Three BIG Words.

Those of you that know me real well can confirm the fact that I remember silly little dates of

when silly or simple things happen in mine and Nik's relationship.

Don't ask me how...I just pay close attention to detail.

Well...4 years ago, today, Nik said 3 very special words to me...

"I love you, (and then he added the best part) Dawna."

I remember it every time February 28th comes around. 

That was one very special night to me because I knew he had waited so long to say it in the perfect moment...

not to just say it to say it and have it be premature.

He always told me he felt very special about me but he didn't want to say those 3 BIG words until the perfect moment and when he could say it with all his heart.

At that point we had been dating for 5 months and 4 days. 

It meant a lot to me that he waited for a special time

(and not even on Valentines day) to say it.

Nikolas James Berry...I want you to know that

I love you more today than I did on February 28, 2006. 

Thank you for loving me!

Fondue, We Love You!

Nik is great at surprising me and I am trying my hardest to not get impatient with the surprise (if you know my "Disneyland" experience, you know what I am talking about). 

One Saturday Night in early January (yes, I AM just barely getting around to posting this) Nik wanted to take to on a Surprise Date. It was so fun! I had no idea where we were going except for the fact we were going north to Salt Lake.

We found a parking space and started walking around downtown. I still had no idea where we were going. I loved this whole idea of him surprising me! He takes everything to the max!

All of a sudden he opens the door to the restaurant...The Melting Pot.

I could not believe it! I was so excited!!!

Here was our appetizer. A yummy Spinach/Artichoke Cheese Dip with breads and veggies and apples.

I didn't think apples with the cheese would be good, but it turned out to be my favorite.

 

Our quaint little booth. So cozy and romantic.

Our main course - Lobster Tail, Brats, Ravioli, Chicken, Sirloin, Beef, Red Potatoes, and more veggies.

It was amazing!

And so much fun to cook with our little sticks.

Enjoying some Lobster Tail.

A nice man in the booth next to us took our picture for us. So sweet of him to offer.

I love this man I am sitting next to!

Onto DESSERT!

This was amazing!

My favorites were the strawberries and bananas.

Nik's favorites were the marshmallows and cheesecake.

Delicious!

If you can't tell from the look on his face...that bite was Heaven.

Nik, that was such a nice and fun surprise! I can't wait to go back.

Sidenote: At work this last week I won a contest and my prize was a $50 Gift Certificate.

I got to choose the restaraunt and since this place was amazing when we went, I had to get the certificate to The Melting Pot!

Now Nik and I can go again on someone else's dime.

YAY!

Rock Climbing

Some of Nik's co-workers invited us to go rock climbing with them a few weeks ago. It was awesome. We didn't even know the rock gym was right around the corner from our apartment.
Nik and I have found a new fun thing to do in Provo. We can't wait to go again!
Here are some pictures from our date.

My Handsome Man

Waiting to belay.

Now it's my turn to climb. And I made it to the TOP!

 

We went up to the second story to do Free Climbing (no ropes attached). Nik made it all the way up to the top...and then some. I made it this far and it took all I had to hold on long enough for the picture.

Here is one of Nik's many times at the top of the climb. He is a fast climber...it makes my arms really tired when I have to belay him.

After a long night of climbing we ran across the street (and through the snow storm) to The Pizza Pie Cafe. They have pizza, pasta, and salad buffets. It's awesome! 

Nik and I love this place. The owners were so smart to put it in the middle of a college town.

Words of Mother Teresa

"People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating and building, others could destroy overnight. Create and build anyway.

 If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give the world the best you have anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."

--Mother Teresa

My friend posted this on her blog and I had to share it. I love it so much. So true.
"It was never between you and them anyway"
Thanks Joslyn.

Oh deer.

Friday Night

6:05 pm

Dark Highway

Open field to the East

50 mph speed limit

Truck

Deer

BOOM!

 

 The big dent on the hood is from the deer's head.

The damage to the grill is from the body.

The bumper didn't budge hardly at all.

Dead stupid deer.

The antlers broke off from contact to truck and asphalt.

The nice police officer lady drug it off to the side of the road for safety.

 

Look at that hair on the bumper.

Pretty sick.

I would show you the poo smear on the driver side but figured I would lose a few Followers of my Blog.

I know my Mamma would appreciate that picture being left out.

 

Here are the antlers that we picked up out of the street.

The right one broke in pieces but the left looks like a clean whole break.

Truck in shop

Hopefully:

It's declared a "Total Loss"

Brother (owner of truck) gets check

We fix truck (if worth it)

Everybody is happy

Now we are back to one vehicle.

