to travel that great distance to
share in the beginning of our next adventure. I couldn’t have asked for a
better day, even with the stifling humidity that comes with an August day in
Illinois. Yay for marriage!!
Love Always,
Carrie Ann
