Todd and Wren Gardner

We have become such good friends with the Gardners, and they have blessed our lives. Something I love about the Gardners is their open hearts. All that comes into their home receive equal love. The children they share are blessed with parents that have developed singularity in their marriage, all their children are loved and supported and cared for in such a beautiful way--there's no yours, mine and ours...just ours. Another great thing, is that Todd and Wren are a couple that move forward together. They thirst for progress and for becoming better together!

The dates and details!

What are your names? 

Todd & Wren

When did you meet?

July of 2005

In 8 words or less, describe where or how you met. 

He was a cop I was an EMT we met on a call

What was your first date? 

We went for a ride on the mountain

When were you married? 

12/15/2007

Where were you married? 

Las Vegas

How many children do you share? 

8

Getting to Know You!

When and/or how did you know you wanted to marry each other?

Wren-We just knew!!
Todd-He said he knew the first day we spent together he knew

What is something that your spouse does (something they may not even realize!) that makes your heart skip a beat and brings you joy.

Wren-The way he loves and plays with our children
Todd-The “ mommyness”in her and when She dances silly when she smiles

What did you love about your spouse in the beginning that you still love about them now?

Wren-His humor the way he makes me laugh
Todd-Her bossiness the way She takes charge

Other than your children, what is an accomplishment you are your spouse are proud of?

Wren-Definitely making it to the temple was the best thing we have done but second to that we have built up and run a business together
Todd-The way we have grown and changed together as a family

What is one of your favorite dates you've been on as a couple?

Wren-I LOVE to go to the temple with Todd learning and growing with him in that way is something that nothing else even compares to!
Todd-To the temple ....and our mini vacation to Yuma years ago

What's the best gift you've received from your spouse?

Wren-Awe..... his heart!!!
Todd-My babies

Why Marriage Rocks

What's one thing you love to talk about when you have nothing pressing to talk about?

Wren-Our future plans
Todd-Our goals and our family goals and our dreams

Tell us about a trial you have faced together and how you feel you were successful in overcoming it, or what you have learned during it.

Wren-Blending our family is a constant trial we work at it everyday we love each other and love and consider our children OUR children (I hope that makes sense) we have had to learn to put each other first in a way, while caring for all of our children as if they were all biologically ours. Our greatest success has been holding our beautiful family together!!
Todd-We have had a few Blending our family, overcoming vices, health issues and we have learned to have faith and have faith in each other and try to center our lives with and around the Lord and work hard every day

What makes your marriage unique?

Wren-Our strength and endurance. we have been through A LOT together and our priority is always to keep our family together!!
Todd-I let her be the boss

What are advantages of marriage?

Wren-I get to spend every day with my best friend
Todd-Coming home to my best friend

What blessings have come into your life because of marriage?

Wren-First the gospel and the closeness we have shared learning of the gospel, our children of course, and the different strengths we have found together during and after every trial we have faced!
Todd-Being sealed to my family for eternity

What miracles have you experienced together?

Wren-Wow we have experienced SO many! Most recently our doctor discovered a tumor on Todd’s brain stem, his strength resilience and recovery were nothing short of miraculous not to mention the pathology came back as benign and Todd was able to be sealed to me for time and eternity in the manti temple 4 weeks after his surgery to remove it!
Todd-The births of our babies and the brain tumor I had removed from the way the doctors found it and to the surgeon who removed it to the speed and ease of my recovery (not that it was easy) but they expected it to be a much harder recovery

Advice

What's a practice or routine you've established that keeps your marriage healthy?

Wren-We forgive each other often! We “roll with the punches” adapting to our ever evolving lives and we make our best effort to admit when we are wrong! We don’t dwell in the past we both have a history and we both realize that but we do not dwell on things that do not serve our relationship!
Todd-We eat as a family every night even if it’s just the two of us

What's one principle you think is important in a healthy marriage?
Todd-Compromise

What is a positive influence on your marriage when things get hard?

Wren-The Carters!! Regular church and temple attendance! I know that sounds cliche but it’s so true!
Todd-Our children

If you had time to talk to newlyweds, what would your greatest piece of advice be?

Wren-Even though you love each other always find a way to LIKE each other go on dates, find humor where ever you can laughter is truly life’s best medicine and never let your anger be more important than your spouses feelings!
Todd-Be open minded to each other’s thoughts and feelings

If you need a little marriage recharge, what's your trick?

Wren-Truthfully we are very busy people we don’t have a lot of spare time. It’s the small things in our relationship that “recharge” our marriage. We take 10 or 15 minutes a night and just talk even if it’s while one of us is in the bath! Or we pick up where the other leaves off on things like making dinner or running kids to activities! It sounds silly and simple but when life is so busy it’s rejuvenating just to know someone’s got your back! And we make time once or more a month to go to the temple it’s so nice to sit together without the noise and stress of the world!
Todd-We go to dinner or the temple

As you look into the future, what do you see that will help keep your marriage strong?

Wren-Our love for each other but more than that the time we take as a couple and as a family to pray and study the scriptures constantly learning and growing together.
Todd-Going to the temple always dating each other

What's the secret of a happy marriage?

Wren-Be adaptable! put each other’s needs before your own! Remember that marriage is and never will be 50/50 be willing to put forth more effort when needs be. And always be each other’s best friend!
Todd-It’s not a secret it’s a choice we choose to be happy

What is a simple marital practice you would share with a friend who may say they are facing challenges in their marriage?

Wren-Try to see things from your spouses perspective, sometimes being kind is more important than being right! And try to be the kind of friend to your spouse that you yourself would want to be friends with!
Todd-Don’t give up even when it’s hard

 “Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 129). By including Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in their relationships and unitedly living the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, husbands and wives can attain the ultimate happiness that is the object of God’s plan" (The Eternal Family Teachers Manual, 2015, Lesson 18).