End of Another Year

 

 

Another year come and gone... This new year we start with everyone healthy and happy, and a nasty dead rat above Maddy's room.  The night before last you were up with a flashlight and climbing through the crawl-space door to go kill a live rat with your bare hands when I woke up.  You were not laughing, and I was asleep, but now that I think about it, it cracks me up!  You wanted to crawl into the attic and do battle with that miserable SOB...  Darn, I love you, and man can you make me laugh.  You are the best - thanks for a great year, as always!



And Again...

Yesterday I mentioned how you've felt rotten but still made Christmas wonderful.  This morning you got up before me and made bacon & eggs, toast & jam, and we had a nice visit with the kids in bed.  You said you're feeling better, but I know you're still not 100%.  Now I'm starting to get a little self-conscious about how unselfish you really are.  I love you so much, and I am so blessed.

Happy Boxing Day

You are home sick in bed today, and I cannot help but be grateful for the unselfish person that you are.  You made Christmas a joy, and felt lousy for much of it.  Thank you - I'm the luckiest man alive.

t-minus 4 hours

A few hours of work, a work party, then it's the holidays.  And you make the holidays so much fun! 

You're doing it again...

After burning out physically (and sometimes emotionally) your health is back on track.  And what are you doing?  Hosting a Christmas cookie party, taking a calling at YW Camp, decorating like crazy...  I pray you don't burn yourself out, but I love to see you so happy and healthy.  When you're healthy and happy our home is the most beautiful place on earth, which makes me a very lucky man.

We dont sleep

My sleep really stinks right now.  And your sleeping patterns have never been that great.  But when I'm not sleeping, you just lip out and let me toss and turn.  You rarely, if ever, kick me out to the couch.  It helps that we have an extra bed these days, but you still have a very unselfish approach to the whole thing.  Just one more reason I'm the luckiest man on earth.

12 Days of Seminary

I'm trying to establish, by use of this silly blog, that I am the luckiest man alive because I'm married to Joanna.  In the last week she decided to give a "12 Days of Christmas" to my Seminary class, with a stocking and a new goodie each day.  Of course - the kids love it.  Today she brought in bagels and the kids were thrilled.  It disrupted class, but they loved it.

So now I, and 11 high school kids, all agree that I am the luckiest man on earth.

Best Christmas Ever!

 

I just bought you new pans for Christmas, and you also want a new steam mop.  And I know that you will actually be happy with these items and not give me a bunch of Women's Lib baloney - which makes me, again, the luckiest man on earth.



It's beginning to look a lot like....

CHRISTMAS!!! 

 



And nobody makes a home more beautiful on Christmas than my girl.  Thank you for making our home so wonderful during the holidays.  I love it, and I hope you know it.

A New Conspiracy

This conspiracy is that when I go out of the office on weekends, holidays or extended work-trip-plus-sick-days a little evil genie sneaks into the blogging area in my brain and makes me forget that I am supposed to be blogging regularly about how lucky I am. 

Wait - that's it - I'm so incredibly blessed to have Joanna that I forget that I'm lucky, then I forget that it's awesome because it feels so normal, and I quit blogging... 

Somehow its not my fault. 

It's a Conspiracy

50 years ago today JFK was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald, a lone assassin, from the 6th floor of the Texas Book Depository.  There was no conspiracy; it wasn't the Cubans, the Russians, the mob, the CIA, FBI or anyone but one loser Communist from Dallas.

So what does this have to do with my sweetheart?  She doesn't think that I am a complete nutcase for reading a 1300 page book about the assassination and watching every crackpot TV show about it, and arguing with the TV when someone says something stupid.  She sees my weird interest in the case, even went with me to the 6th Floor museum in Dallas, and she still loves me.  That, dear reader, is true love.

Wink

I can't actually write what I want to write here, without changing the rating on the site.  I've already said too much.  Damn, girl...

Stock Tip Texts - LOL

You just sent me a text and told me to watch FNMA because of some news story about a settlement, blah blah blah...  Could be the hottest text ever.  Is that what sexting is?

