To Joe

You are tricky.

Joe's Birthday

Did I tell you about the time in May or June that I found Joe's facebook left open and decided to get even with him for all the times he'd left funny things on my status? I changed his birthday for the next day and everyone started wishing him happy birthday. I thought I was pretty hilarious; him, not so much. He then broke into my account and changed my relationship from married to single and people started commenting on my changed status. That didn't make me too happy. He claimed he was just playing a similar joke; I stand firm in my belief that the two jokes were not equally funny. 

Anyway. Today really is his birthday. And I am about to play a little joke on him (he's on his way home in the car, surely he won't read this before I get my chance?!). I'll tell you about it later. But instead of me writing some gloopy corny post about how wonderful he is, I thought it might be fun if you left some kind of memory you had of something he said or did. Because he's getting pretty old, and pretty soon he will be forgetting everything, so help me give him the best gift of all: written memories. 

hehehehe. please play! leave a comment!

Ten is Good

Ten years ago we did not have a cell phone, a digital camera, and any idea where we'd be today. Our anniversary is not actually until Thursday, but things are about to get even crazier around here, so I decided to take this opportunity to tell you a a little about this dude.

He's made quite a few funny posts about how we met, but this is the REAL story.

I took a Mandarin Chinese 101 class and noticed Joe sitting a few seats away. Actually, I noticed that he was a guy that had been in a class I had been in during the summer semester. I had about 30 seconds to decide if I was going to a.) pretend I had never seen him before or b.) ask him how he did in that class. I chose option b, which ended up being an embarrassing situation because he said something like, "Oh. Were you in that class?"

I will now explain what our first impressions of each other were. Mine of Joe: he talks a lot (which is why I knew who he was) and Joe's of me: she's a snob (because I am quiet and shy--which is why he didn't know who I was). I will let you make your own conclusions. :)

It just so happens that both us had roommates in this Mandarin 101 class, so for some reason or another (which I will keep confidential, but if you ask me in person I will tell you) the four of us became friends. We studied together sometimes and after a while my roommate and I would go to Joe for boy advice. One conversation which sticks out is the one we had about why we had taken Mandarin 101. I had just taught a semester in China and desired to learn the language so I could return. Joe's response was, "So I can talk to my wife." I just like to give him a hard time about that. :)

Anyway, 10 years later we've accomplished 5 degrees together, held too many jobs to count, lived in 5 states and more apts and homes than that, had 3 vehicles, and I guess the only numbers that really matter are these 4 children we made together. I swore we'd never live in Texas, and here we are, and loving it!

In honor of the BIG TEN I thought I'd get somewhat mushy and tell you 10 things about the awesome guy who made this number possible.

1. Joe is a hard worker. He got his college job by just showing up at an event and asking the sound crew if he could help them. I think they gave him a job later that evening. Towards the end of our time at BYU-Idaho he worked 3 different jobs at the same time while I student taught and then stayed home with Logan. I knew it was important to him to provide for his family, and I have seen that same discipline and dedication as he applied to law schools, sent out resumes, and now as he continues to build his law practice.

2. Joe is a good dad. We had a conversation on our first date that let me know that children were important to him, and that he intended to be there and to spend time with them. I am happy to report that our children adore and look up to him, and let's be honest--they'd much rather play with him than me.

3. Joe cooks. That is how he initially lured me in. He cooked for me. Then he cooked for my family when they came to visit. These days I do most of the cooking because I'm the one who is home. . . but when he gets the chance, Joe is the one who makes us crepes, enchiladas, and Mexican rice. . . just to name a few of his specialties.

4. Joe cleans. He knows that I get a little crazy around messes. So some of my favorite days include the ones where I'm about to go crazy and he says, "Why don't you take a nap and I'll take care of everything." This phrase usually means I wake up to a clean house and sweet smells of dinner.

5. Joe is smart. He knows a little bit (sometimes a lot) about everything. Sometimes it's very random. When we first got married I would get him to tickle my neck/back while he would tell me history stories that I should have learned in high school. The conversation never gets stale around here. :)

6. Joe is good with people. This goes back a little to how he is smart and how he talks a lot. He just knows how to talk to people. Me--not so much. When he first proposed the idea of starting his own law practice I knew that he might actually be able to pull it off because he was so good at making people like him.

7. Joe is funny and optimistic and laid back (read the sidebar). All things I'm not. He has a great sense of humor, which actually sometimes infuriates me because I am so serious and pessimistic. We even each other out, and truly--if there is a bad situation you might as well be happy about it.

8. Joe lets me be the boss. We are both first children, which can be interesting at times. But probably more than he should, he lets me call the shots. I think part of it is because he is afraid of me getting mad. :) For example, we were scheduled to get married in August of 2001. I got a phone call a few months before and was offered a job supervising 15 teachers in China. I explained that I couldn't because I was getting married in August right around the day they wanted me to be there. They suggested we move up our wedding date and they would pay for Joe to go, too. That night we had a conversation that went like this, "What would you think about getting married in July and going to live in China for a semester in August?" Joe thought for a few minutes and said that if that is what I wanted to do we could do it. We've had many repeat conversations.

