Five Years!

We drove south to Cedar City on Wednesday to play for a few days and celebrate the completion of our first five years of marriage.  Here is Douglas "napping" on a swing at a park near our hotel.

Mom, Doogles, and Penny at a small, man-made lake.

 Douglas's and Penny's Aunt Taylor came with us to help babysit when we wanted some time sans the little ones.

Last night Sam and I attended a Utah Shakespeare Festival play called The Foreigner.  It was hilarious.

 This morning Sam and I participated in sealings at the Cedar City Temple.  I am now caught up (once again) on all of the LDS Temples in the United States.

 Sam, Penny, Doogles, Taylor - visiting Cedar Breaks National Monument.  Thank you, Taylor, for coming with us!

I have learned much in these five short years of marriage.  There have been plenty of ups and plenty of downs.  Of all the things Sam and I have done so far, bringing these two little beings into this world was the most important.  Marriage is hard.  Trying to be a good father is harder.  But I look forward to the next five years and I have the best companion a man could ask for.

I love you, Sam!

Update on 21 July (funnies from four-year-old Douglas):

Conversation (about the boogie man) while eating in Cedar City:

Doogles:  I'm the boogie man

Sam:  How do you know about the boogie man?

Sam (to Daniel):  Did you teach him about the boogie man?

Daniel:  Nope

Doogles:  I'm the boogie man because I make boogers.

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We arrived home not too long ago from Cedar City.  I walked in the house and said, "Ah, home, sweet home," to which Doogles replied, "I don't like this house as much as Cedar City."

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A few minute ago:

Daniel:  I'm going to the store.

Doogles:  Why are you going to the store?

Daniel:  To get some milk and other things.  Do you need anything?

Doogles:  No, but I'll text you if I need anything.