Thursday, April 3, 2008

Ramblings: Kinda Smart?

Jeremy (not to be confused with this Jeremy Fielding) got an email from an attorney at another firm he had worked with on a settlement agreement. In it, she called him "kind and smart," which caused him to jokingly moan and groan a bit about how I never tell him he's "kind and smart." My reply: "Did you say kind and smart, or kinda smart?"

10 Reasons why that guy I married is kind and smart (in no particular order)
1. He married me. Ok. That was in order. It was both kind and smart.

2. He craves learning. He likes to learn about anything--so if you are a proclaimed or perceived expert on a subject or skill, he picks your brain until he knows as much as possible about it. **

As an added bonus at work, he has to have a clear knowledge of whatever is at the core of his cases. During the last few years, he has been tutored by experts in blood sepsis--its causes and treatments, neurology and MRIs, Sammy Davis, Jr., the scrap metal trade business between US and China, and how wind energy is produced, moved, and used--just to name a few. He loves this aspect of his job--I think he gets a taste of doing all those things by learning about them.

**(However, my dad artificially inseminates cows and horses as a "hobby", but I haven't heard Jeremy asking too many questions about THAT.)

3. He's smart enough to recognize how emotionally and physically draining it is to stay home with four young children all day, every day; and kind enough on bad days to shove me in my room, lock the door, and take over running the circus.

4. His ambition, brains, and competitive drive have gotten thru BYU with honors, Harvard Law, and to his current job--where he is definitely in his element. He gets to paid to strategize and be combative, to negotiate and persuade, and to problem solve and WIN! MUST WIN!

5. He has the freakish ability to recall pretty much anything he has read or studied---ever. Even the littlest facts, names, dates, battles, etc. (Sadly, this memory does not transfer to other areas like "Things I am Supposed to Buy at the Grocery Store" or "Where I am Supposed to put Dirty Socks when I Take them Off."

6. He is not picky about most things. I could fix raw chicken with a side of soggy corn flakes for dinner (which I've almost done, on several occasions), and he'd be like "Wow, this is soaked to the perfect sogginess. And what a great idea to build our immune systems by testing them with a little salmonella." And if I convinced him that hot pink would look really awesome painted on our bedroom walls, he'd probably go buy the paint for me and matching throw pillows.

7. This ties into number 6, but he is the Eternal Optimist and unfailingly supportive, probably to a fault. If I told him I thought, I really thought, if I flapped my arms hard enough that I could fly, he'd be like "well, let me turn the ceiling fan off so you don't hit your head. And while you're cruising around, get down the three balls the kids threw on the ledge way up there."

But I fear the kids are slowly draining the optimist out of him. Like in August when in a drunken Diet Coke stupor, he supposed that perhaps the kids would be good on our four hour flight to Washington, and maybe they'd even sleep through half of it. At about hour three, the optimist in him got pummeled, scratched, and pounded into submission and left cowering in a pathetic, defeated puddle under his tiny airplane seat.

8. He doesn't begrudge my earring-buying obsession, constant redecorating, or my cleaning OCD. He even cleans Alex's toilet which is a BIG deal--all of you that have potty-trained boys know what I'm talkin' about. Occasionally during one of my rabid cleaning sessions, he may offer a major eyeball roll, but he is immediately forgiven due to his aforementioned cleaning of one very nasty pee-palace .

9. He is super-duper complimentary. This is a great quality for the guy you live with to possess--especially in those post-partum months..errr.. years when you feel utterly disgusting and overly flabby. I truly believe if I gained 4000 pounds eating cotton candy and had to get around on one of those motor-scooters, shaved my head, and styled my leg hair into dreadlocks he would be like "Ooo, I really like how that new mu mu accents your hot legs. Is it new?"

10. He lets me warm my cold toes under his legs at night. Which is obviously very nice, but smart too, because thanks to growing up with my abusive older brother, I can punch freakishly hard.

6 comments:

brentandkashann said...

Wow, even I am starting to like Jeremy now. Most of this stuff is new to me. Laura we are so glad that you love and appreciate our brother for all of that he is. He really is one of a kind.
And he is soooo lucky to have you.
Happy Early Anniversary!

Andrea said...

Wow. I can't believe it's been ten years. But then again it feels like forever. Know what I mean?

The Richards said...

I can't believe that you have been married for ten years. I've only been married for 2 and it seems like a long time, in a good way!! The pictures of the baby shower were so cute, you are so crafty, I think I might steal a few of the ideas for a shower I am throwing next month!!

The Richards said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
S Palfreyman said...

Jeremy is just what we are looking for. Morgan has been wondering how people would make/have ice back in the day? Before electricity came about, people had ice. Now we understand that there were ice houses, but where did the ice come from? So if Jeremy ever has "free time" could he please help us out? This way is won't just be my husband obsessing over this question.
I really like how you have written 10 things each day. How have you come up with so many subject? I want to know the different things you have lists about. I think I really need to do this. It would help me be more aware of the past and the great things that have happened!
Happy 10!

Laura said...

Yeah, after 10 years it seems like forever, but then again it doesn't seem as long as "10 years" sounds.

Stacy--Happy Late birthday. I had a little thing to send off to you but it happened to fall on like teh worst day ever and I didn't get into the post office, and then the rest of the week took over and I forgot. so i'll get it off tomorrow.
I'll have Jeremy work on teh ice house question for Morgan...