Thursday, January 14, 2010

There's nothing you and I won't do . . .

The other day Paul said, "So, what haven't we done that we still want to do?" We talked for a while about some of the things we still want to do. When we started out 22 years ago (this Saturday,) it was all about traveling and seeing the world and experiences.

The things we want to do now are a little more substantial and are more about giving than receiving. They involve phrases like "for the grandchildren", "near an airport" and "on a mission". Although, the phrase, "closer to the beach" comes up a lot as well.

Anyway, that conversation got me thinking about everything we've already done in our 22 years together.

So here are just 102 of the things that we've done or learned or experienced so far.

1. We've been married for almost 22 years and had lots of adventures.
2. We've moved 17 times and
3. lived in 17 different houses, apartments, stairwells, and townhouses.
4. Consequently, we have a great list of exactly what we want and
5. what we don't, if we ever get to build a house from scratch.

6. The house we're in now has almost everything on our list.
7. Somewhere during all those moves, we crossed the Atlantic 8 times.
8. We've seen unbelievable lightning storms in Texas,
9. caught fireflies in Nauvoo,
10. seen the Atlantic from both sides,
11. enjoyed a freak snow in Georgia,
12. and run for cover from a tornado in Kansas.
13. We lived in Germany 6 and 1/2 years, where we
14. climbed castle ruins,
15. camped on the banks of the Mighty Rhine and

16. crossed the Danube every Sunday on our way to church.
17. We know where the Herz Klink (heart hospital) is in Munich and
18. that we really love Nurenburger sausages with mustard.
19. We know the German national anthem and
20. German words to the song I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ,
21. although not as well as we used to.
22. We welcomed 3 babies into our home while we lived in Germany and
23. know the word for pain in German is "schmerz".
24. We've stood at the top of the Eiffel tower and
25. kissed in front of it.
26. We've slept at the top of a mountain at Gimmalwald, Switzerland and
27. watched our kids learn to ski in the Alps.

28. We've eaten antipasto in Tuscany
29. and watched our kids play in the Mediterranean Sea.
30. We've purchased tamales on the side of the road, in Ensenada, on Christmas Day
31. and watched our kids learn to surf in the Gulf of Mexico.
32. Of course we have a Robin and
33 a Paul and
34. a Josh and
35. a Dan and
36. a Sara and
37. a Gloria.
38. Together Paul and I have visited the deepest depths of grief
39. and learned that we are stronger than we knew we were
40. and that we are always the strongest when we are together.
41. We know the pain of long separations
42. and the joy of being reunited again.


43. We love the military,
44. especially the army and miss our army life.
45. During our time in the army we had the privilege of attending huge military balls where
46. we toasted the POTUS among other things.
47. We know what Red Legs are,
48. and GIB's
49. ACUs.
50. We know what to do when we hear revelee or
51. retreat or
52. taps.
53. We have over 150 people on our Christmas card list and
54. we send cards to every continent, except Antarctica.
55. We've been to Gettysburg and
56. know it's significance.
57. We know first hand what a Bronze Star and a Combat Action Badge are.
58. Paul described the Northern Lights to me over the phone,

59. when he was in Norway,
60. above the Arctic Circle
61. in February.
62. Did you know they use jackhammers and drills to set up their tents up there?
63. We did.
64. We know how the MTC differs from the NTC or
65. the CMTC.
66. Also the difference between being a PMS and having PMS.
67. We know what Albania smells like.
68. Staples at our house are from both our upbringings like
69. sushi and
70. artichokes and
71. homemade spaghetti sauce and
72. lumpia and
73. kelaguen and
74. fagasa.
75. We know that the excitement level of our home jumps at the sound of a good surf report, and

76. we have our travel routine down to a science when we get to act on that report.
77. We know how to raise chickens,
78. and pigs and
79. how to grow a fruitful garden.
80. We've owned 9 different cars
81. and one moped.
82. We've driven over 100 mph on the autobahn, legally and

83. And we've been pulled over in more than one state for doing the same thing illeagaly.
84. We've had lots of people from all over the world, in our home.
85. A couple of the unusual ones were a princess of Ghana who had joined the church and was attending school in Mannheim and
86. an officer from the Czech Republic who taught us that to become a man in the Czech Republic you have to build a house, plant a tree and have a son.
87. We spent $400.00 on our piano and
88. about $10,000.00 on piano lessons.
89. Music is an important part of our lives.
90. We sing a lot at our house.
91. The songs with some of the sweetest memories for us are Dr. Worm and
94. Free Will and
96. Superman and
98. We've snorkeled in the blue blue waters of Telum, Mexico and


99. can not wait until we can take our kiddos to do the same thing.
100. We confidently sent our first child off to college and
101. have taken the first steps into this next time of life together.
102. I can't wait to see what else we get to add to this list.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fantastic list! I'm excited about the next adventures you'll be having in this next phase of life together. Congratulations!

Robin said...

Lovely.

Elder and Sister McEvoy said...

Love it.

Mindi said...

rachel--

oh, MY.

i've read a lot of blog posts over the past 2 years--i'd have to say that one is in my top favorite 3.

so wonderfully written and poignant!

i confess: i got a little emotional reading it!

you guys are awesome--thanks for being an inspiration!

xoxo
love mindi

Margo said...

Rachel,
I so love this! I knew you had been many places over the years but this is incredible. I am in awe & jealous at the same time. You are an inspiration & I have so enjoyed reading your blog & getting somewhat caught up on what you have beeen doing in the years we were out of touch. Thank you for sharing!

Megan said...

What a wonderful list! I hope that I can have a similar post after 22 year of marriage. You both are amazing!

Nana Donna said...

That was a beautiful blog. Thanks for sharing it, you two are awesome people!

Damaris @Kitchen Corners said...

what an amazing post. My 6 year anniversary is coming up and I'm excited out of my brain. So much to look forward to.