Ten Things

I'm going through my old drafts of blog posts that I never bothered to post. This is from a few years ago, and I got all the way to #8 before I stopped writing. I'm going to finish it out and post this. That'll make six for this month/year so far. I'm rocking it!
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Here's another one of those things that is flying around facebook. This time I didn't really feel like throwing it up on my facebook page, but I thought it would be nice to stick it on here to add to some tidbits for my posterity. So you'll be excited to learn ten things about my marriage to Herman. Here goes:

1. Herman and I met each other on an off election cycle ... 1993. That's a good thing since his politics run conservative and mine are more liberal. I don't think our relationship could have made it through an election cycle in the early stages. By the time 1994 came around we knew we loved each other enough to push through our political impasses and agree to disagree (and avoid talking politics much of the time). [2018 update: With the absolute chaos and craziness that is our national politics today, Herman and I are finding that our politics is strangely in line. Dear future Americans: I can't explain what is happening today. I feel like I've slipped into Bizarro World].

2. When Herman came off his mission I was totally interested in some other guy in our university branch at church. But Herman's grandpa had a huge influence on him, and he always told Herman, "If a girl doesn't have a ring on her finger she is fair game." Thank you, Grandpa Jack, for that wisdom! Herman pursued and swept me right off my feet.

3. Our first date was to a cemetery. It wasn't really planned that way. We just ended up at the National Cemetery in Springfield for some reason. Whatever the reason, it worked. I remember sitting on one of the huge monuments at the entrance to the cemetery and looking up at the stars with Herman. As he pointed constellations out to me I thought, "This guy is alright."

4. Herman planned one of the best dates I had ever been on after our first trip to the cemetery. He took me on a trip around the world. Well, it only ended up being around Springfield, but we stopped at lots of places representing other countries and took pictures. He wrote me an invitation in French, and I knew that he was going to be the guy for me.

5. After our trip around the world I planned a huge date for him. This time I took him to New York ... also to places around Springfield representing NYC landmarks. I invited him by writing the invitation on the back of a little puzzle, and apparently Herman stayed up super late one night putting it together to see what he would find. I was never so creative with any other guy I dated. I really, really liked him.

6. I like to plan. Herman likes to have adventures. Somehow we have managed to find a way to help me feel totally prepared for our life while at the same time ending up having spontaneous adventures which keep life interesting.

7. I could talk to Herman night and day for weeks at at time. I don't normally see myself as talkative with anyone, but with Herman the words never cease.

8. Both of us would probably consider ourselves animal lovers, but in our married life we have not found this to be true. We are terrible pet owners. Not abusive or anything like that. Just terrible.

9. Herman and I both love to read. I love that I've married a reader. Neither one of us spend a lot of time reading what some might consider high brow. Herman loves to read Louis L'Amour books. He collects them. He's almost got a complete collection of all of his books, and many of those books he has double and triple copies of. I, on the other hand, love romantic stories ... any sort of romantic stories. I highly prefer stories where the couple ends up with some sort of Happily Ever After. I one time read a Louis L'Amour book on recommendation by Herman because he said that there is romance in the story. Sadly, I found that our reading joys are not totally compatible with each other, even in a Louis L'Amour book. But I'm still happy he's a reader.

10. Herman and I feel absolutely guided in some of the biggest (as well as many of the smaller) decisions of our marriage. From starting our own businesses to adopting Minsy to all of those smaller decisions that have led us to where we are today, we have felt as if Heavenly Father has been an active guiding participant in those decisions. I really do believe that Heavenly Father wants to bless our lives, if we only would have the courage to listen to Him and do what He asks. I have always trusted Herman when he has come to me, feeling as if he has received a prompting through the Holy Ghost. So far, I don't feel as if we've been led astray, even when the journey is a little bit rockier than we would hope.

I'm grateful for my marriage to Herman. It's been a fun ride! I've always felt like we were MFEO (made for each other). 😃