The Husband I Love

This Sunday we had the "token" young women lesson on temple marriage :) I was really excited to be able to share my testimony and experiences with the girls on my own temple marriage.

As I thought about the choices I made in my life that led me to this decision I felt truly blessed to have had the support and encouragement of my parents and my own young women's leaders. I remember being given a framed picture of the Columbus temple. On the back it said "Make the Temple your goal." I'm not sure my leaders thought much of this gesture... but it had a huge impact on me. All through high school when faced with decisions that would compromise my worthiness to go to the temple this phrase would pop into my mind. I knew what choice I was to make. Of course I wasn't perfect and I may have stepped of the path once or twice, but I always found myself quickly coming back. I also remember having a Wednesday night activity where we talked about the type of person we wanted to marry. We made a list of things we wanted from our future companions. Mine happened to be 75 things long :) I knew that to find a guy with most of these qualities I myself would have to work hard to posses the same characteristics. In the end I think all the hard work paid off... seeing as my husband is pretty much perfect for me. You may be surprised that Mike does, to my expectations, meet all of the criteria of the list I made almost 8 years ago. Of course he's way to humble to believe that he really does but I seem to think I've gotten to know him better than most over our 20 months of marriage. I spent quite a while tearing my house apart looking for the list. I finally called my mom and after about 20 minutes of searching the external hard drive she found my list. Nervous that I could have lost it forever, I'm going to save it here. Then when I make this into a book I'll be covered. :) At any rate I'm so glad the man of my dreams asked me to be his two years and 4 days ago (April 15th 2008.)

1) Strong Testimony of the church

2) Willing to serve church callings

3) Active in church callings

4) Returned Missionary

5) Someone with a loving family

6) Parents who have strong testimonies and are active

7) Treats me like a daughter of God

8) Makes me feel important and loved

9) Goes out of his way to make me happy

10) Tells me I’m beautiful and means it every time

11) Able to have a good time with him (with out spending money)

12) Someone who agrees on parenting skills

13) Loves the lord and Savoir more than anything else

14) Isn’t afraid of showing emotions

15) Has a career path and can provide for a family affectively

16) Makes me melt just by looking into my eyes

17) Respects me and my decisions

18) Someone who is in good physical and mental condition

19) Selfless (puts other before himself)

20) Someone who shares my passion for music

21) Can play some instrument (Mike plays the trumpet)

22) Knows me as well as a life long friend would know me

23) Cheerful (smiles at everyone)

24) Strives to obtain Christ like attributes

25) Sensitive to others needs

26) Loves life and make everyday one to be grateful for, and not regret anything

27) Is excited to get married and have a family

28) Someone who wants/ has traveled and will travel the world with me.

29) Can see past my short comings and loves me in spite of me.

30) Doesn’t have a temper, can calmly handle frustrating situations (I love Mike for this!)

31) Someone who makes every kiss mean something

32) Someone who has only kissed people he had feelings for

33) Someone who also has a high standard for his future spouse

34) Someone who can take me to the temple

35) Someone who will always be worthy and holding a temple recommend

36) Someone who has a desire to visit the temple often

37) Has read the Book of Mormon and loves it

38) Seminary graduate

39) College graduate

40) Someone who I am able to tease, and he can tease me back (all lovingly of course)

41) Someone who’s not afraid to admit it when they are wrong

42) Someone who I can Laugh with

43) Someone I can talk to for hours and he really listens and talks back

44) Someone I’m comfortable telling all my problems, hopes, and dreams with.

45) Someone who gives me butterflies and makes my teeth chatter when they kiss me.

46) Someone who I have a good friendship with

47) Someone who wants to marry me for all the right reasons

48) Someone who will help me strive for exaltation.

49) Someone who makes me want to be a better person and I the same for him.

50) Someone who brings out the best in me and I in him

51) Someone who can be spontaneous

52) Like kids

53) Someone who treats their mom with all the care and love in the world

54) Someone who has a close relationship with his family

55) Someone who gets along with my family

56) Someone my family approves of

57) Someone who has waited for someone like me

58) Someone who waits till they really mean it to tell me that they love me

59) Someone who holds and respects the priesthood and will be able to give our children and me blessings

60) An eagle scout, and proud of it

61) Someone who loves our country

62) Someone who loves, honors, follows, and believes in the living prophet and his apostles

63) Is comparable spiritually to Moroni (Alma 48: 11-13)

64) Takes time to make me feel better when I’m sick

65) Hopeless romantic

66) Someone who has a desire to learn

67) Someone who shares some common likes and dislikes

68) Someone who rarely talks bad about others (I also really admire this about him)

69) Someone who is helpful

70) Someone who instinctively looks for the positive and tires to not dwell on the negative

71) Someone who can accept reality

72) Someone who has the physical light of Christ and it is noticed by people

73) Someone who you can really tell is in love with me by the way he acts around me and the way we make each other better people

74) I want me and my husband to be 100% in love, I want people to be able to see it, by the way we look at each other and the way we glow when we are together. I want me and my husband to think as one but maintain our individuality. I want people to say “Those two are truly in love and will be for time and all eternity.” I want our relationship to be founded in the gospel and devoted to serving the Lord and doing his work that we may one day live with him in the highest level of glory. I want him to ask my father in heaven and my earthly father before he proposes. I want to know that he is “the one” when he asks me.

75) My future husband must possess the qualities on this list and our relationship must be as the one I described. I am a choice daughter of God and deserve nothing less. He excises and one day I will find him and KNOW!

Thanks to my wonderful and talented friend Lindsey Stokes for taking these great pictures of us over Easter weekend!!