My Husband, the Rocket Man

I haven't told you much yet about my husband, other than he's my very own Jim Halpert (from The Office) or that he pokes fun at me for listening to Ingrid Michaelson or the way I pronounce hydrangea. =) So I'll tell you more: the guy is FUNNY. I do so adore funny people...always have. And I always knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that whoever I ended up marrying would capture my heart with his sense of humor (among other important things, of course - like having a strong faith and standing up for what he believes in). Jeremy can do all kinds of voices and impersonations. I'm telling you, he can sound like my grandaddy with just one word - "Well..." Oh, man, it sounds JUST like him! I wish you could hear it. And I pretend to be mad when he does impersonations of me...especially because it's the exact same voice he does for our quite precocious four-year-old friend Ella...but I can't be upset when I'm laughing. It can't be done!

He plays the guitar. And I'm crazy about that. Truly. If I have iTunes open on my computer (Avett Brothers, anyone?) while I'm cooking or getting ready or whatever - and then he starts practicing the guitar in the back room, I simply must turn the music off so I can hear him better. Well, I mean, competing harmonies do drive me beserk, but as much as I enjoy the music I download, I enjoy hearing him even more. =)

He's a nice guy. I love that. I'm so thankful that he's friendly and quite amiable. (I'll blog about how much I read Jane Austen later...) I've noticed that when I meet his co-workers or people from his past (that sounds so dramatic and I mean it not that way), they almost always say, "I'm so sorry" or "How can you put up with him?" - but always with a grin. And then they'll usually follow up by saying, "You got a good one." Don't I know it! Nice AND funny. I'm telling ya, those two doesn't often converge in one person.

You may be wondering where the title of this post comes in...

Patience...

Well, awhile back I made a list. A list of the qualities I was looking for in a husband. I had read that the exercise of mentally being aware of what you are (and just as importantly, are NOT) looking for in a mate would help a person choose wisely.

Oh, dear, what a long list. I was insistent that my future husband be funny, be able to sing (and maybe play an instrument), be nice, have a great family, do mission work, be able to be the head of a Christian home, be intelligent. And so much more. I remember sharing that list with my parents. I knew they thought it was a good list...but they also couldn't help laughing. My mother even said, "And where are you going to find this paragon of virtue?" True story.

But I found him! My paragon of virtue. And I laugh at all those who thought I was too picky. ;)

What? You still don't understand the title of this blog post??

Here it is. Also on that list was something about being creative. Artistic without being too much so. Knowing how to fix things. At this point I believe I can say that my dad inspired many of the items on this list. My dad, the studious intellectual who can talk like a farmer when the situation calls for it. Who can fix anything. And who laughs genuinely and often, many times at his own jokes. He was going to be an engineer and ended up being a preacher. And ironically, the one impersonation that Jeremy cannot seem to conquer (and wants to so badly!) is the one of my father. (In fact, many of my father's college students have tried to do impressions of him. No offense, but I've never heard any of them that worked for me. Jeremy and I can't figure out why his laugh and voice are so difficult to imitate.)

The answer wasn't in that paragraph either. I'm terribly sorry I'm so long-winded tonight! Fewer pictures, more words in this post.

O.K., back to my list: being creative, artistic, fixing things. When Jeremy and I were dating, I knew he hit those things on my list when he told me the story of fixing a fake crime scene at his parents' house when he found a dead mouse in their garage. Made miniature yellow police tape and fake cat footprints. There might have been a chalk outline, too...I can't remember for sure. =) So I guess I wasn't too terribly surprised when Jeremy started building a rocket a few weeks ago. He and our brother-in-law Kevin had strapped rocket engines to styrofoam planes the last time we visited Chattanooga...but it hadn't ended up so well. The plane flew up - and then blasted back toward those of us watching. I'm not gonna lie - it was scary. But funny. The boys screamed like little school girls.

This rocket was completely different. There was the main cardboard tube - and fins (is that the right terminology?) And the parachute. Which he proceeded to test by running in his sock feet down our loooong hardwood-lined hallway. I did hear an "Ooof" when he ran into the closet at the end of the hallway. (And immediately updated my Facebook status.) The little cap that opened to let the parachute out was a plastic Easter egg half. He worked so hard on it. And loved every minute of it.

When we went to Chattanooga recently he and brother-in-law Kevin had to test it out. Kevin had gotten a fancy silver rocket and he launched it first. It went really high. (I am horrible with guesstimating just how high.) And then came Jeremy's turn. We all held our breath. I held our camera. He launched it and I think I jumped up and down - mainly because it went straight into the air and didn't double back to plow us down. =) Jeremy's mom took this awesome picture of a later launch.

And then we held our breath again...would the parachute work? The rocket reached its highest height and then started dropping back down. Yikes...oh! There it was! It totally worked! It drifted back down to the ground.

I was very proud. And I thought, "My dad has GOT to see this." =)