Cort: My Top Ten List

We're already almost half way through July and I haven't even posted yet!! I stumbled upon the blog of our dear friends Lance and Katie and while I was really missing them (can't wait to see you guys in Oregon!) I read a post from Lance that I'll paraphrase... Lance was listening to a talk radio show on the way home from one of his shifts at a rural ER and the topic of the show was counseling men to be more creative in their marriage. We all can remember when we were dating our future mate that we were creative/quirky/funny/smart in the ways that we showed affection to our loved ones. As time goes on in our marriage (school debt floods, pregnancies, kids that come from those lovely pregnancies, getting to school on time, another load of laundry, etc) somehow "courting" falls by the wayside. Its not that we love that person any less, and we love our current lives with all the hecticness that it entails, but you tend to not spend as much time doing those little things for each other. And in Lance's words: "I would love to have a marriage where you are still courting each other, not in the idea that you are trying to impress them but that you are constantly thinking of ways to make them smile, laugh, feel good, and feel loved. The way we all were when we were courting. That you are thinking of creative date ideas (or even going on dates for some of us), that you are texting or emailing or writing nice things to them. Not because you aren't comfortable with them or because you are trying to impress them but because you want to brighten their day or make them feel a little better about life or themselves. Suffice to say I admire those who do this better than I." Amen brother!

A few weeks after this post, Lance uploaded a video he had made for Katie for their anniversary. Let me tell you, Lance took this talk show to heart! It was a lip sync music video to "I Was Born to Love You" and I have no idea how he did any of it without being completely mortified/laughing hysterically, but I have no doubt this video made Katie's year and she probably loves Lance more and more every time she watches it. With that, I have been inspired to be a better wife. Like Pres. Hinckley used to say, "Reach little farther, try a little harder..."

Here's to you babe- my top ten list of my favorite things about you because I know you'll smile when you read this when you get home tonight before you long onto Cougarboard and read the Sportsguy on espn.com.

10. In the middle of the night, when you wake up to roll over, you pull the covers up on me to make sure I stay warm.

9. You love being the nursery leader! Most people think of 4 letter words when they are called to that, but not you! Those kids adore you and you have so much fun with them.

8. You love to read. I love reading and have always wanted a library in my house, but that became a reality when I married you and got to be part owner of all of your books. We have 3, 5-shelf bookshelves and they are mostly full!

7. Whenever I make or sew something you always compliment me and try to think of a business plan for how I can sell my stuff. It makes me feel way more talented than the reality of my just trying to fill up my time this summer:)

6. You've always really encouraged me to splurge on something for myself. I usually have a hard time spending money on something for me, but you always encourage me to take some time to go get my nails painted or (my personal favorite) wandering aimlessly around a home store by myself.

5. You have an insane amount of endurance. When I was really sick in the 1st trimester, you would go to school all day, come home (and when you could have totally just sat down on the couch and rested) with a smile on your face and asked "babe, what can I get for you?", then took care of me until I fell asleep for the night, then studied till 2 am and started the whole thing over again.

4. You call me 4 times a day 'just to check up" on Will and I.

3. You have a very eclectic music collection. Any of you who know Cort at all can totally echo this. I wish Rock and Roll Jeopardy was still on the air because you would easily be their longest running champion. And I love that on Valentines Day you made me a mix cd of "Early 90's R&B", I loved it and nothing says love more than Bobby Brown!

2. You're always ecstatic when you see Will. I love when you get home from work because you are so pumped to hang out with Will and you're noticeably sad when you have to leave him to go to work.

1. We are probably one of the most non-sentimental couples out there and that works for us. When we got married you told me, "I don't think our marriage will be very romantic (true), but I can guarantee it will be a lot of fun (very true)" and you haven't disappointed me yet. No matter how crazy things get, I know when I get up in the morning I'm going to laugh HARD at least once that day because of you.

Thanks for everything babe.