I met some wonderful people over the past week, all friends of Fuco & Idoia.  It was apparent to many that I was incomplete and they asked about my other half.  The most direct question was: "What is Michelle like?"  How do you answer such a question?  I could not give it justice in the few moments of conversation that we had and we ended up talking about teaching seminary.

In the long drives and while contemplating the huge vistas of southern Utah, I've pondered on what the correct reply is to the question "What is Michelle like."  I must preface my reply with the note that these thoughts are todays thoughts.  Last year my answer would likely have been a little different - and next year my reply would be a little more accurate.  She is changing.  I am changing.  In fact, even the act of contemplating the question brings about changes in me and consequent changes to our relationship.  So, without further ado, I will begin to answer the question.

Michelle loves to serve. 
The primary example of this is her current responsibility as an early-morning seminary teacher.  She spends untold hours each day preparing for the next days' class.  She's up by 4:30 am to finalize details for the class that starts at 6:15 am.
She also dedicates a lot of time sharing her talent on the piano.  This ranges from spontaneous requests to play for the children in Primary or for the women in Relief Society, through playing the hymns during Sacrament meeting every other month, to playing for the Sugar Hill LDS Choir.  The Choir is important to her because it's the most challanging and the most rewarding.  A lot of practice goes into making the music right.  She has to play the music practically perfectly before the Choir can learn their parts.  You can imagine the frustration of having to work very hard to learn the music while some less dedicated Choir members require her to go over parts time and time again.  This hints to the next key character of Michelle's.  But before I get to that, there is one more example of her service I want to share.  It seems like she is always making something for somebody's baby - even for babies that are yet to be concieved.  OK, just one more example: when we go to a party, she hangs out in the kitchen.

Michelle is patient.
The primary example of this is the fact that she is still married to me.  Wow!  Scott Peck wrote:

"It is in the process of meeting and solving problems that life has its meaning.  Problems are the cutting edge that distinguish between success and failure.  Problems call forth our courage and our wisdom;  indeed they create our courage and our wisdom." 
 

In that sense, perhaps Michelle is so patient because her trials of being married to me have called forth her patience; indeed they have created her patience.  Perhaps.  An alternative source of patience could be more than 30 years of teaching children piano lessons.

Michelle is brave.
The primary example of bravery is the intelligent choice to become a mother.  By "intelligent choice" I mean knowing full well the difficulties of pregnancy, the excruciating pain of child birth and the subsequent 18+ years of rearing a child.  As the father of her children, I have a deep appreciation for such bravery.  Christopher Robin told Pooh Bear "You are braver than you know."  Michelle is braver than she realizes. 

Michelle is practical.
She spends her resources (time, talent, skills, money & emotional effort) on meaningful things.  Her jewelry is simple; her clothes are not extravegant; her preferred entertainement is practical: she enjoys books and movies where the characters motivate her to be a better person.  Being that her husband can be a romantic at times, the patience mentioned earlier comes into play as they work things out such as when to get rid of that old couch purchased their first year of marriage.  This is not to say Michelle is cold hearted.  In fact she is very loving.

Michelle cries.
The first car we purchased together died after long years of service.  As we drove away from the wrecking yard, she cried.  She cries at graduations.  She cries during a performance when she can tell the performer has put a lot of effort into preparing and is bravely doing the best they can.  She cries in movies.  She struggles to hold back tears when she speaks at Church.  She's sensitive, she cares and so she cries.  There was a short time when a teen-age daughter mocked her tears.  But as the saying goes: "Fools mock but they shall mourn."  Now that daughter mourns because she too has developed sensitivity; and she cares; and she cries.

That's what Michelle is like, and I love her.

Curtis