Thirty-one years ago, August 2, 1978, I walked into the Salt Lake Temple at 8 a.m. and emerged an hour later as a married woman! It seems fitting that we will spend our anniversary this year surrounded by many of those I love most in the world, as our newest grandson is blessed. In honor of 31 years, here are 31 random facts about my sweetheart.
1. He has very nice eyebrows.
2. He was born in Pennsylvania, grew up in Chicago, and attended high school in New Jersey.
3. He served a mission in Argentina, returning home 1 year to the day before we became engaged.
4. His mission president instructed him to be engaged within a year. (See #3.)
5. My first memory of him was at a testimony meeting in our BYU single's ward when he introduced himself as being from Cranbury, NJ and (referring to the young man from Orange, TX who had just spoken) said that didn't mean they were "a couple of fruits."
6. My first "date" with him was a double date. I was with his roommate and he was with a girl he picked up in one of his classes. We went ice skating, played alligator in the park, ate at Jimba's, drove to Squaw Peak to see the city lights, and slid down ice-covered amphitheatre steps on our backsides at Aspen Grove. Neither of our dates did the sliding part--and we both made a note of that.
7. The first time he asked me out, I turned him down because I already had a date. I told him I hoped he'd ask me again, to which he responded: "I will if I ever feel like it."
8. He is scrupulously honest.
9. Apparently he felt like it the next day. He invited me to a Sunday evening fireside held in the Marriott Center. President Romney was speaking. I wore a long red calico skirt and a shirt with a flower appliqued on it. I still have the skirt. It was February 5, 1978.
10. We got engaged seven weeks later, March 25, 1978. (See #3&4)
11. He is
usually scrupulously honest, unless it is for a good cause.
12. Like telling me that he knew the young men in the temple visitor's center when he didn't, so that he could have an excuse to greet them and ask them to leave.
13. And like telling me that the painting of Jesus teaching in the temple as a child was his favorite painting, so that he could get me to look away while he pulled a ring out of his pocket.
14. And like telling me that he slugged a protestor at the conference center and was going to be on the evening news, because he thought it would be funny.
15. And like telling me that he was in the delivery room when his bishop's wife had a baby because he thought it would be funny. And it wasn't.
16. We were married August 2 in the Salt Lake Temple.
17. Our first home was in southwest Provo. It had two bedrooms, a tiny patio, and an oven that always heated to 500 degrees. Always.
18. We have lived in eleven houses and four states: Utah, Wyoming, Kansas, Colorado
19. He graduated from BYU with a degree in Archaeology and minors in Spanish and Museum Studies.
20. His favorite place in the world is Hovenweep National Monument.
21. His favorite thing to do is LEARN! He has an insatiable thirst for knowledge.
22. He especially loves books.
23. And documentaries.
24. And weird movies. (His favorite movie is "The Village.")
25. His favorite color is blue and his favorite kind of food is Chinese food. His favorite kind of car is one that runs and is paid for.
26. His favorite gift is a Barnes and Noble gift certificate. He would also like tickets to a BYU football game.
27. He sings really well, even though he doesn't think so. He also dances better than he thinks. He does accents really well too. I especially like his Indian accent. (Indian as in India.) When we were first married he used to bounce around the apartment and sing the Tigger song from Winnie the Pooh.
28. And he's been known to chase the kids around the house with a squirt bottle and "introduce them to snow."
29. Within our family, he is best known for his knowledge of random facts (Jeopardy, anyone?), his embarrassing dad moments (riding the shopping cart in the parking lot), and his unforgettable quotable quotes. (see #5 & 7)
30. But what I most admire about him is his unwavering testimony, his uncompromising integrity, his calm in a crisis, his daily sacrifices, and his tenderness for those he loves.
31. We have been blessed with seven wonderful children, five equally wonderful sons and daughters in law, and eight (soon to be ten) perfect grandchildren.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, Tigger!
We spent the last several days camping at Hovenweep National Monument! We especially enjoyed:
