4th Anniversary at temple square

December 14th was our 4 year anniversary! I think we are accidentally creating a wonderful tradition of going to Salt Lake to see the lights at temple square to celebrate because I think this is the 3rd time we've done it. This year we were able to go with Nate and Paige and of course Aiden and it was awesome and breathtakingly beautiful as always! We are so lucky to live so close to temple square!
One funny story that I want to remember is that on the way up (I was driving) we were just going a normal 70ish mph and all of a sudden I had to slam on the breaks and swerve to avoid a COUCH in the carpool lane! It was so so freaky because it was at a curvy part in the road plus it was super smoggy and hard to see far ahead anyway so it was like it appeared out of thin air! We were so lucky that there wasn't a car next to us because I swerved so fast I really didn't have time to look. Nate called 911 (since we didn't know the regular police number) and this was the half of the conversation we could hear:
Nate: Hi, this isn't really an emergency but I don't know the number for the police. Can you give it to me?
pause (she asked him what the problem was)
Nate: Well we're driving northbound on the freeway and...
pause
Nate: chuckling...Yeah that's right. I guess we're not the first call? Ok thanks bye.
So apparently we weren't the first ones to spot the couch because before he could even finish his sentence about where we were and what happened she interrupted and asked if it was the couch in the road and told him someone was on the way to take care of it. How random (and so scary) is that? My heart didn't stop pounding until we were nearly parked.
Once we found a spot and got all bundled up we braved the cold and had a wonderful time.

Tyson, Aiden, and Gina

The whole group: Paige, Nate, Tyson, Aiden, and Gina

Love them! Paige and Nate

This is always one of my favorite spots for a picture since the lights go all the way to the ground and provide a perfect backdrop!

We took Aiden up to see the Cristus statue and I noticed the perfect reflection in the window as we were looking at the temple. It was awesome. The picture doesn't do it justice.

Gross. It was horribly smoggy driving up and even worse driving back.

Another story I need to always remember happened when we were upstairs looking at Christ. There were a ton of people there so we just stood in the back corner for a few minutes. After a bit, I saw a few people leave from the front center bench so I took Aiden by the hand and led him up to get a better look and to tell him some stories about Jesus. For a little while we just looked and then Aiden turned to me and said (in his sweet asking voice) "Go hug Jesus?" I told him we couldn't hug him yet but that he was waiting for us just like that in heaven to give us a hug if we make good choices. We sat still again for a couple minutes which was amazing for my rambunctious two year old. Then Aiden turned to me again and said "Oooh Jesus get owies huh?" (pointing to his hands) and then (pointing to his tummy) "Get sick, make better!" Aiden had recently been sick and thrown up multiple times all night but it had been long enough ago that even I had almost forgotten about it. Needless to say, I started crying right then and there. It was such a sweet and tender moment to hear the pure and simple testimony of my little 2 year old Aiden telling me that Jesus will give us hugs and that he can make us better when we get sick. I hope he always remembers how much his Savior loves him and cares for him so that he can return and give him a hug in heaven just like he wants to so badly now!