Husband Tagged

1. Where did you meet your husband?
I met Ben the first time when he was teaching the Gospel Principles Sunday School class at church in the Tulsa Singles Branch. I never saw him after that until a month later when Tony Dittmer called me and asked me to come to the Singles Branch Christmas Party at Rusty McLea's house. I came, late, and was talking to Ben and another guy at the party. I was actually first interested in the other guy. At one point in the party I got suddenly inexplicably hot and wanted to go outside to cool off. I invited both of the guys outside with me to continue the conversation, but Jake bowed out and Ben came with me. We walked over and over in the cul-de-sac, and I remember thinking that he kept getting very close to me as we were walking and it freaked me out.

2. How long did you date?
We met in December of 2002, I knew he was the man I'd marry by February 2002, and we got engaged in June 2002 (apparently he wasn't as sure I was) and got married in March 2003. I think that is a total of a year and three months.

3. How long have you been married?
Five years in March.


4. What does he do that surprises you?
He continually surprises me with being a great dad and husband. He really does a lot of things that I always expected would be solely my job. I'm not saying it should be that way, but it is how it was when I was growing up. He bathes Jackson about half the nights of the week. He makes dinner sometimes when I am too tired. He vaccuums occassionally and has even subbed for me with 8 kids under the age of 5 when I was sick. Last night he helped me tear paper for a craft we did in school this morning. I am also surprised with how much his priesthood blesses our lives. I grew up without that, too, and so I sometimes forget to ask for a blessing when I need one or when Jack needs one.

5. What is your favorite feature of his?
I love his blue eyes. I am such a sucker for blue eyes. I also love his goatee and I think he looks goofy without it. I will never let him shave it. Sometimes he gets this mischievous little boy look and he is irresistable to me.


6. What is his best quality?
He is so responsible and hard working. I know that no matter what he will not ever let anything happen to us in any way. I trust him completely, which says a lot after things I have been through in my life. He is a person of high moral character. He is SO smart. I always thought of myself as an intelligent person, but it amazes me how much knowledge he can cram in his brain.

7. Does he have a nick name for you? No, not really. Babe or Baby sometimes, but that's not really a nickname.


8. What is his favorite food? That is hard to say because Ben eats about 5 meals a day, anything and everything. He is a lover of food. I'd say right now, his favorite place to eat is Shogun. I made him take me there when we were dating. He had never been there, and now he loves it.

9. What is his favorite sport?
To play? volleyball probably. To watch? Football. Ben loves all sports, but prefers to play them over watch them. He is very active, and picks up any sport very quickly. It can be annoying how good he is at everything. When we were newly married, we joined an indoor soccer league. I have played soccer all my life and played in college on a full-ride scholarhsip to a Division I school. Ben played a little rec ball when he was 5 or 6. I was eager to finally be better than him at something. Ben was our goalie. The man tends goal like a monkey. Just when you think it is out of his reach, he somehow gets it. Other teams were recruiting him within weeks. I was like, uh, hello? I'm supposed to be the star here. I had to get over myself and just be grateful to play again. hahaha

10.When and where was your first kiss?
Leaning up against my parents' car outside my parents' home. Ben had told me previously that he hadn't kissed a girl since before his mission, and didn't plan on it until he knew she was the one he was going to marry. I took that as a personal challenge. I had a bet with my family that I would get him to kiss me before our fifth date. Our first kiss was on our third date. I went inside bragging to my family that I had gotten him to kiss me. (Did I have a big head or what?) Little did I know, he came in a few seconds behind me because my dad had asked him to take a movie back for us on his way home and he had forgotten the movie. I felt like such a jerk.

11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? We love to do active or outdoor things, like the soccer league or camping. We love to go to the lake and water ski. Ben loves to snow ski, but I'm not very good yet. We also love just sitting at home watching movies. We can be reclusive sometimes.

12. Do you have children?
One 15 month old, and one on the way. I'm 16 weeks along.

13. Does he have hidden talents?
He is a great carpenter. He built all my preschool furniture, and a cabin in east Texas where he and my uncle hunt.

14. How old is he?
28 next month


15. Who said I love you first?
I don't really remember. I asked Ben, and he said, "Probably you, and then you probably recanted about 5 times." I was going through some stuff when we first started dating, but I worked through it. I think there wasn't really one moment when it came to me that I loved him. He grew on me. I think I fell in love with him because I respected him so much. I like that kind of love best.

16. His favorite music? classic rock


17. What do you admire most about him?
He is so goal-oriented. He has these little goals that lead into his big goals. He never gives up and he always accomplishes his goals. He is so determined, and he never makes excuses. He expects that from me, too, which makes me a better person. I need a good kick in the pants sometimes.

18. What is his favorite color?
Yeesh, I dunno. I don't think he is too discriminate when it comes to colors. Maybe blue?


19. Will he read this? No, but he'll get annoyed with me that I'll make him listen as I read it to him. But he'll smile and we'll talk about it anyway.

20. Who do you tag? Holly, Kathy, and Katy