My Amazing Wife, Ashley

Hello Everyone!  You probably think that Ashley is the culprit behind this post, and you would have no reason to think otherwise; her husband hasn’t posted on her blog yet, and he didn’t plan on changing that until just a little while ago.  So, just in case you haven’t caught on yet, yes, this is Mike, and yes, I am actually posting in our blog

I know that Valentine’s day was on Tuesday, but I have decided that Valentine’s is more like a “time” type of thing, like the holiday season…especially when you are in college and have four midterms, a paper, and several work presentations to prepare the weekend before and throughout the actual day of love, haha.  In other words, I was swamped until just yesterday, and it may seem lame that I’m doing this two days late, but Ashley understood!  And after all, this post is meant to focus on how amazing she is anyways!

I’d like to introduce you to someone.  This is my wonderful, beautiful, talented wife, Ashley.  Most of you already know something about her - maybe you’ve seen her intense competition while playing “I’m the Boss,” or perhaps you’ve tasted her talented cooking/baking in one form or another.  Some of you may even know that she plans on becoming a certified pilot one day.  

But today, I want reveal a little more about her than what might be apparent on a daily basis. She literally is the greatest blessing in my life, and I want to show you why. 

 

First, many people know that Ashley is a happy, fun-loving person.  But what a lot of you don’t get to see is the little ball of energy that I get to be with every day.  I can’t tell you how many times I have come home from a long, hard day, and Ashley is right there, peppy and bright as ever!  I swear that girl’s body uses her energy more efficiently than anyone else’s, because sometimes, when we get into little wrestling matches where I clearly I should be the dominant one, she puts up quite a fight!  It’s pretty often that she gets her sneaky little hands right into that ticklish spot that makes me jump through the roof!  This energy isn’t just manifested at home, however; she is pretty much the greatest motivating force in our marriage for fun, active things.  This summer, we got into rock climbing, and once again, she amazed everyone with her high energy by how quickly she could use her little limbs to scamper up that rock wall.   And although her physical energy is so easily apparent, it’s really her inherent vitality that spreads so easily to me and everyone else who gets to be around her.  Her smile and laughter brighten even the darkest room, and she can make any situation, no matter how dull, seem like an adventure.  Sometimes I feel like the old man on Pixar’s “UP,” because she makes my life that much fun.

While one of the things I love about Ashley is her ability to energize me, this isn’t her most redeeming quality.  Her selflessness, in fact, is one of the biggest reasons I married her; she’s an example to me every day.  She’s kind of the “unsung hero” of our relationship; it’s often that I walk in at the end of a long day to a tidy home, clean laundry, and a warm meal.  Her schedule is just as busy as the next person’s, but she always seems to find time to serve me.  Something many of you may not have known is that she is the reason we got into Medical School!  Yes, my name was on the application, and I went to the interviews, but pretty much every essay had her handy-work all over it.  My poor writing skills probably would have afforded us rejections from most schools.  However, because of her hours of brainstorming for and editing my essays, we actually get to do what we’ve been dreaming of doing for years now.  This service extends to those around us as well; most Sundays, I drive home from church to the sound of her giving thanks for all that we have, and thinking of ways we can serve our fellow ward members.  It’s in those moments that I get a peek through my all too unperceptive eyes and see just how amazing she really is, and how stinkn’ lucky I was to somehow get her to agree to spending eternity with me.

It may not be easy to see how much Ashley thinks about and does for others, but it is easy to see her testimony of The Savior and of the restored gospel.  The single most attractive thing about my wife is that she lives her faith every day.  I know that she believes in the Savior when I see her studying her scriptures and making endless lists about ways she can improve.  I know she trusts in the plan of salvation when she comes home from her “Parenting” class on campus, talking a million miles an hour about the things she learned and how she wants to raise our children in righteous, effective ways.  I know she believes in the power of the message of the restoration when I see her send copies of the Book of Mormon to her high school friends back in Colorado.  I thought I was getting a pretty good deal when I kneeled across the altar of the temple and said, “Yes,” but I had no idea I would be in for a life so blessed with testimony and love for the Savior.  She is and will always be a grounding spiritual anchor in our family, and for this, I am most grateful. 

And so, I end my little monologue about my gorgeous wife.  I hope that you have caught at least a glimpse into how special she is.  As I said before, she is the greatest blessing in my life!  I love her, and am grateful she chose me as her earthly project!  Happy Valentine’s Day, Baby!