My Lindsey

I love Lindsey Welch.... I saw her just hours after she was born and fell in love with her round face, olive skin and dark eyes.  I remember thinking what a beautiful baby girl.

I love these pics...... 

Lindsey is getting married today.  It's a happy day but also one that tugs on my heart.

I am reflecting on her past 20 years......... 

                                Lindsey has not had a storybook life.

Her parents, Dale and Krissy got divorced when Lindsey was just 4 years old.  It was a difficult  time.

Lindsey ended up living with her dad and Grandma and Grandpa Welch and Holly.  She went to Bountiful Elementary, MPJ and BHS, played soccer,  dance, piano and had many good leaders and a great ward that loved and doted on her.

My boys  adopted Lindsey as their sister when they were all growing up together.  Lindsey didn't have any siblings and the boys wanted a sister...so it was a perfect fit.

There were a couple of years...when Lindsey was 8, and again at 11 when her mom wanted Linds to move to  Reno with her.....There were many Sunday night tearful goodbyes, brought on by joyful Mondays when Krissy had "changed her mind."    This was so hard on Lindsey, but I think in Krissy's heart of hearts she knew Lindsey was better off with Grandma Welch.....she wouldn't be a latch key kid this way.   I know it might seem selfish that Krissy didn't make more personal allowances for her daughter...but really I look back on this now and think of it as- The Lord knew what Lindsey needed. 

Truman and Lindsey are tight cousins and good friends.  They were a year apart in school but very close in their hearts.  I can still see these two little munchkins at 2 and 3 picking  black garbage bags full of blue flowers  from our cabin property.  Messy, muddy faces....but so joyful as they brought me and Grandma Welch our flower gifts.  

I always felt like Lindsey was a part of us.  She really fit right in.  Lindsey would go on different family vacations with us.

We loved sharing Disney World  and our yearly Bear Lake jaunt.

She would climb the family tree for our yearly pics.

Lindsey was having a hard time in High School with friends and feeling good about herself.   Lindsey wanted to move to Reno....she thought it would be better to be with her mom. I got to be the one to tell her about her parents divorce and court appearance.  How her mom never showed up so the Judge had no alternative but to give custody to her  less than capable father.   We cried and hugged and cried some more.

  The Good news about Lindsey's life was her Grandparents..... especially Grandma Welch.  A better person there never was to love and raise this beautiful, sometimes troubled daughter.
  I made Lindsey  promise that she would stay in Bountiful and finish high school.  I even bribed her with a New York trip if she did.  In 2008...Lindsey, Truman and Monson all joined me for a fun filled week there.

Grandma Smith , Lindsey, Mom- Krissy, Grandma Welch, Me.at BHS graduation.

Her truly  one constant and greatest champion has been her Grandma Welch.  She has given stability,  love and moral courage to help shape Lindsey's life.

When Lindsey graduated and turned 18 she was determined to move to Reno and finally live with her mom.  We totally supported her in this.  She needed to see if she had missed out or if she had made the right decision years earlier to stay in Bountiful.  It was a hard year.  No friends.  Too much  free time.  No great job.   Just waiting around for her mom to get off work so they could hang out.  It wasn't great, but atleast Lindsey got this out of her system and could move on with her own adult life now.

Lindsey went to a party while in Reno...and met a friend who set her up with James Andrus.   She came home and got a grant to go to SLCC....she started dating James...they have gone to school together at SLCC  and they also worked together at Convergys.    James is an only child of divorced parents.  He "gets" Lindsey and Lindsey "gets" James.  They are really good for each other.
 James proposed last summer.   10 months later the day is finally here.

The thing that I just loved about Lindsey's wedding announcement (besides James' baseball hat) is how the Bride's Parents are listed:  Dale Welch and Grandma Wanee Welch.

Lindsey knows.

I love Lindsey and I am so happy for this beautiful day.