One leg at a Time

I'm just like other guys, put my pants on one leg at a time. Except my wife has to help me put them on when I throw out my back.... Love you! 

New Eyeball - Part 1



You have a new eyeball!!!  I hope you still like what you see in your chubby hubby...

At least I'm not an Elvis Impersonator



We watched 5 minutes of a Bruce Springsteen documentary and they told the story of this Elvis impersonator who had a dream of singing with the Boss.  So he jumped onto the stage in Philly, Bruce let him stay up there and sing Blue Suede Shoes - pretty fun.  When they interviewed the guys' wife she was so supportive of 'his dream' and she was overjoyed and tearful when his dream came true. All I could think of was - "singing in a big fat Elvis outfit, that's your dream?" But hey, one man's trash...

Then Sunday we took the day away and drove 2 hours to Stinson beach with the kids so I could pick up beach rocks.  The purpose of said rocks is to tumble them in my new rock tumbler, and then make silly jewelry out of them  And, like fat Elvis guys' wife, you were totally happy to support me and have fun with it.  Moral of the story?  You women can get behind some stupid stuff for the man you love.  Thank you - and I love you.

Boils

Yes, you love me.

Happy Text

I tease you sometimes that you're nicer to me on the phone or in your texts than you are in person, but don't let me fool you - I appreciate your sweet and always supportive messages.  I'm a lucky guy to have that kind of support.

Legs

You have really great legs.

Gospel Connection

It has become more clear to me that it is vital to our happiness to be equally yoked in our faith.  I enjoy telling you about what I'm planning to teach or how a class went.  Plus, I am enjoying the studying and teaching so much, and I enjoy even more our discussions about gospel topics.  I'm also a little surprised by how much I am learning.  And it's not that I am learning new things, but I am understanding things more deeply and they are affecting me more deeply. 

So how does that connect to this blog?  Being together, in terms of this gospel teaching adventure, is dramatically compounding how much joy I receive from the whole experience.  I appreciate and feel more attached to you as a result.  What a blessing!  I am so grateful for you sticking with me during the spiritually down years, and hope that you are feeling as buoyed up by this as I am.  I love you!

Making the Holidays great



Today is Halloween.  Not my favorite holiday, but its fun.  But you make all of the holidays fun and beautiful.  Starting tomorrow, it's the season of real holidays including my favorite, Thanksgiving.  I'm sure you'll have the spooky stuff stripped away and the pilgrim stuff on display by noon tomorrow.  And, as always, our home will be welcoming, warm and beautiful.  And it is entirely because you make it that way.  I love it, but I would never take the time and energy to decorate like you do (not to mention I wouldn't know how). 



Just one more reason I'm the luckiest man alive.

I'm a Happy Scarecrow

... partly because we're done doing Scarecrow Breakfasts, but mostly because of the after-party.



Sleepy Sweet Talk

One interesting change this school year is that I'm up at 5:30 every morning and you're still in bed (like a sane person).  But you never let me leave without trying to say something sweet.  Sometimes it's a bit garbled and nonsensical, which makes it funny.  Sorry to wake you, glad you love me.  Lucky man.

Super Team

Last night we chewed out the kids after a frustrating weekend of riding their butts.  We hashed it out ahead of time, then let them have it, nicely.  It turned out great, very positive, the kids know we love them, yada yada yada...  I'm so grateful that you're my partner. 



I can't imagine how difficult single parenting must be, or parenting with a partner who isn't on the same page.  It's hard enough even when we are in agreement on most things!  I love you, I love you as my kids mom, and I love you for how you support the things that I try to do well.  You are a great partner, and for that I am the luckiest man alive.  And yes, I know Zan and Jana were siblings, but they were SUPER.  Just go with me on this one...

Hello, 6:30 AM

Nice way to wake up and start the day - before the kids are even awake!

The Sweet Things you Say...

