Robertsons

I'm sure this was at some reunion or another, but I love seeing old pictures.  I know which one is Jeremy for sure.  I love and appreciate this man more and more every day.  I didn't know when and if I would get married one day, but my patriarchal blessing said one line about it.  No more.  No indication of when or who I would get married.  Just, "You will recognize and be impressed with this fine man."  And I am, every day.  I'm not very lovey dovey, especially when I'm sick, stressed or overwhelmed, but I want to record how good he is for me and to me.  My Dad served as a Bishop or in the bishopric for many years.  He would come home and tell my Mom, "Thank you for being normal."  And I understand that!  

Saturday, while I was taking pictures of a family which is very loving and supportive of each other, there was a cute little family that just showed up to go hiking.  There were the parents and what looked like 6 kids very close in age... None looked older than 7/8.  I thought, oh cute, they're taking a family outing.  I said, "Yay!  Have fun hiking you guys!"  Most of the time when I say stuff like that I will get a smile or a wave out of little kids.  I'm not an intimidating person. NONE of the family even acknowledged I was there and the parents were horrible to each other!  One of the sons shoe laces were untied.  The Dad got after the Mom for not teaching him to tie his own laces yet.  Mom asked if Dad would tie them because she had a baby strapped to her chest and it's hard to bend without feeling like you're going to dump the baby out of the carrier.  The Dad started berating her and saying that it was her duty as a Mother and that she should be doing her Motherly duty.  UMMMMM say what?!!!!!!  I get that people get testy sometimes and snip at each other when tense things come up....  like taking 6 young kids on a Saturday outing... but WHERE does it say that a mother's duty is to tie their child's shoe laces when already doing something that prevents it to be done easily?  I'm sorry that they were fighting in front of their kids, but I was a teensy bit proud that the Mom didn't just take it.  That is definitely verbal abuse and unrighteous dominion.  Yes, a mother should nurture their children... and so should a father.  I wanted to strangle him.  If I were just out hiking instead of working, I would have said something even if it hadn't made a difference.  For the sake of the family I was working with, I did not.  What a lazy jerk!  He was using motherly duty as a reason for him getting out of doing what he didn't want to do.  I will say, my Dad cleaned the house, clipped our fingernails, got us dressed, fed us... just as my Mom did.  I chose to be a stay at home mom, so I do most of the cleaning, homework and feeding so that we can have time together as a family in the evenings, but Jer has NEVER told me no if I've asked for help.  He does dishes, night feedings with the baby, laundry, reads with the kids, carpooling kids to activities, etc.... When I'm sick, he takes a day off work and does it ALL.  And guess what, I'm more in love with him after 15 years because I don't feel like I'm pulling on my own.  I LOVE IT!