The Gift Of My Eternal Companion ~

 I thank my Heavenly Father everyday in prayer for my dear husband, Roger. He is a wonderful man, a loving husband, a devoted father, a doting grandfather and a very dear great grandfather. Through the years he has worked very hard to provide for our family. We have had a good life together. We have had many struggles through the years such as lost jobs, illnesses, financial burdens, family and children concerns. We have worked hard to have a good marriage. We have been married for 44 wonderful moments of time. He has always treated me with respect, love and kindness. He has a forgiving and loving heart.

We met in Driver's training class the summer after 9th grade. I noticed him and thought he was very cute; but at the time I was dating another boy.
I saw him in our sophmore year of High School a few times and according to my diary; he actually asked me out once and I turned him down. What was I thinking???
  We had our first date on November 17th of our Junior year. Although we still dated others a few time, we began a sweet friendship through the rest of high school.
We talked about getting married after High School but we both wanted him to serve a mission. We attended the University of Utah for one year and he then left on a two year mission for our church in Northern California. We were very much in love and being away from each other for two years was difficult. I transferred into the nursing program at BYU and received my nursing degree a short time after he returned home. I will forever remember the day that he arrived home from his mission.  I didn't go to the airport to meet him but in the evening he came over and when I saw him all the feeling came rushing back for both of us. Within 2 weeks we were engaged and married 2 months later. We were blessed to have 6 outstanding children. They are all married and have loving companions which are just like 6 more beloved children. We have been deeply blessed with 31 grandchildren. Our Grandson Jed and Jessica added one more Great grand daughter making 2 for them.  Plus, our grandson Jacob married his sweetheart Dana this year so we have gained 3 more great grandchildren making a total of 5.
We both can say that we love each other with a more powerful love and intense feelings than when we were first married. My husband is my greatest earthly blessing and I want to be with him for eternity.
With his permission I am sharing a poem he wrote two years ago for our anniversary.

One Eternal Round

I've pondered oft, but can't recall when first I felt your love

You often jest that it began in meadows up above.

Where once you chased me through the flowers before the world we know

Perhaps that's true - and if it is I'm sure I ran quite slow.

Did you catch me - or was I caught with knowledge from the start

That in this world we'd meet again and you would steal my heart.

You came first, I followed soon and the roles were turned around

At age fifteen a feeling came that soon you would be found.

I passed it off for just a while, when I took a certain seat

And looked behind another row - and someone I did meet.

Short brown hair, a smiling face and a sparkle in your eye,

And though I learned you liked another, I knew that I must try.

And as I did, the angels helped and soon you came to me

And since that day, no other soul has stirred my heart like thee.

Two year were given to the Lord, the greatest of all calls

And then two lives became as one within the Temple walls.

A prophet of the living God did seal our lives as one

Together, bound by covenants, we sought to serve his Son

The promised joy of children soon filled our home with love

"No empty chair" is now our goal - forever and above

Our favorite hymns are of the Lord whose name we softly speak

We ponder on His sacrifice and think of Him each week.

Our lives have oft been richly blessed because of blessings given

What can we do, how can we serve to earn these gifts of heaven.

Perhaps within the Lord's own House we should seek to be

That we might bless our kindred dead and our posterity.

"There is a Green Hill Far Away without a city wall

where our Dear Lord was crucified who died to save us all".

There is a meadow still somewhere where spirits used to play

And someday if we're good enougt - He'll take us there to stay.

Now and Forever ~

Take a moment to visit Eliza and Callahan's World. at Mormon Women.

Callahan and Nikki are our Nephew and Niece. They have two very sweet daughters Eliza and Caroline. Their story is one of faith and courage.