My Hubby and Me

So, I have 8x10  pictures of each of my kids in my livingroom and they are all nicely bordering a painting (Gorgeous, done by my Dad and given to me just a couple years ago - I've been wanting it all my life!). This arrangement has worked perfectly for me, when I get new pictures taken I change out the old ones and it works great. Well, now I have a problem. I now have five children, not four. Five pictures doesn't nicely frame a painting, and I am NOT moving my painting. So. I guess I need a sixth picture. And here is the answer to my problem....a picture of Michael and I with the kids' pictures.

I'm actually really happy with how the picture turned out. It was the end of the day and Michael and I had been being goofy all day having fun with the kids. I pulled my hair out of my ponytail (Notice the frizz!) and handed the camera to our eleven year old. But really, I think it may be one of my favourite pictures of us.  At first I wasn't crazy about it, 'cause I don't look exactly as thin as I would like to. But, let's me real, I'm not as thin as I would like to be! I'm fat, and that's the way it is. This is what people see when they look at me, so it would just look weird if I looked any different in a picture! (Plus my facebook friends like it, so moving past the emotional turmoil of not being perfect when I want to be and moving back to the good things! - Emotional crisis averted)
So, when I get home, I will be printing this picture off as an 8x10 and putting it on my wall with the rest of the pictures. If I think of it, I'll post a pic.

So, while I have a picture up of me with my husband, I figured now was as good a time as any to talk about this man that I'm married to! Michael and I have been married for nine and a half years - crazy, I know! In some ways that seems like such a small amount of time and in other ways it seems like eternity already! Michael and I met at Pizza Hut where we worked together. He says that he was instantly attracted to me, although I did not like him to start with! I thought he was a bit of a know it all (Which he kinda is) and I was definitely NOT looking for a relationship. But after a few days of working together, and his shameless flirting, my opinion started changing. I was still definitely not looking for a relationship, and neither was he, so we just became friends. We hung out all the time, and after several months, decided we were ready for something more. The rest is history! Michael is the one person in my life who can instantly take me from sad to happy, happy to sad, lonely to comforted and insecure to untouchable. He knows all my secrets and all my ticklish spots. He had the most influence over my life and I love him more every day!

These pictures were taken on the same day as the first one (see, I was wearing a ponytail!) and they resemble why I love my husband. It was the early evening and we were all tired and bordering on cranky. Michael took the initiative, plugged his phone into the sub and started blaring music. On days like this, he picks music that all of us can sing to, so that we all start smiling and being goofy. I decided that we needed to dance and he was super cooperative. Then when David decided to join in, we all started dancing around the room and singing and making silly faces (it's part of singing I'm telling you!) These are the kinds of things that I hope my kids will always remember. The music blaring as we danced around the room and laughed!
Now here's the list, are you ready, it's a long one (that's what happens when you are married to an old man!!) 37 Things that I love about Michael:

1.You make me laugh - even when (maybe especially when!) I don't know that I want to.
2. You cook for me.
3. You care what I think.
4. You pick music that I like, even if you don't always like it (although I still can't get you to listen to classical music with me!)
5. You are a very involved Daddy.
6. You're not afraid of changing diapers.
7. You keep your word.
8. You were amazing in the delivery room, saying exactly what I needed to hear and really supporting me. (Wow, that one brought tears to my eyes!)
9. You're not afraid to change for me, and you work hard to improve yourself.
10. You go to church with me.
11. You read scriptures with our family.
12. You play board games with me almost as often as I want you to, even though you don't always like to. (And even though I usually win!)

13. You love my family (I'm not always sure how that's possible, but you do!)
14. You kneel for family prayers with us, and even support me in the silly holding hands while crossing them.
15. You love to take baths and showers with me.
16. You cry at movies that have to do with Daddy's and their daughters.
17. There are even some songs that make you cry.
18. You love to cuddle.
19. You had to fight to win me, and you didn't give up.
20. Your smile lights up a room.
21. You let me win fights.
22. You supported me in home schooling for five years.
23. You work really hard.
24. You let me be a stay at home mom.
25. You make each of our kids feel special.
26. When you are away from home, you don't go to sleep without talking to me.
27. You love to snuggle up next to me at night while I'm on the computer, and if I don't take the hint, you place my hand on your head so that I will start playing with your hair.
28. You'll do just about anything for a foot rub.

29. You sing to me.
30. You lotion my feet and back.
31. You don't make me feel like you're baby-sitting when I leave you with the kids.
32. You put up with my huge family functions, and even enjoy yourself sometimes.
33. You took dance lessons with me.
34. You don't make me feel guilty for buying scrapbook stuff.
35. You see value in the things I do with my time (other than facebook!)
36. You gently remind me when there are things I need to work on.
37. You make me feel loved.

Michael, I'm so happy that we were thrown together at Pizza Hut. You have changed my life extremely, and even though at times that means my life is a lot harder, I wouldn't take it back for anything. You're a wonderful father and a compassionate husband. I love being married to you and hope that we can have several more decades together. You mean the world to me.

Love, Jennifer