"Light cleaveth unto light"

Doctrine and Covenants 88:40: "For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light..."

It's been more than thirteen years since Tyler and I began to discover the truth of those words in a personal way. Except for us, it was more like C+ cleaveth unto C+ in Physics 129. It was uncanny the way our test scores were almost identical every time. Sometimes he would score a point or two higher, sometimes it was me, but we were always next to each other on the posted print-out. True, we studied together, but it's more than our average abilities at astronomy that brought us together. I could be really cheesy and say "the stars were aligned" since neither of us were actively seeking a marriage companion at the time, but one crazy instance after another brought us together and here we are quite a few years later, still cleaving to each other.

It's getting to be that anniversary time of the year, but since we are playing the waiting game -- waiting for the next baby to make his way into the world, we can't count on any dates staying sacred, so we've already had our celebration. I have been thinking over the last week about my wonderful Tyler and have made some interesting discoveries.

Tyler is the most unusual person I have ever met. He really is an odd duck, and speaking of cleaving...I guess then that I must reflect my own treasured set of oddities. I'm interested in hearing that side of the story! I realized just this week that he is a person of extremes. For example, if he is really hungry, he wants a feast. And if that feast is not available, he will skip eating altogether (although frozen cookie dough does help to sustain him until the next meal). He likes to eat chicken, or potatoes, or whatever food it may be along with the spices with which he chooses to "flavor" his food -- garlic being a favorite. Why taste something? The mouth is meant to be assaulted! He loves music and he loves it to be loud. And we've already heard about extremes in shopping sales...what you don't know is that he helped me out a couple weeks ago by purchasing supplies for school kits, to be assembled by the organization Serving With Smiles: Children Saving the World. I told him about the great sale on spiral-bound notebooks and he was delighted to help me out by buying 2,000 of them. (See pictures of what that looked like in my minivan.)

Yes, Tyler lives his life with gusto, and I love it. I love the person I've become by associating closely with him, serving with him, and learning from him as we've been married, because that gusto carries over to his dedication to his job, his thriving testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and his dedication to serving other people and spreading happiness and joy. He LOVES people which means I am frequently asked about having so and so over for a cook-out, or family night, or in today's case, peach cobbler made in a dutch oven (he's already coached three children to come and pester me about doing that this evening -- I should know by now that fast Sunday means he has concocted some confection in his head that he is determined for us to have and likely share with his ever-widening circle of friends). He stretches me to my limit, and I don't mean my patience, even though that's what he enjoys sharing with the Sunday School class. He stretches me by his high and worthy goals that we worked towards together, and in turn he has a wonderful listening ear and respect for me and is happy to join in my endeavors -- especially when it means making bulk purchases!

I have had the most fun, the most joy, the most laughter, the most learning experiences, and the most growth in these years of marriage and it's been wonderful. It brings to mind the following words:

"The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ." (The Family: A Proclamation to the World)

I know those words are true because I've put them to the test and it's worked. I'm glad that Tyler lives them with me. Marriage is never easy, but the efforts we make are worth it!