Thirty Five

Thirty five years ago my mother in law gave birth to a baby boy. Today I send a huge thank you out to her for her sacrifice in bearing, and her even greater sacrifice (if all the stories his siblings tell are true) of raising, my sweet husband  -- Jonathan McKay Waite.

And now for one of the many ideas people gave me. I will share 35 things I love about Jonathan.

35) He is silly. As seen in the photo above. He keeps things lighthearted around here and balances out my seriousness.

34) He is sensitive to others. Shortly after we met I took his roommates and him on a drive to go see the changing leaves in Provo Canyon. On the way I put in a mix tape of music that I had gotten from my very recently ex boyfriend. The boys started making fun of the music. I got very quiet, regretting my decision to invite these boys, but saying nothing. They were still making fun of the music on our way home. One of them was trying to include Jonathan in the jokes and fun. He had stopped participating. Finally, he turned to his roommate and said, "Stephanie is not laughing. So I am not going to be making fun of it anymore." I knew then which of the boys in the car was worth my attention.

33) He loves children. Here is a photo of him playing with my friend's daughter, Savannah. She preferred to play with him than any of the rest of us the weekend they came to visit. Even though he had to work, he was happy to take time out and spend it with her. 

32) He plays the piano. I love his talent. It is the first thing that really made me notice him and cemented in my mind who he was. We had met several times but every time I reintroduced myself and then thought, "oh yeah, I think we met." Once at a party I was having I saw him turn up  the classical music playing on my stereo. I found that odd for a guy so I went over. He was commenting on how slowly the pianist played Fantasy Impromtu by Chopin. "Like you could play it," I commented. "Actually, I can," he responded. I totally did not believe him. That Sunday in Gospel Doctrine someone started playing the piano for an opening hymn. I couldn't see who it was behind the tall piano but turned to my roommate and said, "WHO is THAT, and how can I get to know HIM?" She told me it was Jonathan Waite. "Oh," I said. "Maybe he really can play that piece." I never had to ask his name again.

31) He works hard to make sure I am happy. Even when we argue and even when I am totally at fault it kills him to see me cry and he would move heaven or earth to make it all better for me. Once when we were engaged (I lived in DC and he lived in LA) we got in a fight over the phone one night. The next morning he called to make up. I was still mad at him and my feelings were still hurt. I was not being very understanding. Suddenly as we were talking on the phone there was a knock on the door. I answered to find Jon standing there with cell in hand. He had flown overnight to be there in person to make up.

30) He is smart - really smart. I have always considered myself pretty smart. I am so glad to be married to someone who I admire intellectually. He is one of the few men I ever dated that I felt was smarter than I am.

29) He has beautiful eyes. He is the source of Camille's eyes. Need I say more?

28) He has wonderful hands. They are strong and yet handsome. And they make beautiful music on that piano. I love to hold this man's hand.

27) He honors his priesthood. I love that Jonathan sees himself as the servant of the Lord in his position as the head of our home and in his callings. He always is quick to emphasize "ministration" as being more more imperative than "administration."

26) He reads my blog. 

25) He is a good provider. He works really hard to provide well for our family. He sacrifices so much personally to make sure he can do this. He is a hard worker and is not a quitter even in times when he has hated his job. 

24) He is by the book on gospel subjects. I love that he doesn't go off on his own theories about crazy, unessential, gospel topics. 

23) He is obedient to the promptings of the Lord. Jon didn't like me as anything more than a friend for the first 2 years we knew each other. I could see that our relationship could be the foundation for so much more. Still he had not interest. I always said it would take an act of God for him to like me. And I knew that if the Lord ever told him to date me, Jon would do it whether he wanted to or not. Well, that is pretty much what happened. One night Jon felt the prompting that he should date me. Despite his lack of interest he was obedient. Then on our second weekend of dates (we were on separate coasts) the act of God came. In a 24 hour period, and by total miracle, Jon fell crazy in love with me. We got engaged the next week.

22) He is quick to apologize. Even when he isn't at fault.

21) He is teachable. There are things about him that earlier in our marriage I have told him were not cool. I notice that he works really hard to better himself in these areas. Many he has completely stopped doing.

20) He makes really really REALLY cute girls. When we were single, one day I was playing a game with a friend. Who in our ward would make really cute kids if they married? Who would make really ugly kids? Well my only answer for the second question was me and Jon Waite. I told Jon this when we were engaged. He assured me this was a total impossibility. He COULDN"T make ugly kids, he said. It wasn't possible. Boy was he right on that one.

19) He is willing to do things he hates to show love. He squeezed pomegranates with us this year - JUST because he loves me.

18) He loves to travel just like I do.

17) He is an incredible Dad. He knows how to take care of our kids as well I do. He is great about spending time with his girls and showing them he loves them.

16) He has many of the same interests as I do. We enjoy the same type of "dates."

15) He has a great smile.

14) He has a really nice back side. :)

13) He is a great gift giver. I have never been disappointed by a gift from him. Some birthdays he has been able to totally turn my day from a bummer into wonderful with a gift he has given me.

12) He is patient with me. 

11) He loves my cooking. 

10) I admire him.

9) He reminds me about what is important in life.

8) He likes different desserts than me. This is great because I am never tempted by his treats and I generally get my treats all to myself. :0)

7) He has a strong testimony of the Savior, the gospel, and the prophet. I never have to feel like I am pulling him to follow the Savior.

6) He is honest. Good or bad, flattering or not, he is always honest. I know this about him and so I trust him completely. 

5) He has integrity. If he says he is going to do something, he does it. He is careful and honest in his business dealings and works hard to make sure he doesn't take advantage of others in any way.

4) He is thrifty in all the right ways and spendy in all the right ways (for me that is). He is debt phobic like me and is cheap in what he will spend of lots of things but he never gets mad at me for any money I spend. (Not that I am a big spender either.) He also is willing to spend money if we have it on things that are important and will be a lasting investment.

3) He always makes me feel beautiful, even when I don't feel it looking in the mirror.

2) He makes me laugh. He is not only silly but he is also funny. I adore his humor.

1) He is truly my very best friend and I would rather just BE with him than with anyone else on this earth.

Happy Birthday my dear Jonathan. I love you. Thank you for sharing this wonderful, terrible, crazy, and dynamic ride we call life with me and for loving me through it all.

Stephanie