We've spent nearly as many anniversaries apart as we have together. This time was a close call. Richard's flight was supposed to arrive at 7:00 p.m. but was late by nearly an hour. Luckily The Roof Restaurant (at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building at Temple Square) kept our reservation. Richard surprised me by having a dozen roses waiting for me at the table. Although we didn't have our camera, we did have a lady at a neighboring table snap our picture with Richard's cell phone. Excuse my red eyes - the hazard of blue eyes and flash bulbs. -- It was a beautiful night with my favorite person.
August 1, 2008
Just a few reasons (of the many hundred) why I love Richard:
His complaining about changing diapers has been rare, and always with a smile.
NOT ONCE has he ever complained about working for hours a day and years on end to provide for me and our children. He does it gladly.
He's as comfortable playing dollies with the girls as he is wrestling with the boys.
He can ALWAYS make me smile and laugh.
He picks up my life when I just can't.
He makes be feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.
He encourages me to write and scrapbook and lunch with friends.
He buys me books and chocolate, just because.
He leaves love notes on my pillow.
He sends me love notes via e-mail.
He fixes the broken stuff at our house without my asking.
He's learned to do a lot of carpentry because I wanted to make our home prettier.
He "rides herd" on the children during chore time.
He reminds me that life is about play too, not just work.
He lets me cry when I feel like it.
He has loved me through many years of health challenges.
He makes an effort (at my bidding) to pry his eyes from the television when I'm trying to talk to him.
He loves our children with all his heart.
He'll leave work early on occasion to come home "just to help" me with family life.
He'll buy (only a little begrudgingly) nursing bras and feminine products for me.
He eats Chinese and Japanese a lot less often than he'd like, because he knows I can't stand it.
He opens doors for me.
He taught our sons to open doors.
He closes the bedroom door some mornings to let me sleep while he gets the kids off to school.
He does the dishes more often than I'd like to admit.
He moves boulders from one spot to another because I think they would look nicer somewhere else.
He tries to understand when I think something in our home or yard should look better than "fine." And then he holds his tongue, mostly, when I spend money to try to make it look better than "fine."
He assures me that I've spent enough time on my lessons and that the centerpiece is perfect.
He tells me I'm wonderful.
He takes over bathtime when I'm worn out.
He agrees that the pink paint is pretty and the yellow is just right, even though he really couldn't care less what color any wall in the house is.
He fills my gas tank with gas so I don't have to.
He clears the snow and ice from my car windows so I don't have to.
He grimaces only a tiny bit when I buy my two pair of jeans yearly, because he knows I have to pay that price to get them long enough for me.
He calls me "sweetie," "angel," and "babe."
He treats our daughters like princesses.
He takes me to chick flicks.
He loves my family.
He compliments my cooking and clears his plate from the table.
He helps needy strangers.
He studies scripture and prays with me.
He protects me.
He pulls my hair out of my face and into a ponytail when I vomit over the toilet.
He writes thankyou notes to people who touch his life.
He works out to keep his body healthy and in great shape.
He usually remembers to call me if he's not going to be home as planned.
He always tries to catch an earlier flight home, if possible.
He's not embarrased to tell people he has six children, even though they think we're nuts.
He drives every mile of every trip because I can't stay awake when I drive.
He rubs my shoulders.
He loves his Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
I get to pin the eagle on his uniform.