Not too hard with our schedules.

Luckily we only work a mile from each other and only a mile from home.

P.S. I have one huge thing to be thankful for in this mess...Nik wasn't hurt one bit. Thank Heavens.
And for those of you who know me...you know my reaction to this was not as lite as described...I just figured I would save you the details because I bet all of you could picture it yourself. :)

Thank You, Mamma.

"I see my mother kneeling with our family each day.

I hear the words she whispers as she bows her head to pray.

Her plea to the Father quiets all my fears,

And I am thankful love is spoken here.

Mine is a home where ev’ry hour is blessed by the strength of priesthood pow’r,

With father and mother leading the way,

Teaching me how to trust and obey;

And the things they teach are crystal clear,

For love is spoken here."

My Mother is such a wonderful woman. The past 8 months of being married and starting the new chapter of my life in a totally different state has really opened my eyes to the lady my Mom has molded me into.

For 18 years I lived with her (and my whole family of course) and in those 18 years when I would need her, I would have to search the house to find her. Countless times her bedroom door would be shut so I would knock. It would be silent and I would knock again. Thinking she couldn’t hear me because she was in the back of the room or in the bathroom, I would quietly let myself in…and there she would be kneeling on her side of the bed with her hands clasped together, her eyes closed, and her head down. Sometimes she would softly turn to me and ask what I needed or she would say “just a minute” and at that time I would quietly back out of the room. She would finish her prayer and come out of the room to find me a few minutes later.

There were also many times on Saturday and Sunday mornings I would wake up later than usual and find her at the kitchen table eating breakfast while reading her scriptures. I wouldn’t really see this on the weekdays as I was always to school super early…but I imagine she would follow the same routine through out the whole week.

Now I am married. I moved out of AZ. I have my own habits to form and I see how she has influenced my life. I find myself doing things without even thinking about it and then when I’m done I realized my mom would do that same thing.

Thank you, Mom, for doing the right things…because I follow your footsteps without even thinking about it. I am so blessed to have a wonderful example in you.

I was never good at reading the scriptures on my own growing up. I just couldn’t find the time/make the time to sit down and read. When I would try to read, randomly, I wouldn’t understand it very well. I have always had a problem reading and understanding that language of the ancient prophets…but things are changing.

Nik and I wake up EARLY for him to get to school on time and I am left with a few hours until I have to get to work. I watch The Today Show every morning and use to sit and watch it until I had to leave…but I wanted to start habits to better me, my family, and my future. I decided to read my scriptures while eating my breakfast every morning just as my Mom would do. It is so wonderful. I don’t fall asleep like I would when reading them in my bed. I understand what they are saying and I can actually follow the stories. I get so excited when I learn something new. And I am so happy to have found the time to dedicate.

Thank you, Mom, for teaching me. Even though I might not have done everything you taught me when I was young, it’s catching up with me now and I want you to know you are a special woman in my life. You are my best friend, my example, and my Mother.

“Today you have been the Mom I needed you to be.” (From Michael McLean’s song “Lullaby For Me”) I love you, Mom.

The Opening and Closing of Doors

“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God … and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven”

– Orson F. Whitney

From the Article:

The Opening and Closing of Doors

This quote has meant so much to me while growing up...and even more so now.

Hearts have been broken.

Scabs have been torn.

Pain has increased.

And plans are always changing.

But enduring to the end and having patience has always been a struggle for me.

It is one of those virtues I have to learn and be tested for in order to have it.

Someday I will get it.

Maybe at that time

Hearts will heal.

Scabs will disappear.

Pain decrease.

And peace be found in change.

Maybe.

I Hope.

For now I have to do the best I can.

God would not have given me trials I could not face.

Trust.

Faith.

Hope.

Sincerely from the heart,

Dawna G Berry

P.S. Thank you to my husband, Nik, for standing by me through everything, helping me, and loving me unconditionally.

I love you!

The End of 2009.

Nik and I had an awesome opportunity to go to California for New Years. It was made possible because our friends decided to get married in San Diego and so we wanted to go support them and make it a fun trip.

Tuesday after Christmas we drove over from AZ to Oceanside, CA. (Sidenote: I drove the WHOLE way and that is a big accomplishment for me! Just sayin.) We got there around 7ish in the evening and met my good friend, Terri, and her fiance, Brandon, at Red Lobster. Being so close to the ocean made my cravings for seafood sky rocket. It was so fun talking with them and meeting Brandon for the first time.