In the last week, I think you've said something like "you are amazing" or "you are my hero" about a dozen times. I'm not all that amazing, but I'm definitely hero-esque.  I love you for appreciating my hero-like qualities, because many women would overlook things like power-snoring, over-eating and absolutely no long game as weaknesses, not superhero qualities.  You are wonderful

Bringing the cheese

Last night you made me tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.  That's enough reason to love you.  BUT - you added the cream cheese to the sandwich, which is exactly how I love it, and you did it without asking me.  Maybe I'm stretching here - but altering a recipe is a sure sign of true love.

No Coat, No Tie

Cuckoo Birds

You love me when I get really ticked off about things.  Which is somewhat often.  Always on my team, even when I'm a cuckoo bird.  That's why I'm the luckiest guy ever.

Forgiveness Again

So....  it's been a week since my last post, and my last post was about how much I hate tuna and celery.  But, I know you and know you'll forgive me for not blogging about how much I love you for a whole week.  I'm sure there were very love-able things that happened (in fact, I can think of one in particular that is not fit to print).  Man, I love you girl.

tuna and celery

 

I hate tuna and celery.  I mean I really hate it.  Especially when I would rather have tomato soup and grilled cheese and watch playoff baseball at lunch.  Look at how dry and flaky it is.  And celery?  It's like string but with a worse flavor.

 

But you actually want me to lose weight and be healthy, so I ate it.  Yuk. But thank you for loving the enormous, fat version of me.

You Made me More Forgiving

This afternoon while working in the yard you said something that was very hurtful to me. I got pissed. After we talked it through and it became clear that you were wrong and my feelings were hurt, you apologized. Very clearly thing about how quickly you forgive me, I said that I forgive you and we dropped the subject right then.

I'm lucky to have such a forgiving wife, and your example has great effect. It felt good to do the right thing and quickly forgive. It was easy only because of your example. I am blessed by your example and love you more because of it.

this is becoming a theme...

2 nights ago I said something very unkind, even mean.  We were both tired, $ was short, and the kids were in a tizzy.  Then I launched.  You didn't kill me.  And when I apologized, you dropped it like it never happened.  Now, maybe you have it filed away in some dark corner of your mind to be unleashed when you discover that I have a secret crack habit, but I doubt it.  You actually forgive and forget, and I am still surprised when you do it. 

Considering how often I say stupid things, I am the LUCKIEST MAN IN THE WORLD to have you for a wife.  I love you, girl.

Whole World

that's all.

I'm Your Stalker of Love

I picked you up at AMTRAK in Davis, and I got to watch you walk out of the train and find your way to the parking lot.  It's always a weird moment, you know, when you're waiting for someone and you see them far off before they see you.  I got to watch you step off the train, get your bearings and then make your way.  You were chatting it up with a friend and you looked very relaxed and at ease with yourself.  You had a cute new BYU t-shirt on, an indication that you had a good time and were still hanging on to the weekend. 

I was relieved to see you looking good, happy and in one piece.  I was glad your were coming home to me.  I was appreciative that you took care of Maddy, babied her a little, and got the sense of how well she is doing.  I was thankful that my partner is so capable of doing anything for our family - like this little assignment.  Sure it was fun, but how hard would it be if we couldn't rely on each other for that kind of thing? 

I'm grateful for you today.  You handed me a towel as I got out of the shower, gave me a quick kiss and suggested a healthy breakfast.  You're exactly who you are - no phony baloney, and I LOVE who you are.  You are calm, peaceful, good, honest and a welcome and needed fixture of goodness in my life that I need to come home to.  I am a rich man for having you in my life, and I am the luckiest man in the world. 

Come to Me

Great song by the Goo Goo Dolls, you sent it to me a while back.  Now that you've been away for 4 days, I'm ready for you to come to me.  Miss you.

Amtrak to Oakland

There are women that we both know, who would never, ever, have ridden the train to Oakland airport to save their man the hassle.  I love that you are independent, strong and happy to try something new.  You sometimes think that that independent thought is frustrating to me.  No, you're thinking of the %$#@ recycling crap that gets stacked in the laundry room.  That crap drives me nuts!  But you, I love.

