This week was extra long – probably because I have been counting down the days until Friday for…a while now.

Tuesday was Italian Night at our house – we had homemade Baked Ziti, one of our favorite Italian dishes.  I used this recipe and it was really good.  Maybe a little less spinach next time, but other than that is it being saved in the archives.

Wednesday we packed for our weekend.  Please observed my bag and Zach’s pile.  He would pack all of his stuff in a garbage sack if I didn’t make him use his luggage.

Thursday night was the first Ute football game – we have season tickets again this year, and are really excited for this season.  I had a Relief Society activity that night, so I was with my sistas…but Zach took his friend Joel and enjoyed the first game with him.  I don’t feel too bad considering I have many games to come in my fall future. 

We had a lemonade bar at the activity and a forum about communication – very interesting and even more informative that I would have imagined.  I love the sisters in my ward – they are truly some of the greatest women I know.

Then came today, Friday.  We had our weekly lunch date – again at the Park Cafe, we sat outside because the weather was amazing.

 Almost six years ago, almost this time of year…it was Zach’s birthday.  We were dating.  I loved him, even though I had not told him.

He was turning 21 and I made him this stupid cake with playing cards all over it…you know, because he was finally 21.  I also gave him a birthday gift.  Zach had dreamt for years that he wanted to snowboard at Mt. Hood.  It is the only resort that is open in the summer for snowboarding.  The mountain maintains snow almost entirely year round.  He had told me about it several times over the length of our courtship.  So, trying to be a thoughtful girlfriend, I bought him a gift card to Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood.  An expensive gift card…probably too nice of a gift considering we were just dating.  Anyways…we continued dating – got engaged – were married – and then moved into the Belvedere downtown.  All these years I have been asking Zach when he was going to go to Mt. Hood and use this gift card I got him.  When we moved out of the Bel and moved into our home…I finally got it out of him that he had LOST the gift card.  Obviously I was disappointed, but there was nothing we could do.

Well it’s that time of year again, Zach’s birthday.  He is turning 27.  And conveniently for his birthday, he wanted to go to Mt. Hood in Portland.  We booked the flights, purchased our hotel (at Timberline Lodge, the same place I got the gift card to) and were all ready for the trip.  Then…we found that freaking gift card.  What are the odds?  We called the Lodge, and after an hour + long process we discovered that even though the gift card that we have is an older gift card and doesn’t show up in their system anymore, they would still honor the value!  Talk about a stroke of luck.  We are finally able to enjoy a trip together that has been almost SIX years in the making.

[That giant tower of mountain is Mt. Hood in the distance.]

We leave today, spend two nights on the mountain, and are going to finish up the trip with a couple of days in the city of Portland.  It is the perfect way to celebrate Zach’s birthday – and I am more than grateful that I get Labor Day off to be with him!