Lovin' My Hubby!!

February 4th, 2010

I am a lucky lady...and I KNOW it! Rich and I are approaching our 30 year anniversary this year! Yikes, that seems like a long time, and yet it seems like just yesterday that I saw him for the first time. I clearly remember telling a roommate that I needed to find out more about him...I was very impressed. He was a natural leader and teacher. I loved, and still do, listening to him teach. Teaching seems to come so easily to him, and yet I know the hours that he spends reading, pondering, and praying for further understanding and insight.
30 years has taken us up and down the California coast, to the beautiful state of Washington, and then to the mid-west where we currently are residing in Illinois. He started his career with Unocal in 1981 after graduating from BYU. And has weathered being bought and sold and merged and is currently employed by ConocoPhillips. To say that he has put his heart into his employment is a severe understatement. I know that I have a slightly jaded perspective; however, I have watched him easily put in 60+ hours a week for more years than I care to remember. His current assignment has brought significant challenges beyond anything experienced previously. "Relief" and "Accomplishment" will have entirely different meanings when his current project is completed. But I sure am proud of him! Rich is SUCH a mechanical engineer. You have to know that just about any time he talks about work that such explanation comes with a diagram of sorts, usually on a napkin. It really is fun to drive past his site and see everything that is happening, especially the big, blue, humungous (?) crane.

Far more important than being an employee is the father that he has been to his children. They have their own way of expressing their gratitude to him and I enjoy watching the various ways they find to do so. Rich was raised pretty much without a father, but with an angel mother. Our children are very lucky. They have the benefit of having a pioneer heritage from my side of the family. From Rich they get the perspective that comes with realizing the difference that the gospel can bring into a family's life, as Rich joined the LDS Church while attending Vanderbilt University. As for me, I will be eternally grateful the he had lived his life in a way such that he was able to recognize the Spirit testifying to him of the truthfulness of the gospel when it was presented to him. We have been blessed with children that have developed strong testimonies of the gospel and I credit much of their understanding to the example of their father.

I love this man! And I'm proud to be by his side. I appreciate his willingness to see past my shortcomings and always wanting me to achieve whatever my heart desires. I look forward to seeing the many opportunities that will come our way in the next several years. International work, building a home, serving a mission, grandparenthood...endless list...we'll see!!