A tribute to my valentine...

I have such cool blogging friends that inspire me to copy their fabulous ideas! This one comes from Kris...

On this Valentine's day I wanted to pay tribute to my very most specialist valentine, my husband Ken. He will probably be embarrassed by this. Our "filters" are a bit different when it comes to what we are willing to share. But this is my journal/blog so I can do what I want. :) Maybe this is totally unromantic, but I have never thought there is just one person that you could be happy with. But I am so blessed and grateful that Ken is the one that chose me to spend the rest of time with him. I am so loving the journey that we are on together!


WHAT IS HIS NAME?
Kenneth David Siders

When we first met I wasn't too keen on the name Ken, and I mostly called him Kenneth. I still really like Kenneth, but now I usually call him Ken. The whole "s" at the end of Siders really threw me too. We were engaged before I knew for sure that his last name (and soon to be mine) was Siders not Sider.


HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN MARRIED?
It will be 12 years on June 29th.



HOW DID YOU MEET AND HOW LONG DID YOU DATE?
We met in our first class on the first day of our Sophomore year at BYU -- keyboard harmony. I think we had almost every class together that semester. We started hanging out (as friends) about the 3rd day of school. I had just gotten out of a serious relationship and was not wanting to date at all, so when about a month later Ken asked me out on a date, I totally freaked out. I felt very awkward about it because I didn't want to ruin our friendship. In retrospect, I believe Ken was sent to me. I was actually not in a very healthy mental place at that time and was very depressed. I finally got a clue when I realized I was really happy around Ken. I figured there would be no harm in dating and I needed a rebound guy. :) So we started actually dating in October, got engaged in March, and were married in June. Some rebound, huh?

(On my birthday not too long after we started dating.)

WHO SAID I LOVE YOU FIRST?
I did. I knew I loved him quite awhile before I figured out I was "in love" with him. I was completely shocked when it slipped out, very softly, as we were waiting in line for concert tickets. He didn't respond at all so I thought I was safe and he hadn't heard me. It turns out that he did hear me and later when we were alone, he told me he loved me too.


WHO SLEEPS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BED?
I do. I think we had slept on the same sides since we have been married. I do remember one night we swapped, but it was too weird, so the next night we were back to normal.


WHO MOWS THE LAWN?
Ken.


WHO DRIVES?
Ken usually does. When we are on a road trip we switch off though.


WHO IS MORE STUBBORN?
I don't want to admit it, but that would be me.


WHO KISSED WHO FIRST?
This is still an area of contention for us. Technically, I did, but he was totally looking at me like he wanted to kiss me. Trust me, I knew that look. He did not complain. :)


WHO PROPOSED?
For the real engagement, he did. However, I wanted to marry the guy so badly, I asked him many times before. He always turned me down and said it was his job. I was performing with my jazz group on the DeJong Concert Hall stage on Sadie Hawkins day (Feb. 29th) and was introducing our next song when the thought crossed my mind that I could ask him right then from the stage (he was in the audience). It would be totally legal on that day, right? But I chickened out and I thought he would never forgive me for putting him on the spot like that.


WHO WEARS THE PANTS?
I think we are a great balance. He lets me when those things are important to me and I let him when it is important to him.


WHY DO YOU LOVE HIM?
First off, how could I not?!? The guy is just so dang cute! Seriously though, he is so good to me and our family. Last Valentine's day I gave him a box filled with many of the reasons I love him. I won't subject anyone other than him to that long list. But I will say that I love him because he is kind, spiritual, humble, always thinks of others, fun to be around, a great dad, a wonderful provider, encourages me to have me time, and a really good kisser. :) I am still trying to figure out how I talked him into marrying me, but I am so glad that I did. Ken is one of my biggest heroes. I wish I could be the perfect wife for him, I fall short in so many ways, but I look forward to just keep working on it. I love you babe!