That next day we woke up and walked down to this little restaurant for pancakes and eggs. It was such a nice walk right there next to the ocean. The weather was awesome and it was a great way to start the day!

After breakfast we went back to Nik's Aunt Macy's house (she was so kind to let us stay with her and Uncle Jim while in CA) to get ready for "Our Day in Oceanside." We went out to The Pier and walked around. There were fun little shops and food and we just...just had a blast being together with no worries for the day. There was a lite drizzle the whole afternoon which made for awesome cloud cover. Geez...it was just so fun! Here are some pictures of this fun day we had in Oceanside:

Me out on The Pier.
Look! Someone that donated money for The Pier has the same spelling as me! That is so awesome and rare I HAD to take a picture! woot woot! There were like 6 other Donna's on that pier...but mine was the best!

Us again. I love him!

Here is the Pelican Nik wanted as a friend. This picture was taken right before Nik almost got his hand bitten off. Pelicans are not friendly. whoops.

Nik and his new guitar we bought at one of the shops. Those are sprinkles in the picture so we had to hurry and capture this moment.

After we had fun on The Pier we were treated to dinner with Aunt Macy and Uncle Jim. We went to a pretty chill Mexican Restaurant for Happy Hour. It was nice getting yummy food for half off! They have really good nacho's there.

Uncle Jim, Aunt Macy, me, and Nik after dinner.

That next morning was New Years Eve Day so we were headed out for the wedding down in San Diego. Nik and I left early in the morning because we were afraid of rush hour traffic...but since it was kinda a holiday, there wasn't any. So we ended up getting to the San Diego Temple a whole hour before the bride and groom even showed up. It was a great day for Janessa and Travis and Nik and I were so happy to be a part of it!

After all the festivities were over it was time to ring in the New Year! Bring on Twenty-Ten. All us friends wanted to go out to dinner. There were 3 vehicles following each other around to find a place to eat...and when Josh's GPS sent us driving on the WRONG SIDE of THE ROAD...we lost one of the vehicles because they were actually paying attention to what was happening (unlike Nik and I) and made a quick turn to correct that bad decision. It was pretty scary seeing all these headlights coming towards us and a median to keep us from getting over easily to the correct side. So we did a quick U-ey. The other car with our friends decided driving around wasn't worth it and went and did their own thing. Josh and Kylee kept in front of us because they had the GPS with Sam and Bobbie...so we were following behind them thru 20+ minutes of driving and 8+ U-Turns trying to find a California Pizza Kitchen but the only ones around were at the Airport and Mall and we didn't want that. So finally we passed a Cheesecake Factory and decided that would end it all. No more driving! Well the wait was too long there so we went across the street to PFChangs. We waited about 30 minutes there and were seated. THANK HEAVENS. We had a FEAST and ate it ALL! What a fun night.

Josh and Kylee! (Thanks for the help, Josh in finding this place. It was quite the evening! Fun times in Cali.)

Sam and Bobbie!

Me and Nik!

The whole gang with our feast!

After dinner Nik and I went back to Oceanside and rand in the New Year there. That next morning we headed back home to Utah. It was a great trip. We had so much fun catching up with family and friends and we enjoyed getting away from the snow.

Look Back at 2009. April - July

Nik is home after serving an honorable & faithful 2 year LDS Mission in Tokyo Japan. April 29, 2009.

Our first hug in over 2 years.

Melissa and James got married May 30, 2009 and Nik and I were able to be there for them!

We were sealed (married) in the Mesa, AZ Temple for Time and All Eternity June 10, 2009.

Over at Paul and Mary's Family Party for Independence Day.

Out to Fireworks with Josh and Kylee.

Nik found Waldo!

Waiting for the Midnight Showing of HP6. Kinda bored?? Yep.

The Homecoming of Nik's Mission President...President Hill...

And his Mission Mom...Sister Hill.

Look Back at 2009. August-December

Out to Sushi with part of the Fam. We had a FEAST!

Our campsite...in our own little Living Room!

Hobo Dinners

Making S'Mores.

Out at Tucano's with Melissa and James. Great food. Awesome friends.

My first Homemade Apple Pie!!!

We began coupon clipping. We get 5 of the same Newspapers every Sunday. Crazy, yes.

First Haircut. Before.

After

Out to see New Moon on Thanksgiving Day with Amy and Sam.

Decorating Christmas Cookies with Christa and Camron.

In front of the Bellagio in Vegas!

Nik and I on the pier in Oceanside, CA.