Thursday, March 22, 2012

To My Sweetheart

I figured...I usually talk about food. Why not start this post with a pretty piece of food!? Every Sunday, Greg makes me breakfast for lunch. This is one of his delicious creations! He calls it, "Santa Fe Omelet." I think anyway...

I have started to keep track of all the nice things Greg does, and all the ways he is so good to me. At first, I thought I would do it as a giant thank you note. Then I thought I should write them somewhere that our posterity can see, hopefully they will get ideas on how to treat their own spouses and loved ones or see what a great legacy of kindness and selflessness Greg has set for them. I have a feeling that he learned from wonderful parents how to be the kind of guy he is.

So, here is my tribute to all of those who put in 120% for their marriages and relationships, I happen to be married to one of those kinds of individuals! I have figured out that there isn't a "score" that needs to be kept with those you love. Let me explain, it isn't, I cooked and you cook next time so that it is..let's call it "even." Well, there isn't a "score" and the people who keep a score, usually aren't very happy.  Instead of a score, those who are most happy are just giving their best. Those of you who always give your best and are NOT worried about any kind of tallies for your own score and what the tallies are on the score of others....you make the world a much much much better, sweeter, prettier, and more wonderful place to be! And I want to be more like you!

1. Greg makes my lunch and breakfast pretty much every single day. He gets up early, even though he could just sleep in, and makes me a lunch complete with snacks, and goodies. It makes my day so much better and my morning so much easier! The breakfasts included, eggs in a nest, microwave omelet and toast, yogurt and toast, oatmeal, and if we have more time waffles, pancakes, french toast, or veggie omelets. I am sure I may be missing one, but what does it matter...you get the idea. It means a lot to me that he takes this on and I don't even ask him. Even on days when he needs his own lunch too, he still packs one for me.

2. We have a favorite burrito place called, "Mountain West Burrito" in Provo. It really is, the BEST burrito according to us! It seems as if we would rather spend out money on these burritos then saving for a new couch or something like that because at 8 bucks a pop, you aren't saving any by going to this random place in Provo. Greg always gets his food down to the perfect science, he knows how to order a burrito is what I am saying. He got what he called, the best burrito he had ordered from this little joint. I love their chicken burritos but I had ordered one of their salads, which also looked good to me. But I almost immediately regretted the salad! I hate that! Do I reorder? Or live with it? I was so hungry and had saved my appetite for this little meal, what a disappointment. Greg ordered the steak burrito which is to die for. I think he noticed that the salad wasn't that great and even thought he was enjoying his burrito,  he insisted that we split. We would each eat half of the salad and burrito. Wow...I hope this paints a picture of how nice this was. I know it is only a burrito, but I hate to admit, when I order something that is better then the other person's pick I am just thankful I got the better dish and eat on! Doesn't pretty much everybody do that? Thankful they didn't get the ugly, gross looking meal and enjoy the one they ordered. Not Greg, he absolutely insisted too, the suggestion would have even been thoughtful but he wasn't just trying to be nice, he really wanted me to enjoy my meal too. So, he ended up with the raw deal. He ate most of the salad and I got the rest of his delicious burrito. I walked away a happy woman but Greg walked away as a true gentlemen in my eyes. This is the way he always is, genuinely concerned for me and what makes me happy. I want to be more like him!

3. One word, Roxberry, okay, two, Roxberry smoothie...ahhh!!! The best smoothies your $5.00 will ever buy you. A little expensive, but a delectable treat. I can't count how many times Greg has shown up at work to bring me a treat and tell me hello. I always love it! The other day he did it again, just showed up in my window to give me a hug and a delicious smoothie. He seems to always show up when I would most appreciate a boost.

4. He is my biggest cheerleader. I think sometimes my victories are as sweet to him as they are to me. We love to sport climb and it is a hard thing to do and continue to progress with but it is also a lot of fun. I will be trying my best on a climb, not quit feeling like I can do it. When you are climbing, it seems like it is just you and the wall in front of you. But when I am barely squeaking up the wall (which I literally do sometimes...haha) on a hold that I connect with that I had to jump for, or a difficult move, it is never just me and the wall. Greg, always without fail, is cheering for me and telling me how good I am doing. This is one of the first things I noticed about him when we first started dating. It is easy to act like you care and to act like you really want to care, but it is a whole different story when you really DO care and want somebody to be successful. He is the first climbing partner who when I got a difficult move and I was excited in my heart and mind that I had completed it, he had cheered out loud for me. When I watch him, I cheer for him but just to be encouraging and fun. He is so good, it seems it always looks so easy but I am sure he would love if I could be the kind of "fan" he is for me, getting excited at all the perfect moments.  His excitement for when I am successful or just trying to be, no matter what it is,  keeps me going, helps me to have confidence, and makes me want to do better!

