It was my Junior year in High School (a new High School for that matter), I had a boyfriend left behind at my old school, a few new friends at my new school "Woods Cross," a fairly difficult load of classes, far too many extra curriculars with drill team, dance company, dance class, and teaching for my mom's studio, what I really needed was a break! Or was it? One of my friends invited me to go play laser tag with a group of people from Woods Cross and Bountiful High. I needed to make more friends in the area, plus, a night of running through a dark maze shooting lasers at people, who could resist? I accepted and offered to drive one of the cars. When they all showed up at my house I saw the skinniest sandy haired boy I had ever seen in my life. This kid had to have weighed 140 pounds soaking wet, I had him beat by a good 20. Of course this wee little lad wanted to ride in my car so he and another boy rode in the back seat. We arrived at Laser Quest and quickly the running, dodging, and screaming began. I intended to seek and destroy. The only problem was that this sandy haired twig followed me all through the maze constantly trying to hunt me down and shoot me. He was the hunter and I was his prey! He beat me. A few weeks later I kept seeing this name "Talbot" on my caller I.D. and had no idea who on earth it was, until my girl friend told me it was the very sandy haired twig who had chased me the entire evening of laser tag. The old boyfriend drifted off into his world at the old high school and I became available to do the same at my new one. Needless to say, John continued to hunt me down until I had given him a fair chance. I am certain that this comes as a surprise to all of you who know my sweet passive hubby, but when my sweet passive hubby sees something he wants he morphs into the most determined of human beings alive. John was the nicest, most genuine, active, person I had ever met. He was interesting, fun, smart, and game for anything as long as we were together. We spent the next couple of years dating until he left for his mission and I left for college. After his mission, he packed up his bags and moved to Cedar City to pursue me yet once again. Nothing had changed, he was just as determined as he had been as a Junior in High School, and as you know, he captured his prey. After we had been married for a time John and I were chit chatting when he began to recount to me his impressions of the first time we met. I was thinking, "oh great, I saw this amazon come thundering out of a house and thought, hmmm, I like hearty lasses," much to my surprise, he didn't even mention amazon or hearty. However, he perfectly recounted what I was wearing, how I had my hair in a "Topsy tail," and what he had thought the moment he saw me. I hadn't even remembered what I had worn, but he did. From the time I met John, which has almost been half our lives, I have seen the kind of person I should be. Eventually, this sandy haired boy turned into a mousy haired man who has me beat by a good 60 (which I am most grateful for) , a man who has always supported me and my craziness and loved me for, through, and despite it.
Things I love about John:
1. He tells me I am beautiful everyday.
2. He kisses me before he goes to work.
3. He ALWAYS puts me and Adessa first.
4. He has been to more dance concerts and performances than Baryshnikov.
5. He endured 6 years of monitoring the boys dressing room at my Junior high dance concerts.
6. He wears Christmas Jammie's and crazy get-ups because I like to.
7. He goes to the theatre and the opera.
8. He is passionate about religion and economics.
9. He has a huge baseball card collection.
10. He is patient.
11. He never ever notices other women.
12. He leaves little written on pieces of paper everywhere.
13. He lets me do anything I want.
14. He spoils Adessa evil.
15. He always goes above and beyond to meet my emotional needs sometimes forsaking his own.
16. He grills like a mad man.
17. He loves to read "Bon Appetite"
18. He allows me to watch chick flicks over and over.
19. He loves the gospel more than his own life.
20. He is always trying to improve things.
John, thank you for actively pursuing me! You are my joy, my love, my heart, and my rock. I can't even to begin to imagine where I would be without you. You have always given me wings and then allowed me to use them freely. Thank You. I love You!
XOXO-Ash
My sister-in-law Amy just got back from a cruise of the Mediterranean. Needless to say, jealousy oozed from every pore of my body. As I was flipping through her pictures I was reminded of just how much I love Italy. She travelled to Pompeii, which is among the most fascinating places I have ever visited, my beloved historic Rome, and many other places filled with fascinating sites and delicious food. I loved Rome, and had the opportunity to go to a place called the Capuchin Crypt. This is the MOST fascinating place I have ever been. The crypt is below the church, you are strongly encourage (basically charged a fee) to make a donation to enter the crypt. What happened is, they dug up a buried and dead order of Capuchin Monks, and decided to make a chapel out of their bones. Why not? This sounds like a totally normal thing to do right? Ummm, no. It is weird, it is wrong, maybe even morbidly grotesque, but it is fascinating. All of the decoration and design is made of human b
ones, the chandeliers, the mosaics, the alters, EVERYTHING. They have separated each of the rooms out by theme; 1st is the room of the skulls. The decor of this room is done with skulls, and is topped off with I believe 5 monks still in their brown robes, 3 in front and two laying on the sides, with leathery pieces of skin still clinging to their faces. 2nd is the pelvis room. 3rd is the leg and thigh bone. 4th and Last has the skeleton of a baby holding a reaper and scales plastered to the ceiling. At the end of my tour and trip to Italy, I had a greater appreciation of our lovely clean, bright, chapels. The Cathedrals are amazing, dark, looming, beautiful, and terrifying, but they aren't right. The feeling is obviously one of fear, where as our chapels are obviously of hope. If you happen to find yourself in Rome, don't miss out on an excursion to the capuchin crypt. Leave the crypt and then go and do a session at the new temple, you will never question your beliefs again.
