The Big 3-0

Well boys and girls the day has finally come that our beautiful Ariane has turned thirty. To celebrate her birthday and to honor the passing of her youth I have written an obituary:

Ariane Peterson Smith's youth and innocence passed away Sunday, Feb 28th, 2010 in a tragic but unavoidable birthday. Ariane was born on Feb 29th, 1980, to goodly parents (Ben and Cathy Peterson) in or around Salt Lake City somewhere. She is the oldest of 5 very strange, but lovable siblings Jared, Ashley, Anisha, and Jeremiah. Her siblings still enjoy their youth currently. She spent most of her youth growing up in Las Vegas, NV. There she completed Elementary, Middle, and High School. At Las Vegas High School (GO CATS) she enjoyed band, boys, and cheerleading. She was popular in her youth as evidenced by her election to the homecoming court. Following her graduation in 1998, she matriculated at Southern Utah University. A decision which would prove to be the best she ever made. During the first semester of her freshman year in intermediate swimming class she met a stunning, charming, intelligent, and lovable man named Justin. Justin would later win her heart, and they were married in 2002 after she graduated with a degree in Elementary Education. She worked as a teacher in Las Vegas teaching 1st grade while her husband went to school at UNLV. As a teacher she touched many young lives and taught many kids to speak English. She was respected for her tenacity and unwillingness to let school administration push her around. In the summer of 2004 Ariane gave birth to Clayton, the first of her three children. She continued to teach through Clayton's early months, but decided to give up her career for much harder work when she and her small family moved across the country to Vermont. A few months after arriving, Ariane had her second son Noah (who would later be named "Pootie") in 2006. Being a stay at home mom proved to be a challenge for her, and she found it very difficult to keep up with the laundry. Her family loved and supported her anyway. A glutton for punishment, Ariane had her third child, and first daughter in 2009. Clayton, Noah, and Josie kept her very busy during her years in Vermont, and even though she would frequently describe her self as a "wife-cicle" she learned to love New England. The passing of her youth came just weeks before the Match where she would find out where she was moving next.

Her youth is survived by just about everyone she knows including her husband who is a mere 29 years of age. Upon reaching middle age Ariane was heard describing herself as a "cougar." As her life moves on Ariane looks forward to: having a stable income, having all of her children in school, being closer to family, and many other things I'm sure. The things of her youth she will miss most - her pre-pregnancy body.

Here's to you Ariane. You are the love of my life, you are the queen of our house, and you are the best mom these kids could ask for. Here's to looking to the future...a future full of aches and pains, joint creams of various sorts, buckets of medications, grey hair, and worst of all - teenagers.

Love you Babe! Happy Birthday :)