the best is yet to come

The first weekend I spent with Bryce in the spring of 2006 I knew I was going to marry him. I did not love him, or even know him that well, and boy did it scare me, but I knew in my insides, this was the man. Thankfully, he immediately left for Washington and I stayed in Yosemite and we both had our own amazing summers filled with adventure, ministry, growth, and healing.

Come that Fall, we both ended up in Yosemite once again, working the same job, and living a couple of tents away from each other. I was still scared. A relationship still made me nervous. However, if I was supposed to marry this man I needed to fall in love with him:) Through of course a series of events, we started pursuing each other.

In Yosemite, you don't have all the distractions like you have in a city. The days are long, filled with conversation, long walks to and from work, community kitchens crowded with laughter and stories. You had time. Time to talk, time to play, time to work...time. Since we had the same jobs and schedules, it gave us even more time together.

Our first "date" was doing a climb called Moby Dick on El Capitan. Watching Bryce climb is like watching some sort of famous artist paint one of his master pieces. It is beautiful. He is calm, smooth, graceful, and practiced. I on the other hand came up behind him using whatever body part I could to fit in this crack and inch my way up as he was pulling me tighter on belay.

3 weeks after we started dating, we told each other we would spend the rest of our lives together. I was thrilled, he was too. We had no plans of when we would marry, but we knew we would one day. We were both hoping for sooner than later.

I wish I could explain in words what kind of man I married. For a woman who talks a lot and write a bunch, I have a hard time with this one. I married a dangerous adventurous man. And I don't mean this in a runs in the middle of the street kind of way. He is a Follower of Jesus' teachings. Anyone who followed His teachings in the Bible were both adventurous and dangerous! He is simple. He likes having 1 pair of pants, 3 shirts, and 2 pairs of shorts (one for running). He is also functional. If a shirt can serve several purposes, it's a keeper. Even if it is that awesome of a shirt or "fill in the blank", you still just need 1. No need to get an extra.

Bryce has a good heart. People say that about others, "So and so has a sweet heart", but Bryce seriously is good hearted. He doesn't think or say bad things about anyone no matter the situation. When we were first together he (in my opinion) had the right to say lots of bad stuff about some people in a certain situation, but he didn't. He turns his cheek which you don't see a lot of these days.

But that is not say he is weak! Bryce is a fighter. He wakes up early before the sun and prays and reads the Word. I go to sleep with Bryce reading scriptures over me and finishing it up with prayers out loud as I try to stay awake long enough to listen. He lays his hands on our son every single night before bed and prays and speaks blessings into his life. He seeks the Lord and desires His will. He is a courageous man who will do whatever it takes to lead this family.

Bryce is on the quite side compared to me and my family. He does talk. But you have to listen. Those who think he never talks are probably the ones talking over him. He doesn't have the need to talk louder to be heard, so in those situations he just listens. I have seen this happen many times. It is really too bad because he has so many good things to say.

Have I mentioned that he runs ultra-marathons with me and he is very fast!, he is a fantastic rock climber, fisherman and hunter, made his own bow, carves things out of wood, can fix and put anything together. He is a gentleman, respectful, compassionate and loves to be outside.

Anyone who talks to Bryce likes him. I could tell when I spent time with his family and watched his mom and dad together and how Bruce looks at Joyce and how he treats her, their love and respect for one another, that it only confirmed what I already knew, and I was in for a treat. A full life. A life with love, adventure, laughter, and stories.

A couple of weeks after dating, Bryce handed me a bottle cap from his tea. It read "the best is yet to come". 5 years later I have seen it to be true and I know even now the best is yet to come. Happy Anniversary plus 4 days to us! I will love you forever my beloved.

Here are some hits from the last 5 years and some captions under the pics to explain some.

Oh, and I put them on here backwards:)

March 2012

July 2011

Well we did the whole long natural labor thing together.

March 2011

March 2010 we ran our 3rd official ultra. 50 miles on this one!

Christmas 2009

Snow storm on the Pacific Crest Trail.

We hiked once from Mexico to Lake Tahoe, over 1,000 miles.

Getting a drink in the middle of the Sierra Mountains.

One of our favorite homes and places to stay thus far.

We were a couple of days hike away from any road.

We loved it!

On top of Mt. Whitney on Dangers birthday June 13, 2009

also on the PCT

Where we met and lived Yosemite National Park.

Black Bear would have come right to his had if he would have let him!

High Country in Yosemite September 2007

Eating lunch on Hwy 20 which is closed due to a rockfall.

We were also on the PCT here.

Top of Cathedral Peak Fall 2007

Mojave Desert August 2007

We were taking our 2nd road trip in 8 months across the states.

We were heading back to work in Yosemite and also do some guiding

for a private school based out of L.A.

Joshua Tree National Park November 2008.

Once again driving across country but this time so Bryce could

go to school out in NC.

March 24, 2007 We met out at the Azalea Park in Summerville, SC.

Since we were doing pics before the wedding we wanted to have a short moment

before where we could see each other for the first time on that day, all dressed up.

First ultra marathon, December 2006. I never even knew people ran these kinds of things

until Bryce told be a month before the race. I was looking for a marathon

because it was on my life to do list. Still have never done a regular marathon

but can add several of these to my list!

This is where we had breakfast on the day we told each other we

would spend the rest of our lives together. Raisin bran has never been so good!

The day we started dating November 20, 2007.

On top of Moby Dick off El Eap.

laying in the snow Winter 2006

Beverly's Tower Fall 2008