Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Ode to Matt



OK, so Matt and my anniversary is this week. Unfortunately he is working(12 hour days) and then leaving for Mexico and I will be going to thatch, so there won't be much in the way of celebrating. I am unfortunately not a low maintaince girl in the sense of birthdays and anniversaries, other than that I am pretty low key. So since celebrating our marriage is a big deal to me, I have to do something to reflect on our relationship this week. So please if you are easily nauseated by cheesiness, skip this post. It is going to be pretty much a long journal entry of me rambling about Matt. The fact of the matter is, I love my husband. I love him more than I ever knew it was possible to love another being. Even when we got married I had no idea how much my love and admiration for him would grow. He has become a part of every fiber of my being and I love him with my whole self. Something that 5 years ago would have really freaked me out :). Deciding to love him and completely commit my life to him was the best choice I ever made and I still marvel that I could make such a wise decision as an idiotic kid. I really honestly married the best friend I have ever had. Despite his flaws and mine I want to share everything with him. He still makes me laugh and surprises me with his sense of humor. Sometimes he says stuff that is just so quick and witty that it kills me! I love to laugh with him and we always seem to find lots of opportunities. Sometimes we get so busy and our time is spent hurrying to accomplish our responsibilities and I forget how funny he is, then with perfect timing out will come some comment that perfectly brings funniness to a situation (don't read too much into this not all your jokes are super funny :). Anyway, I am SO attracted to his sense of humor and that hasn't gone away. In fact it's gotten better. I guess something that I love so deeply about Matt is what a great father he is. It really moves me, more than I am comfortable expressing. Being a good father isn't just something he tries to do, it is simply who he is. It is part of his goodness and gentleness and kindness.

Matt has more integrity than anyone I have ever met. He is a good, kind, and honest person. I think that with most people, as we get to know them we see bits of ugliness in them that we learn to deal with and love and overlook, but with Matt I have never found that. Sure there are things about him that may frustrate me or irritate me, but I have never found that ugliness underneath, that mean or selfish flaw. He is genuinely good and cares for other people and about doing good. I have more faith in who he is underneath, in his soul I guess you could say than I have in anything else besides the gospel of Jesus Christ. I trust who he is, I know his goodness. I also know that he isn't perfect, which is good because perfection would probably drive me more crazy than flaws! But our differences are things that are easily worked out...as long as I control my attitude :) We have kind of "grown up" together and gotten to watch each other learn and change and grow. And I really couldn't be more content and excited to share the rest of my experiences with anyone else. He is the right man for me and about that I have NO doubts. These are the major things I love about him. Here are some of the other ones.



  • His face (I love the whole thing, when I think about it I want to name every aspect individually, his vibrant green eyes, deep dimples, perfect lips and teeth, and his bones- his brilliantly carved cheeks and jawline-it literally almost makes me sick how much I love is face)

  • His willingness to get up in the morning. This has saved my life, and my happiness.

  • The way he takes responsibility for the yard.

  • That he watches my chick shows with me, because he knows I want him to.

  • That he honors his priesthood and has a deep testimony.

  • His willingness to do housework and to cook and to help with whatever I ask

  • That he puts the heavy water bottles on the cooler

  • His acceptance of my CRAZY and dysfunctional family. Being born into my family is a never ending roller coaster or drama and I can't imagine marrying into it. He is way better than I would probably be and it means ALOT to me. I know it isn't easy.

  • His willingness to be silly.

  • His singing in the shower.

  • His love of music and theater and sports and all the things I love.

  • His ever changing and on going personal debate of "should I cut my hair or let it grow"

  • That he lets me hog the bed and even on occasion steal his pillow.

  • Ticklefights.

  • The way he plays with Lily.

  • Listening to him teach Lily new things.

  • What a hard worker he is.

  • His willingness to sacrifice.

  • His open mindedness and acceptance of all people.

OK, I know this post is long and Lily is crying in her bed for me to get her up, but here is to Matt and all the other good husbands and fathers out there. May you know how inexplicably you are loved.

12 comments:

Katie said...

Jenn, what a super sweet blog! Matt is a freakin' lucky guy to have you. Congrats on 5 years!

Katie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Heather said...

Thanks for the much-needed lift today, Jenn. I love you!

Heidi Totten said...

I love this! Especially because that is my baby cousin you are talking about! I love that you love him and that he married someone as wonderful as YOU, Jenn!

Charlie said...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY you guys!!! Five years--wow. You guys are my heroes. And by the way, our family is not crazy OR dysfunctional. We're just occasionally (some more occasionally than others) overly dramatic, nonsensical, random, emotional wrecks. And actually, some of us are insane, which is kind of like crazy, but in a more clinical sense. And we're CERTAINLY not dysfunctional. We just don't function as a cohesive family group most of the time.

OK, I got nothing. We're crazy and dysfunctional. I love you guys! I'm not accustomed to giving anniversary presents (or remembering them, or understanding conceptually what they are), but considering my grad school budget, I'd be more than happy to give you a "Happy Anniversary" presentation on the literary transition from modernism to postmodernism in 20th Century Cuba! Eh? Eh? Shapupee! Shapupee! Grapevine, step-ball-change, grapevine, and I'm done. Happy Anniversary!

Bon said...

happy anniversary guys! love you both! i know marrying into our family can be kind of overwhelming. we have that effect on people ;) but we're glad you're with us!

Jewel said...

Congrats, you two. You're lucky to have each other, and we're lucky to get to be friends with both of you!! Hope the next fifty are just as amazing as the first five!! :0)

The Swinson Family said...

:) I love this post Jenn! Happy Anniversary!

Terry said...

What a wonderful post Jenn. I too have always been so impressed with Matt. But then again, I am so impressed with you too! You two make a wonderful couple and great parents!

The LaLa said...

Thanks for loving our baby nephew so much, Jenn. Oh wait, he's all grown up now! How did that happen? We're so happy you can put up with our crazy family too, and have such a sweet appreciation for your wonderful husband. I'm pretty sure the feeling's mutual.

Moser Clan said...

Thanks for sharing :) You sound so happy. That makes me thrilled. You're perfect for one another.

{Jeff+Elisa} said...

Really it's been 5 years?!? Happy Anniversary!! :) You guys do fit perfectly together!! How fun! :) It's fun that we get to keep our hubbies for eternity huh?!? :)