Patient to a Fault

When I think about having to live with me, I think, how are you not completely insane?  Then again, maybe you are but we're both too nuts to notice.  But you are definitely patient, and that will help when you see that my attempt to write every day in this blog hasn't gone perfectly. So thanks in advance for being patient with my blog that you don't know exists... I love you very much.

Dating in High School

So yesterday in the middle of a crazy day at the office (thanks Obama), I send a text saying that 80's music reminds me of when we dated in High School which, of course, we didn't.  Funny how time messes with your memory.  I didn't even like most of the 80's music that we now hear when it was the 80's, but I love it now.  Maybe that's why I connect the dots of us being together back then, even though we were states apart and totally unaware of each other - my memory is simply failing.

We may not have been together then, but we should've been.  We would have had a lot of fun.  Maybe too much fun... hubba hubba....  I love you, girl.

Olive Trees and double-checking

Looking over 1 Nephi 15, I realized that I never did understand that olive tree thing.  How do you graft a natural branch, again?  Anyway, thank you for double-checking my math.  I love you.

Hopelessly Devoted to You, oo, oo, ooh

I'm no Olivia Newton-John, but you might be.  Nobody is more devoted, defensive, faithful or stubbornly loyal than my wife.  Even on a bad day.  I love you for that.

Sitting in the jury room

Nothing like sitting with 11 strangers for days on end to make me appreciate my wife. 

I love you.

You are a sweet momma

You sent a very sweet text to Jake last night, wishing him goodnight since he's on a camp out. I love to watch you love our kids. They need it, like all kids, but they're MY kids and it means the world to me.

no cheating!!!!!!

I don't think either of us have worried about cheating for 5 seconds.  On one hand, that's the way it ought to be.  On the other hand, what a great assumption to have - and for it to be true!! Seriously, there is as much chance that I'll start at second base for the Giants tonight in LA as there is that I'll shack up with some floozy.  And believe you me, brother, they're lined up at the door!

So it is totally, honestly assumed, but we don't cheat, we don't worry about cheating and it aint never gonna happen.  What a great, albeit implied, feature of our marriage.  I love you, girl.

She didn't punch me in the face

Last night I was reading in bed and she nagged me until I turned it off.  That's the truth.  Then, when I was a jerk and complained well past what was necessary, she didn't vow to punch me in the face after I fell asleep.  Thanks honey.

Hard Day

Today is a hard day.  Damn doctors don't know anything but what they barely remember from medical school and end up leaving you feeling sick AND dumb for asking questions. 

Harder yet, you have no idea the incredibly positive influence you have on everyone around you.  Of course people are surprised that your health is poor and that you're exhausted - you're superwoman.  I love you so very much. 

Volleyball Purist

My girl grew up playing volleyball. I didn't. I can play a little. Very little. But she was a baller in her day, and still loves the game. Now Lilly is playing and playing very well, too.

Today Lilly had a tourney. Joanna let me sleep in and went early, I came later for bracket play. Joanna took Sophie home and I did text play-by-play for Joanna. 

When I got home and was describing Lilly's awesome game, she corrected me constantly. Ok, so you "dig" not "field" a ball. You "hit" or "kill", not "smash" a ball, and you play on a court, not an infield... Whatever!! But I do love that she has a love for the game and has passed that on to Lilly. It's a very cool mom/daughter link, and is one more little thing that makes me love Joanna.

Hole In One

No, I didn't drop one in the cup with an 8-iron.  Maybe someday.  But Joanna got up at 5:30am and made me a very nice breakfast before I went off to teach.  I hesitate to use this today, because I think I already used the "she made me breakfast" reason, but man, 5:30 is early, and I really, really, appreciate a good breakfast.  And her hole-in-one breakfast sandwiches are the bomb.  With yolk.

She ain't judging!!

After 3 whole days of teaching early seminary, I went home and crashed out for 4 hours!! Major wimpage...

