The Beginning of a Long Journey

So, it's been a while since I got on here.  I guess that's kinda funny since it was me who initially created this blog.  Christy has done an amazing job of making sure that we post often enough that everyone can know what we're doing.  I guess, on that note, that I'd call this post something of a "husband hijacking."  (I actually find it funny, rhetorically speaking, that this has become something of a new blog fad.  In fact, I might ask my brother-in-law Justin if I can guest blog on his blog about this)

Anyway, I digress (which is common on husband hijack posts I might add).  My point in coming on here was to talk a little bit about Christy. 

It's our anniversary today, and I've been racking my brain for something that I can do for her.  She likes getting flowers and chocolates, but hates what they do to her body.  We'd both love to have a weekend getaway, but she asked that we not do that... partly because of the cost,  but mostly because she made a committment to work at the welfare cannery this weekend and felt like she needed to uphold that committment (I'm actually the one who signed her up, but only because I've gone twice before and I thought she would really enjoy making peanut butter). 

[See what I told you about Husband Hijaks and digression.] 

I would have loved to get her tickets to the BYU-Texas game this fall, and call it an anniversary present, but not only would she murder me for spending that kind of money, she would be upset because I would be getting an anniversary present that is 90% for myself and 10% for her. 

She really hates when I spend money on occasions like this, so it left me thinking, "what can I do for her, that would show her how much I love her, without spending a ton of money."  (This thought has honestly been going through my mind for about 2 months now.)  I got to today, realized that I didn't have anything, and decided that the best thing I can do for her is use one of my talents: I decided I would write.  I decided that I would take a minute to explain to the world everything that is great about my wife Christy. 

Many of you know Christy as a very supportive person, but I want you all to know a little bit about what kind of a supportive person she is.  Over the past year, our family has been through a lot.  Being 2 years into a teaching career, we realized that if we continued on the career path that we were on, we were going to go bankrupt.  We evaluated every option available to us, tried every option available to us, and went (literally) crazy in the process.  Around every turn, Christy not only stood by me, but was proactive in trying to help our family.  Here are a few things that she did, during that time, that amaze me:

1. She used a $150 grocery budget to feed a family of 5 for over 9 months.  (and still worried about making sure we had food storage)
2. She helped us move an entire house of people and belongings (across the street - into a new ward) so that we could save on rent.
3. She never complained when I was called as Elder's Quorum President in our first ward, and then Executive Secretary in the new ward (right after she had been called into the relief society presidency).
4. She convinced us to give up our cell phones so that we could save on phone costs.
5. When we realized that with all the cuts we weren't going to be able to make our ends meet, she obtained a job (which she hated) where she worked from 9am to 7pm 4 days a week.
6. When she went to work, she cried every day when she had to drop off our kids at a day-care center that neither of us liked, but that we could afford.
7. She stood by and allowed me to continue pursuing an overseas teaching career even when everything we tried to do fell apart and we even received apostolic counsel not to continue pursuing such endeavors (don't read too much into this... there are some specific things directed only at us).
8. She left work (and ultimately quit her job) to be by me as I was going through Sever Panic attacks while teaching at school.
9. She supported me in quitting my job and pursuing another career because we knew it was right, even though we didn't have a solid answer for a new job yet. 
10. Through it all, there never was a day that our kids went without a home-cooked meal or were tucked into bed by one of us. 
11. She even has gone so far as to support me in my therapy by going with me and committing to helping me deal with my anxiety.

If you can't tell, I really love Christy.  I see these things, think about them sometimes, and I can't help but admit that I didn't have any idea what a great person I was marrying 4 years ago.  I'm so lucky to have her by my side as a companion who walked up to covenants with me 4 years ago and has lived up to every covenant that she made.  I know she'll continue keeping those covenants throughout eternity. 

Speaking of Covenants, here are some other amazing things you should know about Christy. 

1. Since we were married (she was endowed the day before), she has not missed going to the temple at least once in a month (usually 2-3 times).
2. There has only been one trip, that I know of, that we have taken as a family when Christy didn't make it to the temple while we were there.
3. At the beginning of last year, before everything above was going on, Christy made a goal to find family members who had not gotten their temple work done and take them to the temple.  Since she made that goal, she has found and begun doing temple work for 5 generations worth of family.
4. In the last year, Christy has helped her younger sister Taylor move from the bucket of less-active church member to religious early-morning seminary goer and passionate missionary for both the living and the dead.
5. In the last year, Christy has helped her dad move from completely less-active in religion to being a regularly active member and tithe payer.

Now, what I love about Christy is that she never coerces any of these things to happen.  It's just a part of who she is.  People around her have "a change of heart" because of her example. 

I love you Christy.  I hope that all of the readers of our blog will also comment and say how much they love you.  (I know you feel like people don't comment enough on our blog... we should be better about doing that ourselves.)