Seven years ago, when I asked my sweet wife to marry me, I didn't know, nor could I have known, just how amazing she would turn out to be.
About 7 years ago, Ashleigh and I had one of those chats that every boyfriend dreads. The DTR otherwise known as "define the relationship". We had been dating for a few months and I suppose she wanted to know where this was headed. I had no idea nor had I even thought about it. She had a good job at the MTC but she had been offered a full time job that offered benefits (something she didn't have working at the MTC). She wanted to know if I would be asking her to marry me sometime in the future to know if she should take the job. I responded with "I don't know". I knew she was hot, and that I liked her a lot, and that was about it. Our talk spurred some deep thinking on my part. I went home and started praying, asking God if Ashleigh would be a good person to marry. Answers didn't come right away so I was left just thinking. My worry, like most young men's was "what if something better comes along". (Relax ladies, I know the error of my thinking now.) I kept praying and it seemed like attractive girls on campus were flocking to me at a much higher than usual rate (my family can attest that this is quite rare for me). Then one day I walked into Ashleigh's apartment and BAM it hit me. I would like to say that what "hit me" was a realization of what an amazing wife and mother this woman would turn out to be, but it wasn't. My first though was "Hot dang, this girl is gorgeous, I need to lock her down ASAP". I'm sure now that, besides Ashleigh actually being beautiful, the spirit saw the future, saw exactly what kind of amazing mom she would be and knew that the best way to get me to move along in the right direction was to remind me just how attractive she is.
Now for the part that I really want to say. I'm not sure how I got so lucky. I really don't know. At the time I asked her to marry me, I hadn't researched how good of a wife she would be. I knew two things. She was hot and she could cook. That was good enough then, but I got a whole lot more than I could have ever dreamed of. She is the most amazing mother and woman that I have ever met. Like our song says, "I thought I loved you then" (Brad Paisley). But each day that goes by and with each kid she handles and teaches so well, I just come to realize how much more I love her now.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY ASH!!!!