She nudged me awake at noon (yes, noon) and said I must've needed it. Seriously, I just proved my total wimpiness, and she's not judging!

In all seriousness, I love that she is the most supportive, dedicated and devoted wife a guy could ask for. Thank you, Lord for giving me this sweet woman.

Because we lift each other

I love Joanna because she lifts me up in the ways that I need to be lifted.  In the 19+ years of our marriage, she has done more lifting of the other party than I have, so it's been unfair to her.  When she lifts me, it's typically in an emotional or more often spiritual sense.  When I served as Bishop, Joanna oftentimes was the last thing holding me together.  When I left her, it's usually something on the temporal side, like paying the bills, finishing off the dishes or completing some project around the house or yard.

Any way we would slice it up - who lifts whom and how - we are a pretty darn good fit.  Sometimes we're both strong together, and sometimes we both need a hand, but the latter is very seldom.  As for me - I love her for the way she has so consistently and courageously lifted me for 19 years.  I love you, girl.

First Day of Seminary

Holy cow, 5:30 is early! And Joanna got up with me and made my breakfast. I love that girl.

She makes me better

This evening Joanna shared with me the Relief Society lesson about supporting the priesthood. Specifically, she mentioned Jake and I as Home Teachers. Last, she showed me that the RS VT leader had already called her for last months report, this being the 1st... 

Never one to miss a broadsided hint, I asked Jake to make the calls for HT visits, which he did. So now it's the evening of 9/1, and we already have appointments set. She makes me better, and that is making Jake better, too. I love that girl.

Lunch

The kids are back in school and I'm going home for lunch. I love Joanna.

A Hard Couple of Days

We left for Provo yesterday, and dropped off Maddy today. Hard to watch and hard to do, but Maddy is ready for the adventure. I'm glad I'm going through this with Joanna.

She told me so, doggone it...

It's beautiful and practical just like she said it would be. 

Even Jake agrees, after planting 3 new posts!

Last summer night

I love to watch her take care of the kids. Tonight she ran out the door to get Jake some last little things at Target in Davis. 2 hours later she's still in Vacaville.

I don't know what it is that the kids "absolutely had to have", but whatever it is, she took care of it. Love her. Love the way she loves them.

Fence posts & Privacy Wall

I hate digging out old fence posts. But I love working up a good sweat. Yesterday we dug out a rotten post (Maddy & Jake dig a great job on that), and Jake dug a couple new holes for the privacy wall that Joanna has longed for.

I'm really reaching here... But I at least appreciate that she wants the privacy so she can do more yard puttering, which makes her very happy. And she and I both were very impressed with Jake's hard work, especially finishing the holes & new cement. When she praised him for his good work it made me very happy and Jake very proud. 

Banana Bread

Why do I love Joanna? One word: Fresh banana bread.

Borrowing Golf Clubs

Today I found a very important reason why Joanna makes me a lucky guy.  She called me at 5:00pm to let me know that Jake had been invited to play golf with the Herget boys and that he wanted to borrow my clubs.  Instinctively, she knew that it was wrong to borrow another man's golf clubs.  Immoral, bad, dangerous...  just plain wrong.

Of course, I caved in and let him use the sticks, but I love, love, love the fact that she knew I'd probably have an issue with it.  Love that girl.

She Gave me Maddy

18 years ago today Joanna gave me this little girl.  Ten days from now she will be leaving the nest, which makes me sick to my stomach.  She is a beautiful, talented, kind and wonderful girl. 

 

 

Maddy is a lot like her mom.  She is creative.  She has a deep love of family and is very strong (maybe even stubborn).  She's also a heck of an athlete, like her momma.

 

 

But this blog is about her mom, and today I am profoundly grateful to Joanna for giving me this little girl and all that joy that she has given to me.