5. Up to this point, we have only been married 4 months. Actually, today-March 19th is exactly 4 months! I have spent the entire day cramming for a test and now I am at work until 1 am in the morning! Busy day! Back to my point, we haven't been married that long but I have repeated left my wallet at work. It has turned in to a bad habit. On a Wednesday some two or three weeks ago I found myself cramming for yet an earlier test...this class magnifies my desire to PROCRASTINATE! Anyway, I have to have an government ID to take a test. I had to take the test by 8:00 that night. I had classes and labs all day so Greg dropped me off at work and went to go take the car in to get the timing belt changed. He made all of the arrangements, made sure they knew that we needed it by five so he could get to work! During the day, I realized my predicament, I really needed to go get my wallet. I hadn't wanted to leave campus before taking the test so I could cram as much as possible but I can't take the test without the wallet! So, Greg was going to pick me up and we would head to American Fork together. I would drop him off, pick up my wallet, finish cramming, and take the test with my newly found government ID! Greg called at about 4:45 and said that the auto repair place wouldn't have the car ready till the next day. Well...I guess it would have been REALLY REALLY nice if they had let us know more the 15 minutes before we needed to car. I guess they got the part in at noon but it was bent. WHY DIDN'T THEY CALL US THEN!!??? We could have just arranged for another day. Well, Greg called his work and they said it'd be alright, but we BOTH worked the next day starting in the the morning. But...NO CAR! When Greg called, I had a bus pass that goes from our apartment's neighborhood to UVU. I could just ride that home, but then I thought, HOW WILL I GET MY ID!!!??? Without a though, Greg said he would ride his bike the 13 miles to work and all the way to UVU for another 10 miles. And I need to mention that he just got in an accident on his road bike and went through the back windshield of the car. Now, he will hustle 23 miles, in the beginning of a storm to go get a wallet that I left!!!?? Wow...I thought, I really need it, I'll definitely take him up on it and just baby him with some good meal...actually several the same week. But then I said, oh gosh, it's my fault, I am so sorry. He refused to believe that!!!! What!? It WAS my fault, how dumb of me! I leave my wallet again and it isn't my fault, of course it is! Anybody would admit it was my fault and strike a deal, but not Greg, he just said, "it's not your fault they don't have the car ready. I will start now and I should be able to make it by 8:00 so you can take your test." WOW! REALLY!??? No deals, I openly admitted that he was really taking a BIG one for me. He could have even just acted a little bit like he was just trying to be nice but it was hard for him to have to go on a 23 mile unexpected bike ride in what was looking like a pretty good snow storm. What a guy! He was even going to just wait while I take my LONG test and then we would figure out a way to get home. The bus? Trade on the bike? Who knows what we would have done! In the end, we figured something else out that worked a whole lot better but what a good example of the kind of person Greg is! He is always helping me, I would loose my right hand if it weren't attached. But then again, it'd be okay because Greg is always there to pick up where I forget.....

Here we are, desperate for some outdoor climbing! We only had a bit before Greg needed to go to work. So, we ran up Rock Canyon, a place neither of us are familiar with. We found ourselves here, and still trying to figure out where some good climbing is!


 Not a great picture...but a picture of our adventure non the less.
We ended up climbing some obscure climb that wasn't that fun...and we just decided to go home and go for a run. We had hiked/climbed (some steeeeeeppp hills for me!) for 30-45 minutes and we still couldn't find anything!


Just an idea, cookie dough on a small pan, lots of ice cream, complete with fudge, caramel, and whipped cream on top!! One of the BEST desserts you will EVER have.

We call them SKOOKIES, for a cookie in a skillet. Here is Mrs. Kellie Rivera showing off the blessed dessert we inhaled minutes later. Speaking of dessert, I tired to start with a BIG, juicy, tender note, added a few light sides, now I want to end on a SWEEEET dessert! My new in-laws, and they are definitely sweet!

 Right to left: Kason, Ann, Harley, Bart, and Emma. It's good to have great family....good looking ones too!

 Both of my in-laws served missions. In fact, they served in the same one! Las Vegas, Nevada! They got to know each other after the mission once they had some "cues" from the mission president and his wife. Mission presidents sure know their missionaries.....two peas in a pod. They have been through a lot together, good times and harder times. But they are great examples of what a happy marriage can be!
 And the only sibling I have yet to meet, but I love his humor and look forward to his e-mails every Monday. Stu....Elder Sloat for about 6 more months! He is the second one in from the left.
Having a little fun on p-day...

Well, that's all folks.

1 comment:

  1. Glad Greg is taking care of you Chelsea! I need to try some of those places to eat in Provo.

    ReplyDelete