Love-ly Stories

I wanted to post this a few weeks ago when it was closer to Brian's and my anniversary, but didn't get to it.
Since it is my parents' anniversary today I'll do it in honor of theirs.
I thought it would be fun to do a blog post of sweet, and yes, romantic things.  I'd love it if you share a favorite story/thing. 
Brian and I aren't exactly the super "romantic" type so I don't have oodles of good stories.  We are more the "little things" matter most type.  For example one time while Brian was teaching early morning seminary he called home to wake me up because he saw a sunrise he thought was beautiful and that I would like it and he didn't want me to miss it.  To some that might not really seem that romantic or that big a deal, but for me it's very sweet. Another example of something I love is my grandfather's high school chemistry book.

If you look close he has written his initials and my grandma's in a heart.

I cherish little things like that.  I have a friend who met her now husband while going to school.  I can't remember anything about the story of how they met except that it had something to do with her riding her bike. They were in Taiwan (and from there)- that makes it a little more romantic even- imagining some far off place and a man seeing a beautiful girl on her bike. I like picturing it in my mind kind of like a little snippet in a movie.


Brian once worked with a guy in Germany who decided to get his bride-to-be a ring made with a stone from the beach where they met.  How romantic is that?  I love it (Brian told him that was too good of an idea and he was just going to make other men look bad ;-)  ).

Another ring story- (I love this story and it kind of inspired the whole blog theme) once upon a time a friend of mine's husband was playing greased watermelon in a lake.  (One of the gross ones with floating dead fish)  His wedding ring came off, he had lost it in the lake.  (I will pause for your sad gasps).  They worried about it all night and part of the day and then they decided to call a scuba diver.  He was a guy who looked the treasure hunting type and was excited for the challenge. He came up with pop can rings- nope not it.  Kept looking.  Not it.  Then when it was getting too dark to see anymore, he found it at the bottom of that big dirty lake.

And last from me, (hope you share something), is a picture of my mom when she was engaged that I think is love-ly (you know, more "little things"):

OK, and just because the 70's are so fun, their wedding picture- it's a very cute picture (Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!):

Here's a love-ly note from my mom:
Dear Michele,
     You can use the pictures.  I like the LUV truck picture, too.  We were so "hot" back then.  I think the romance in our marriage is strange, too.  I think it is wonderful that he takes the garbage out every Monday morning, and I like it when we buy the things we need/want together and say to each other, "Happy Birthday", Happy Valentines Day, or "Happy Anniversary".  Like buying a sander for my birthday to refinish the cupboards and the chairs and saying "Happy Anniversary".  Crazy.  Sometimes we forget what event the purchase is for, but I'm happy. 
Have a love-ly day,
Love,
Mom

Dad, i lied, i don't dream about noodles

My family is slightly obsessed with ninjas lately.  Kung Fu Panda, Aang= Avatar the Last Airbender series, Jackie Chan, their own made up ones (like Agent H and Agent W).  William is normally shy/reserved in primary (church Sunday school for kids) and never answers the questions even if he knows the answer, doesn't volunteer or sing along, let alone ask a question.  If it's something really fun he might half raise his hand tucked close to his body.  Today someone was talking to the children about his mission in Japan.  William was intrigued and when the man asked if anyone had any questions, William's hand shot up high in the air and stayed until he was called on.  His question:  "Did you see any ninjas?" 
On the way home from church Henry shared, starting out thoughtfully but with his voice getting more excited and faster with every word then slowed down again at the end, "Hey if the first ninjas were farmers, then I bet my teacher whose little brother got ran over by a tractor, she was a farmer, and so she is a ninja!"
Just so you aren't horrified by the run over part, his teacher spoke one Sunday at church and shared a very heartfelt story about when she was growing up on a farm and her little brother falling out of the tractor and getting run over, but by miracles from God, he lived and was fine and only bruised.  It actually was a very touching story with a chain of events that I'm not doing justice by summarizing.  Henry listened more than I thought during church.
School starts Tuesday and hopefully I can talk the boys out of wearing a ninja costume (they haven't exactly mentioned doing that for sure... yet, but I see it coming) on the first day.  At least their older brother has informed them that no weapons are allowed at school including paper folded ninja stars.