9. Joe is serviceable. Not just for me or my family, as you can clearly see in above examples. He truly cares about people and wants to help them. I see this in the work he does and in our family. We both agree that we should be more service-oriented.

10. Joe is spiritual. Two months before we got married I went home to spend some time with my family. He would send me letters in the mail almost everyday, and he would always share his testimony. While I don't love early morning church meetings or lonely evenings while he is out with the missionaries, etc., I love being able to tell our children that he is fulfilling his church callings and priesthood duties.

Joseph, buddy, I can't even begin to think about where we will be in 10 years. I know it will go faster than I ever dreamed possible. Logan will be getting ready to graduate from high school, and that is just CRAZY!! I do know that wherever we will be, we will be OK. Thanks for putting up with me!

Opportunity Part II

I married Joe for lots of reasons, which you will probably get to read about sometime in the next month when we celebrate our 10 years of crazy marriage. But some of those reasons include how helpful he is around the house, his sense of humor, his optimistic views on life, his spontaneity, his people skills. Basically, he's everything I'm not (besides being helpful around that house because that's my job). So anyway, we just had this conversation about the new improved people we are going to be when we make this move. I already introduced you to the new me. But Joe? Well, he just wants to talk less.

This is even funnier if you know about our first impressions of each other. Maybe that is what I can share with you on July 14th. :)

They're done!

Here are the wood boards Joe made for Logan's room (with a little help from my dad and yours truly). I think they look so great!  I can't wait for Logan to open them and then to hang them in his room! I haven't decided if I will lay them out like this, or split it into two arrangements.  What do you think?

Joe Ages

He is a husband, a father, a son, a grandson, a brother, a lawyer, and our favorite guy ever.  He turned a secret number (if you ask I'll tell) on Nov. 4.  He had a busy day: ate breakfast burritos in the morning, voted, visited the dentist, worked, gobbled lasagna and cheesecake, and spent an evening with his lovely family.  WE LOVE YOU!!!

Why did Jenny marry me?

The Truth:

WARNING:  What you are about to read may seem incredibly corny. But, because of recent conversations with friends, I feel I must share the honest truth.

OK, so here's my side of the story.  Yes, sometimes I think, "Wow.  Things could've really backfired.  I'm so lucky..."  Yes, I'm lucky to have Joe, but I didn't "get" lucky.  I didn't know that Joe would finish school, AND complete a J.D. and be a hot-shot attorney.  But here's what I did know.

Joe was (is) an incredibly hard worker.  Not a good student (only because he had other priorities), but a hard worker.  He said he was a sound engineer.  But he didn't tell you that he got his job, in the middle of the semester, by going up to the sound crew while they were working and, after telling them he was interested in learning about sound, he asked if he could come and help them at a concert that night.  For free.  I knew that he'd always have a job doing something.  

Joe was/is intelligent and fun to talk to.  I knew we'd always be able to carry on some kind of conversation.  And my circle of friends drastically increased because everyone loves Joe.

And this is really the reason I married him: he cooked and cleaned.  This is one of those things that I sometimes think, "Whoa. I am SOO lucky."  And again, I am, but really, it wasn't luck--I knew that he did those things.  That's how he courted me so successfully.  He'd invite me over for dinner.  He'd come over and cook for my apartment. He'd help with my laundry and even iron my clothes.  He washed the dishes.  The list goes on and on.  So I was pretty positive he'd be a great companion, a fantastic father.  A helper like no other.

So you see--I didn't take a big, in-love, risk.  I will take some credit for helping him find time to study.  But really, I want credit for finding him and glimpsing the potential he has.  And I guess he deserves some credit for being the great person he is.  

This past weekend we had over some friends. I can't remember how the conversation evolved exactly, but somewhere the women noted how their prospective husbands were lost souls when initially found. Each man lacked a sense of responsibility and consequence (or, in other words, a woman).

Jenny was lucky to find me (no jokes, please) in college. I didn't plan to stay there very long. My plan was to drop out of college, start a band and a record label, and make music. I had no real major. Classes were attended only when a roll needed to be signed. And I spent twice as much time working (sound engineer) than studying.

Then I met Jenny.

Suddenly, my GPA skyrocketed (I actually dropped out of a woodworking class my senior year because the teacher hinted that I might not get an "A"). I added two jobs and doubled the time spent at work, but I never spent as much time working as I did studying. I secured a highly-selective scholarship. I nailed down a major and some high-powered mentors to guide me through. I learned to figure skate. Ok, I didn't learn to figure skate, but I did learn another language.

It's easy to see the correlation. But what I can't see is why Jenny took a chance. Honestly, I would never allow my daughter to marry someone like me. I'm glad Jenny did, but I do have to question her sanity.