Mr. Finter and I had the most wonderful General Conference weekend in April! The famous DC cherry blossoms where just beginning to pop out and the weather was gorgeous! It was really the first sunny day since winter ended. Mr. Finter had given me a month pass to Capital Bikeshare and we had been riding bikes all over DC, to work and back, to the grocery store, to the monuments! It was so much fun! On Saturday's conference, we watched the morning session lazily in bed and then rode our bikes during the break through the monuments and to a little field along the Potomac. There we watched the afternoon session.

I love conference. I love learning more about the Gospel and receiving such perfectly tailored guidance for my life.

This is one of my favorite talks from the April Conference by President Uchtdorf.

Windy Gravelly Point

My lovely husband and I love living in DC. There is always so much going on and so many beautiful places to visit. One Sunday afternoon as we were coming home from church, we stopped at a park just outside of Arlington where the planes land feet from you. We laid on the grass holding hands and yelping like little kids as the planes flew right above us. I love married life. Sharing the best moments and adventures with my best friend.

Something wonderful about marriage is the way I see myself through my husband's eyes. It is nothing like looking in the mirror. When I look in the mirror I see imperfections and comparison to the world's definition of beauty. I try to be stronger than all the media and criticism. I try to remember that what I think is beautiful is all that matters in life. It can be hard though. I think, especially for girls. But when my husband stands in front of me and I watch his face as he looks at his wife, I see myself as he sees me. Beautiful. His face lights up and every laugh line smiles with love. His eyes looks so happy. The only thing I can compare that joyful feeling to is looking in the mirrors of the temple and seeing yourself as God sees you. A man/woman of divine, unique worth. A person God knows intimately and completely and loves because it is you. Thank you Mr. Finter for so much happiness.

Four Months

Some days it is hard to believe that I haven't been married longer than just four sweet months. It's not that time passes slowly, but rather that I just feel like Mr. Finter and I have always been together. How funny love can be. It can take two people who have never even seen each other before and in a year make them belong so deeply to each other that they are one.  I love being married. I have never laughed so often, never smiled so much, never loved the ordinary moments more and never been a better version of myself than I have in being loved by Mr. Finter. Here are a few glimpses of our first four months as Mr. and Mrs. Finter.

We celebrated returning to DC, this time married, by going to back to where we got engaged -- the monuments -- for our very first Family Home Evening activity. 

The Jefferson all frozen over.

We will soon be Californians!

Isn't Mr. Finter so handsome?

Mr. Finter bought me an iPhone. I adore it!

The Washington D.C. Temple

Our first home.

And then soon after, we got locked ourselves out.

Our DC friends taught us the art of archery!

We've had the best date nights running through rain storms in Georgetown, biking along the Potomac, holding hands in Alexandria and just being lazy at home.

Oh To Be Snorkeling Again...

Our honeymoon was a complete surprise for me. We spent the first few days of our married life at the Four Seasons Hotel in Arizona and then our last night there Landon told me we were headed to the British Virgin Islands!! I was so excited for a tropical paradise! It was very non-touristy with beautiful weather. So relaxing! We snorkeled, hiked, laid on the beach and ate lots of french fries (a popular dish there)! It was lovely. We must have really looked like we were just married because people kept asking us if we were newlyweds and offered us congratulations as well as words of advice. My favorite was on the plane over. The stewardesses giddily asked to see my ring and and applauded us as we left the plane. We loved celebrating our marriage! Here are a few snapshots from our time there!

YES we both drove on the wrong side of the road!

1.13.2013 - Sealed for Time and All Eternity in the Mesa Arizona Temple

As of yet, the most sacred day of my life. I cannot say happiest because every day since then I am happier and more fulfilled than the day before. Most of that I attribute to my darling husband who blesses me with kindness, unconditional love and laughter. Here is our day, photos by Green Apple Photography

 

Riley's girlfriend Sarah caught the bouquet! 

I love you Mr. Finter.