Meant FOUR eachother

We interrupt this report on all things Europe for a special bulletin: We've been married for FOUR years! Time sure flies when you're married to one of the world's funniest people. I'd like to take this opportunity to document why Mr. Richards and I were meant FOUR eachother (and to be really annoying with the flagrant misuse of the number FOUR just in case you FOURget the duration of our blissful union along the way).

Brandon's sister's name is Amanda. While you may not think that remarkable just yet (she's remarkable, trust me), wait until you hear that her full name (pre-marriage) is Amanda MICHELLE Richards. Clearly, both of our parents liked the name Michelle and his parents thought it flowed nicely with Richards. I happen to agree.

While on the subject of commonalities with his siblings, Shawn and I happen to share a birthday - granted I stole his glory a few years later, but nonetheless I kept it quite easy FOUR the Richards family to remember.

Our shared affinity FOUR turtle culture (the Teenage Mutant Ninja variety, and otherwise) has proven a strong bond. Also, despite our considerable difference in size in the courting days (the difference ain't quite so considerable anymore!) neither of us thought twice about squeezing into a turtle shell meant for one at the Toronto Zoo. Some may call it stupidity, I call it spontaneity. Luckily we were able to make it out in time FOUR our nuptials that weekend.

We both have serious thrill issues, dude. (Yes, I've watched Finding Nemo several times in the recent past.) A love of perFOURming death-defying stunts (phrase used very loosely here) as a couple helps maintain the excitement. And it makes FOUR some entertaining pictures.

FOUR those of you who may not know how we met, we happened to be in the same ward at BYU (cliche? Yes. But it worked) AND we were EFY counselors at the same time. It takes a special kind of person to be and enjoy being an EFY counselor, so we started off with a lot in common. We started dating during the summer of 05 as counselors, and became Building Counselors (we had counselors instead of kids) the following summer as an engaged couple, causing quite the stir - the ladies of Especially FOUR Youth were especially disappointed he was off the market.

After two straight summers of mandatory EFY line dances, normal people might grow tired of the monotony. Not these Richardses! That's right, we performed the Baja Men 2 routine at our wedding and we were not ashamed. Looking back, perhaps we should have been...

Shared goals have played a major role in our making it this long. Goals like, "Let's be the creepy old couple with lots of cats that sits on our porch scaring the neighbourhood kids." Remember our names. We're going places, folks.

Another sign we're meant FOUR eachother: neither of us can resist a good foot poppin' photo opportunity. The big guy needs a little work, though.

On the subject of things we can't resist: ALL THINGS DISNEY...and jumping. The two go hand in hand on many occasions, as evidenced below. We've been FOURtunate enough to be able to visit Disneyland more than a few times and absolutely love it (thank you to You Know Who You Are). On our last visit, we bought a My First Mickey FOUR the wee one to remind her what kind of a Disney lovin' family she's joining.

Our first, and incidentally our hardest jumping picture was taken by friends and amazing photographers Brad & Caroline Clark during our engagement photo session. It may be hard to tell, but these are a series of steps, and we were jumping from one down to the next - hence my tongue sticking out in concentration. We were hooked from this point FOURward...you may have noticed.

A mutual willingness to embarrass ourselves has made FOUR a more-than-interesting five years together. Bless his heart, we'd been dating FOUR a mere three months when he agreed to dress us as Peter Pan and don women's tights FOUR his ward's Hallowe'en shindig. We actually beat out Fred & Wilma FOUR Best Couple Costume. Meant to be, folks.

We both LOVE The Office. Thanks again, Shannon, FOUR introducing it to me on those oh-so-long bus rides to Salt Lake all those years ago. We got totally hooked and haven't looked back. We took advantage of our slight resemblance to certain characters from the show and drew a few laughs at another Hallowe'en party. The couple that laughs together...

So, though we have our differences, like our ideas of what constitutes appropriate behaviour FOUR an engagement photo and our varying opinions on the versatility and fuctionality of garbage can lids...

...and the fact that he was and always will be a jock and huge sports fan and I'm a music/drama nerd, we're so happy together. (Although Brandon won't blog his agreement, I'm confident in telling you that he loves me back.)

In all seriousness, we have the most important things in common. Things like love of family (our amazing families make them incredibly easy to love), faith in Jesus Christ and doing our best to live according to His Gospel, laughing a lot, taking ourselves just seriously enough to get bills paid and diplomas received and a deep and abiding love FOUR eachother that we believe will last forever, thanks to temple blessings. See? I can be serious when it counts.

Although his presence on the blog isn't a strong one, he enjoys reading what I have to say - that may change after a few more years of marriage :) and so I want to let him know that I love him more everyday, which seems impossible because some days I'm sure I've reached the limit of how much you can love someone. He can always make me laugh, regardless of whether or not I want to, and reminds me that life is to be enjoyed. He's slaving away at an unpaid internship in Kentucky living with strangers and surviving on ramen while I'm enjoying a fun-and fancy free month in Canada with my wonderful family and I appreciate his sacrifice - not to mention my family's willingness to satiate my ever-growing appetite for this long!

I'm so excited to start the next part of our life together as parents, and I'm sure all of you reading this will be glad to see pictures of someone else FOUR a change - although I'm still holding strong to the idea that Squirt won't entirely overtake the blog. You're the best husband I've ever had. Sorry for all the mush, but once a year isn't bad, right?

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, BUDDY! LOVE YOU!