 

 

Nap in the car

Yesterday we took a late trip to Stinson Beach. We stopped in Napa, kinda on the way, to do some birthday shopping for Maddy. She hated every second of it. Driving away from Napa I was dozing at the wheel a little, so Joanna offered to drive. I always say no, it's some kind of man-thing about letting the mom drive, I don't know. But yesterday I was pooped. So I agreed and I woke up about an hour later, about 10 minutes from the beach, because Joanna was honking and hollering at the driver 2 cars up because they were doing 20 MPH around the very bendy roads along the coast. She, on the other hand, was slapping trees (and almost the cliff) with the right-side mirror.  

She almost killed us, but I really enjoyed the nap, and for that I love her very much.

Another Night Another Party

Typical.  She cant stand it.  We have an open night so she has to fill it with another stupid party.  And what's worse - we followed it up with an after-party dinner at 10pm! 

OK, so that's how I feel going into about 99% of all parties that Joanna organizes.  Last nights' affair was a simple potluck at the park that she organized for the Lybberts, who are about to leave on sabbatical after his release as Bishop.  She had everyone write down little thank-you's and then she put them together for the Bishop.  It was incredibly thoughtful and the Lybberts felt the love.

After the party, when I was ready to hit the sack, we were off to Mikuni to have a quiet dinner with just the Lybberts & Cuveliers, a nice little group where nobody is needing anything from anyone else - which is the opposite of how most of a Bishop's relationships are.  It was quiet, loose, friendly and a lot of laughs - and just what we all needed - especially for Heather Lybbert who had been killing her self packing & cleaning and prepping for a year in Ghana, of all places. 

By the ride home I was so impressed with my wife, who did all of this because she cared so much for the Lybberts and felt they should be thanked, loved and given a little send-off.  And that sums up how Joanna treats me and our kids pretty much all of the time.  She wears herself out (and drives herself a little nuts) taking care of the rest of us, squeezing in the occasional nap to try and get ready for the next round.  And for that I am lucky and deeply love her.

Happy Birthday to me

This is the yummy breakfast that Joanna made for me today. My fav.

Plus, she knows what my favorite birthday present is...

Don't you go decorating!

I checked out the Institute this morning for the upcoming Seminary year. I looked for a place for Seminary bulletin boards, etc. Bro Edmonds showed me the place and gave me the do's-don'ts about painting walls and where I could put stuff.

In the back of my mind I couldn't help thinking... This place badly needs Joanna's decorating touch! Then the next thought was worse - if I bring her here and then tell her how limited her decorating options are, she could go crazy. Like a fat guy at a buffet who can only reload on salad - bad news.

On a similar note, we've been watching home movies and there's a lot of Christmas in there. She always makes our home (or tiny little apartment) beautiful. It's something I'd never think to do, or know how to do, but I always enjoy it and for that I love her very much.

Hard Working Guy

This morning I exited the bedroom with my arms full of shoes, socks, pants, etc. to dress downstairs, so I wouldn't bother her by making a bunch of noise in the room.  As I was closing the door she said, "Thank you for being my hard-working man".  Little did she know how little I would be working today!  Ok, not true, I've been busy with the crazy run-up to Obamacare implementation all morning. But, she assumes that I'm the hardest working guy around, which is a very lucky thing for a guy to have.  I love that girl.

Airplane Death

As I type this I am getting tossed all over the skies in a Boeing 737. If Joanna were here she would say something like this: "I wish all our kids were here so we could die together", or "at least we're going down together and then we'll be in heaven together, isn't that great?"

Frankly, I think it's totally insane. I want to land and have a steak tonight, play golf later this week, or maybe enjoy mowing the lawn! 

But I love that she wants to be with me forever, and that's lucky for me.

The Inaugural Post - The 19th Anniversary

I'm an incredibly lucky husband for lots of reasons. Today is our 19th anniversary, which brings back all of those great wedding day memories. So today I say that I'm lucky because she said "yes" 19 years ago today, and that 20 is pretty much in the bag. But this anniversary is uniquely qualified to illustrate why I'm such a lucky guy. Today I'm in Denver, CO with Jake, about to go to Coors Field to watch a game. And what makes me lucky? She's happy that I'm having a great time. See? Luckiest guy in the world.