My Wife

HOW DO I LOVE THEE....

This is our 10th Valentines Day together, and since there is nothing more Kristine likes to do than blog, I thought I would surprize her with my first entry of all time. So I was thinking, for the last 10 years, why do I love her....

1. Sexy

I'm a little sorry this has to be #1, but in reality, this is how all relationships start, there needs to be some attraction. Ours started in weight lifting class. I was the teacher's aid, and she was the sexy little junior doing lat pull downs and lunges. I figured, if someone could look hot doing lunges, they must have something going on. I was initially attacted to her flowing bangs. I wish I could find a picture of them, but I guess the indelible image on my mind is enough. I have asked her repeatedly to grow them again, but she refuses. So in a sense, the fact that she still looks beautiful and sexy, despite her best hair style, says quite a bit. Look how hot she looks in that picture, 9 years ago, curves like a railroad track--we still have those swimsuits too.

2. Fun

Our first time hanging out we played captured the flag with a big group of people(of which I'm sure Kristine organized, seperated as teams, and probably determined who would win, but that's for another list). But ever since then, it has been one fun activity over another. My friends were used to sitting in someone's house saying, "what should we do, what should we do." Once I was with her, there was never enough time in the day to do all of her activities. She is still like this. With the kids there is always some activity for them to do, always an event to get ready for, always a new idea.3. Flirty

Sounds a little silly, but when you take into consideration I was quite reserved and nervous, especially around girls, this quality came in quite handy. Kristine has no reservations about taking the initiative, and that showed in our first date, our first kiss, even our marriage. Kristine is quite aggressive in anything she does, hint hint, and it was helpful for a skinny, scared little kid like me to have a girl express herself openly and freely. Plus, it really helps a guy's self confidence when the girl is always grabbing him(inappropriately) and snuggling with him, even when it's annoying, like, all the time, it still makes you feel pretty cool.

4. Adventurous

Of course this goes along with Fun, but in Kristine's case, it deserves another section in itself. Kristine love adventures, she gets it from her mother I think. Kristine will often get more excited about trying a new sport, than to play one she already loves. Out of the blue, we became regulars in a roller hockey league a few years ago, she also decided to pick up soccer one season and bought herself some fantasticly bright blue soccer cleats. She has never been scared for a new callenge, like a first child, or another, or another... What sticks out the most, is her willingness, even eagerness, to move to the Caribbean for two years. Sure many of you think that sounds fun, but I'm willing to bet 90% of you readers wouldn't have let their husbands move to a third world country and live on rice and beans and deal with crazy pot heads hitting on you everyday--as well as the daily occurance of seeing a local man's entire genitourinary system on the side of the road. Of course we had our scars in Grenada, but Kristine always loved it. She is one of the few wives you can talk to who only has wonderful things to say about her stay there. We even want to go back, soon.

5. Voice

Sorry this one is so low, honey. Now, Kristine has an incredible voice. She is always singing and practicing, as well as performing. I never went into dating with the thought, "I've got to find a girl who can hit high C for a wife." But once I did, it didn't hurt. Kristine brings a beautiful spirit into our house with her voice. I especially like it when she gets the kids singing, or the occasional time I catch her singing the kids to bed. I always feel awkward, but occasionally I'll ask her to sing us a song in bed. Plus, some of my favorite memories are watching her performing in random plays, like in Phantom up in Bountiful, or Carmen downtown, and in Grenada, as the sole bright white girl belting out her solo amidst all the Grenadians--that was a fun concert. (This is from one of her music videos)

6. Mother

The best for last. Kristine and I certainly can have our differences, but whenver that happens, I often think about how she is as a mother. That is something I didn't go into marriage thinking, how will this girl be as a mother? So it is pure luck, or destiny, or whatever, that I married someone I admire so much as a mother. She has it right when it comes to that. She is more concerned about having fun with the kids than tidiness, more worried happiness than rules, and more in tune with loving than discipline. I say that because tidiness, rules and discipline are all important as well, it's just that I like her ranking of the important qualities. Sometimes I will be caught up starring at her interacting with the kids, doing workbooks, practicing the piano, telling stories, creating games, she's amazing at creating games to make things fun, like ice skating when it's 10degrees outside. She really is amazing with her kids, and her kids love her to the moon, and so do I.

I LOVE YOU KRISTINE!!!