Two Weeks!

Two weeks on our way to eternity! Yes, for those of you who missed it, Kiersten and I were married two weeks ago from today. Please forgive our long absence from blogging, but I imagine you'll understand that we've been a little busy. We are back, though, and excited to share with you our amazing past month. Here's a quick picture recap.

Our trip started with a drive to Kiersten's home of Fontana, California. But who couldn't make a stop at Cove Fort on the way? This is not only an enchanting pioneer fort, but it also home to a rich trove of Hinckley history.

Taking a break from wedding preparations, Kiersten and I headed off for a day of excitement at Disneyland with the Anderson family.

We regret to say that we didn't get any pictures of the "rehearsal" dinner the night before the wedding, but we both readily agree that it was perhaps the best sampling of hamburgers and sides that we could have imagined. And, what would a formal rehearsal dinner be without a good Texas pinata.

Not many words are needed to say that this (June 27) was undoubtedly the happiest day of both our lives. We are still waiting for the official pictures to be ready, but much thanks to our sister Brittany for snapping these charming pictures. I wish I could write more, but I think our smiles say it all.

The Fontana reception in Kiersten's backyard couldn't have gone more perfect. Cutting into that amazingly beautiful cake was the hardest part of the whole day.

Much thanks to Kimberly and Brittany for the expected but still exciting artwork on the getaway car.

Our first stop for the honeymoon was in the Sacramento Mountains of Cloudcroft, New Mexico. We stayed in a beautiful cabin complete with everything we could have wanted, but our days there were mostly spent outdoors hiking the breathtaking trails surrounding the town.

Our next stop was in Carlsbad to visit the caverns, including a wonderful hike to reach our ranger-guided tour at the Slaughter Canyon Cave. We might also add that our bed and breakfast that we stayed at that night was beyond expectations.

Our last stop was San Antonio, where we had a wonderful open house filled with family and friends. Our time there also included a stop at the San Antonio Temple and the Japanese Tea Gardens. A heartfelt thanks is owed to the Owen's, who let us stay in their beautiful home while they were away on vacation.

And last of all, our drive home included a brief but fun roadside stop at Wilson's Arch.

Hopefully that wasn't too many pictures to stomach in one sitting (more pictures can be seen by clicking on our photo links on the right), but I suppose that's why people blog more frequently than once every month. Kiersten and I have been back in Provo since Monday night, and we are loving life together. Life has calmed down for sure, but now we have new exciting challenges to face, foremost of which is unpacking and repacking to prepare for our 9-month trip to China in just over a month.

Thank you to all our family and friends for all your help and support. This month has been so amazing largely in part to you. Happy two weeks Kiersten! I love you!