About Time...

I think it's about time Alisha and I make this blog live. So welcome to the blog of Stalisha! It's been a long time coming. I know what you're thinking. Stalisha? Not as cute and nice as the names of the blogs most of you have, but it means a lot to Alisha and me. It unites us, you know? And it sounds cool. It also helps remind me of my roommates, who granted us the name. Whatever the reason, that's the name. Until we change it.

We've been married a year and no blog. Shame on us. Since I'll be decidedly less busy than Alisha, I'll probably take charge of this for the summer. We'll see how consistent we actually are.

Perhaps I should begin with a summary of our first year of marriage.

It all began on May 8 of last year in Houston, Texas. A few years before, after driving Dave and his family there, I felt a strange beckoning from the state. I felt that I would end up there. I had no idea it would actually happen. But happen it did. I found myself standing on the steps of the Houston Temple with my wife, Alisha, standing at my side. I couldn't have stopped smiling if I wanted to. There was so much to smile for!

I mean, for a little more than a year I had been trying not to kiss Alisha too much and now everyone was asking us to kiss. More than that, for a little bit longer I had been doing my best to spend every possible moment with Alisha. Now we would be together forever. The night before had been my last night going to a separate home (or hotel) than Alisha, the last day when ties to others were stronger than ties to her.

And now we're sealed. We started out our marriage in Houston, then went to Yosemite and Monterrey. Beautiful places that we would love to return to and spend more time in. Then a few months in LA, and back to Provo, our meeting place. A couple last semesters of college, and then graduation. It's all gone by fast. In a few more months we're going back to Texas.

During this semester, as I contemplated which law school to attend, BYU tempted me. It was very possible I could get through all 3 years with no debt. Not bad at a school that's ranked pretty high. At one point I made up my mind to go to BYU. I spent those couple of days confused, saddened, worried; a whole slew of emotions boggled my mind. But that beckoning from Texas returned. So I settled again on UT. Peace. That's all there was. A little sadness. BYU is a great school with a lot of good people, but it's not for me. The peace convinced me.

And so, we're off to Austin in August. But for the next few months, we'll share our adventures here in Utah.

A Testimony

I feel it is appropriate to begin this blog by sharing the fundamental belief that ties Alisha and I together. This morning I watched the video Lifting Burdens from the website for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In the video, Elder Holland, a man I greatly respect and admire, testifies "for the fruit of the gospel to blossom and bless our live, we must be firmly attached to Him." This attachment to Christ is what binds us to God and to each other. This is the fundamental bond Alisha and I share and one I hope will come across in the experiences we share with you.

I'm not sure exactly what this blog will become, but I know that in all my laughter, my tears, my stresses, my aches, my pains, and my pleasures, the constant is Jesus Christ and my faith in Him.