Thank goodness for husbands.... :)

This is at the resort we stayed at during our honeymoon. I figured we should take at least ONE picture before we left!

So I've been thinking A LOT about my dear husband today. I honestly think it's a miracle he loves me so much. I've had so many moments when I say something that comes out completely wrong and a bit hurtful... I'm still working on my filter... but Dave either lets it go or talks to me about it with the perfect words that make me feel horrible for being my imperfect self, but are so full of love I want to be better for him. (I hope that makes sense)  David is the most patient, caring, compassionate man I know. I love him heaps! The following is a list I made for his birthday (which I wanted to post, but haven't been able to until now). I wrote them in crayon and posted them up all around our apartment for him to come home to... I should have taken a picture. Maybe this blogging will help me get back into documenting life through pictures like I used to!

35 Reasons I LOVE David Douglas Romney

35. DROID 

(note: I do not love the sound, I love that HE loves it so much!)

34. He makes sure I get lunch when I wake up 5 minutes before I'm supposed to be at school!

33. Primal Grunts

32. BYU FOOTBALL

BYU football. People ask me if I'm a BYU fan....

31. All his books.... floor to ceiling, wall to wall...

30. He's my Poetic Warrior

29. His love for his family

28. He is OH, so romantic! (Way more than me, but I'm learning!)

27. He is constantly helping me clean house

26. His confidence in me

25. His knowledge and Intellect

24. His ability to communicate

23. He knows I am beautiful and helps me feel it

22. Love for a GREAT story

21. He always opens my door

20. He is continually thinking of how to give his all at work and home

19. When he wants me to kiss him on his cheek... I can't really explain it in words...

18. His thoughtful and sincere prayers

17. Flowers

Birds of Paradise. David gave these to me for our 1 month anniversary... little did he know they were extra special because they are one of my favorite Australian flowers!!!

16. Romantic texts and e-mails... even if they accidentally get sent to my Dad... ;)

15. We enjoy the same movies and he always thinks of me first in choosing movies to go see

14. Love for MUSIC

13. Love of Learning

12. He constantly picks up my slack on making dinner

11. Family scriptures and prayer

10. He helps me see and overcome my weaknesses and capitalize on my strengths

9. PASSION FOR LIFE

8. He gives sincere and true compliments

7. He will settle for ONLY the BEST

Romney family snow creations during Thanksgiving Break. David and I created the snowman on the left... the one with the gun and a mohawk that you can't really see (The mohawk really was my idea believe it or not). Dave also added weapons to the others... As we were building our snowman Dave said, "I build snowmen to LAST!" and "I can't help it, when I start doing stuff like this I get creative."

6. How he saw something attractive in me when we met 11 months ago

5. The great EFFORT he puts into loving me

4. His patience with my selfish and insensitive moments

3. CHARITY (See Pres. Monson's 2010 R.S. Conference talk)

2. The love we share with ONLY one another

1. "I have a secret.... I love you!"

I could go on forever... 

Needless to say, I have a wonderful husband... he happens to be my favorite! ;) 

A Poem for Kimball

First Sunday

I encircle you

In my arms

your head bowed

and leaning

my eyes seeking

yours, now hidden,

I breath deep,

eyes closing,

my chest opening,

and it seems you slip

your body,

to my memories

gone aground

and the earth hard

you come deliberately

and hold me

inside of me

I open my eyes

to your head still bowed,

I groan and lift

your fingers

and the silence

grows silent –

your pulse

now breathing

between

my lips

How we happened

Heavenly Father's hand often isn't seen until you look back on life. With that perspective the tiny steps and coincidences you didn't see suddenly become signposts within life's journey. Our story begins with such tiny steps. Kimball's family moved to Spokane Washington about two years ago-while she was still on her mission and David lived in Utah. She returned home a little over a year and 1/2 ago to find David's father, Doug, as her family's home teacher and a stake high councilman. After seeing and hearing her report and homecoming talk, Doug was struck with her spirituality and asked her to speak with him at other events before she left to school at BYU-I.

These connections led to the Romney family inviting the Madsen's to their annual caroling party. As the Madsen's entered the Romney house, David felt drawn to their beautiful daughter. That night David found whatever reason he could to speak with her. His resolve to ask her out was strengthened by a very enthusiastic family the next day who said things like, "Dave, do you know who you should ask out?! Kimball Madsen!" And so he did. The lunch took three hours at Twig's bistro and the waiter had to finally ask us to just let her know when we were ready to order as our conversation and attention was so focused on one another.

Though only one date was had, we both felt great that day and so it began a campaign of e-mails and text messages which led to phone calls after Kimball once asked to be David's wake up call. Phone calls became weekly events we both began to anticipate with excitement. Wanting to take things to another level, David sent flowers once week and chocolates a couple weeks later. We both could feel something good was happening and we decided that we needed to see each other again.

David traveled up to Rexburg to seeKimball stage-manage Macbeth in early March. That weekend unveiled the glimpse of what we could become. We went to the temple together and both felt the stirrings of the spirit bringing our hearts in alignment. At one point in the celestial room David asked Kimball what she was thinking. Wanting him to hold her hand and knowing the story of how his Mom and Dad came together, she said, "I was thinking of your Mom." David- "Really, why?" Kimball- "I was thinking of how bold she was, so if you want to hold my hand or put your arm around me, I would be totally happy with that." Kimball saw David's eyes "pop" and thought she had ruined everything, but thankfully, David felt like lightning had struck and reached out for her hand. We went into the temple one way, and walked out completely different.

The Lord's hand became even more visible from that point on. Like a flood breaking forth, our love began to grow and flood into one another. The Monday after our first temple experience Kimball felt she should see if she could switch her student teaching placement from Arizona to Utah. She was told she could, but only if she did it that very day. Thinking, "I just held his hand Saturday!!! Isn't this a bit much?!" she continued to listen to the promptings of the Spirit, called David and decided that she would change it. The next weekend David's uncle asked us to come to a special banquet together in Salt Lake. That weekend ended with a hug that was more about the soul than about a physical expression of affection. Two weeks later David traveled again to Rexburg. We kissed for the very first time and vocally state "I love you" to one another. After leaving Rexburg, David called his parents and said, "I think I could marry this girl!"

This is what we like to call our "movie shot." We are so totally in love :)

The next weekend was General Conference and Kimball came down to spend that time with David and his family. David felt he needed to share his growing feelings and desires with Kimball. He began to speak with her while driving her to the home she would be staying the night. After awhile he said, "When I think about you, when I think about me, when I think about us, words like 'forever' come to mind." To which Kimball said, "I think you should expand on that." David could see the universe in her eyes and he began to share how their love had grown like Alma's seed, from desire to hope, to belief, and now to a tree bearing fruit of knowledge. He ended with, "I know that I love you. I know that I want you. I know that I choose you. I know that I want to marry you for time and all eternity." With heart full, Kimball said, "Well you know how I feel about you. I love you. I choose you. And I want to marry you." A week later Kimball walked into a room of candles and roses and to David with a ring. And now we are David and Kimball Romney forever.