LeRita Reynolds - Willden

After graduating from Provo High, I started college at BYU. During my second year, I met my husband to be, Jeremy Willden. My brother set us up on a blind date. They knew each other because they were both in the BYU percussion section of the marching band. Funny though, after all of my involvement with being in band, I never had the chance to be in band after High school. However, band and the love for music is what brought us together and how I met my husband. We both love music and love to sing together. We have performed together on occasion, and love that we have this in common.

We both served missions at the same time after we dated for a while, and then we wrote each other throughout our entire missions. After we returned home, we got married in the Salt Lake Temple. (I know, cliché huh?) We have been married for 15 years. My husband served his mission in Portland, Oregon, and I served mine in New York, New York (South mission - Spanish speaking). My mission was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but one of the most rewarding; well, almost as rewarding as being a Mom (-:

While being married, we both worked to put ourselves through school. My husband had several jobs, but his favorites were working for KBYU and being the BYU marching band announcer. I had several jobs too, including being the supervisor for the BYU lost and found (it's amazing how many honest people there are at BYU!) My favorite job however, was working over at the Oakridge school being a seminary teacher for mentally challenged youth. I also was able to teach seminary for mentally challenged youth at the Springville Junior high and the High school as well for 3 years. I am grateful that I had this opportunity to teach, because it taught me a lot.

We finished our degrees (My husband in Electrical Engineering - minored in Math, and I in Family Science - minored in ASL), and then moved to Austin, Texas for 5 years to work for a company called National Instruments. We loved Texas, but decided to move back to Utah to be closer to family. My husband now works for a company called Ad Hoc Electronics where he is the Chief Systems Architect and he makes wireless radios and energy saving gadgets. (don't ask me, it all goes over my head!) We have lived in Pleasant Grove for the last 7 years and love it.

We have three children, a 12-year old son and two daughters, 9 and 7. I feel very blessed to be able to be a stay-at-home mom. We keep very busy with our callings and life, especially now that my husband is in the Bishopric and I'm over the Cub Scouts. But, we love how we feel when we are serving others. We enjoy spending time together as a family – singing, playing games (including the Wii) working on our individual hobbies, spending time with friends & extended family, dressing up "to the hilt" whenever costumes are needed, (thanks Rick Ostler for the reminder!) traveling, and watching movies.

I have fond memories of High School and the friends that I made there. I still have close friends to this day from High School, (Brenda Tuft Hendrickson & Melissa Taylor Lybbert, to name a few) and we still do stuff together whenever we get the chance. Thank you to all of you who have had the courage to share stuff about your family and your life on this blog. You have helped me to have the courage to do the same. It has been really fun to read all of your accomplishments and to see what you have been up to these last 20 years. You are all quite a great group of people! We are looking forward to visiting with you all at the reunion.