Five years and Sixty-five to go!

On this day 5 years ago I married my best friend and the most beautiful woman in the world, Kathryn Ann Bernard. Since it is a bit of a milestone, I felt it merited a blog post since I have been absent from the blogosphere. Each of these pictures holds within it a story from our past I'd like to divulge and show the personality traits that help me fall more in love with my bride with everyday that passes. And, like most of my significant posts, this will be rather lengthy.

Content. Let's start with the above shot of our rings. My wife loves me in spite of the fact on Christmas morning, while in the shower, the ring I spent two months of my paycheck on failed her. Two of the prongs were chipped and the diamond popped out and went down our shower drain which did not contain a trap. Gone, after 5 years, was the diamond I asked her to marry me with. And she felt bad. She didn't need to, but did, when the real culprit was me for not purchasing a steadfast setting. Reason being she's never been one to ever care about our economical state, even with almost nothing. So missing her diamond, while tormenting to me, she thinks nothing of it except for taking the blame and feeling bad for me.


Resiliance. This picture was taken at the top of a hill containing a large "P" right above Cal Poly, my alma matter. For those who know Katy, you'll know some of her least favorite things are excercise out of the water. Yet here she is hiking to the top of a steep incline for me because I wanted to. Now this was about 6 months into our dating relationship, and about another month later we hiked up a peak called Bishop's. I have no idea how high it actually is, but the hike itself is around two miles long. The morning before we went by a bagel shop for a quick bite before hiking and she happened to have a sundried tomato bagel with strawberry cream cheese. The afternoon happened to be a warm one for San Luis Obispo, and lets just say when Katy got to the top of Bishop's she was so excited to be at the summit she could no longer contain her breakfast...and yet hiked down with a smile on her face!

Clothing Taste. While these engagement pictures turned out well, the shopping before hand did not. One thing about my wife is she takes care of how I look. So after 4 hours at Gap the afternoon of, we came out with these complimentary sweaters.

Flame Retardant. On this grand day, our major malfunction took place during the lighting of our unity candle. As many weddings do, we had our mothers light the candles from which we would together light the center candle. After we lifted the side candles, lit the center one, and placed the side ones back down we turned around to do communion with our friend John Garrison who officiated our wedding. While we were taking communion, we didn't realize Katy's veil was directly next to one of the side candles and proceeded to catch on fire! Fortunately, only a small hole burned through the veil and Katy's hair containing 10 cans of hairspray did not! What a trooper!


Patience. We enjoyed a beautiful trip to Kauai for our honeymoon. While there we were able to go on a killer horseback riding trip through the fields above the beaches, just the two of us and our guide. Let the record show, I'm not the equestrian guru you all think me to be. Katy however, definitely is. For an extended period of time we were able to get the horses in a full on gallop for a good mile and Katy was extremely polite, complimenting my riding ability or lack thereof, calmly explaining how to get the horse up to speed. Even keeping her comments to herself as my horse took a huge dump right in front of hers.


Resourceful. While this is not the correct wedding, taken at the Ferguson's wedding about a month before ours, it did remind me of another of the million weddings we have been to, the Davis'. I know you're sitting on the edge of your seat to hear this, so here it is. We lived in Sacramento at the time and traveled down to SLO for the wedding in a whirlwind day trip. For the wedding, Katy was going to wear a dress that required a strapless bra. In our haste Katy left said undergarment in Sac. In order to wear said dress Katy allowed me to MacGyver her dress with a couple of hairpins hiding her standard bra. I'm sure if I had duct tape she would have allowed me to use it as well!

Sense of humor. Contrary to what her face expresses in this picture, Katy found my impression of an elk quite humorous. Let it also be noted that she absolutely hates this shirt I'm wearing in this shot, yet chuckles to herself and shakes her head everytime I wear it. And yes I do still agree with Jimmy!


Empathy. While at the CHP academy I was put through physical hell, lost 30 pounds, and became more toned then I can remember being. Hopefully the loss of weight can be seen in my face through this picture taken at my end of the academy party. You'll also notice how amazing Katy looks. Everyday while I was at the academy doing physical training, Katy was at home doing a similar routine from a preparation video. As much as she hated it, she put herself through a similar pain, without the screaming PT instructors, because I was going through pain. I only wish I could have extended her the same courtesy during her labor with Nick, which I tried to do by watching his circumcision, but we all know how that turned out, and if you didn't, read our labor story.

Understanding. One thing about the CHP, as with any job, is it can definitely take you away from your family in more ways than one. While at the academy I never once heard Katy complain about me being gone for so long and not spending time at home, but I still knew from her face that she missed me. Once on the job, things will come up at the last minute keeping me from coming home on time, and all I ever hear from her is, "Ok, I love you and be safe." So many guys on the job are going through divorces because their wives don't get what they do. I feel so blessed to have a wife who not only gets my job but fully supports me in it and loves that I love what I do.


Mobile. When we were assigned Santa Barbara Katy was nothing but willing to pick up and move from the friends she loves, a house she enjoyed, and a wonderful church family, to wherever the CHP called us. This mobility might have something to do with where we now reside on the central coast, but nonetheless...mobile.

Beautiful. I never thought there was any truth to the whole "glowing" conspiracy associated with pregnancy, but as this picture shows just a month after we found out we were going to have a baby, there is truth in it. While pregnant I've never been more attracted to my wife as I'm sure is true with other marriages. Not to mention my wife's beauty continues to increase the longer I know her as these characteristics become more apparent!

Appetite. When the stereotypical dating relationship begins the woman will order a salad and water. Not Katy. I think on our first date she had peanuts, rolls, chicken, shrimp, desert, popcorn, mike and ike's, and cheese fries. Oh, and she's always down for a BJ's pazookie. This girl can eat! And it only multiplied exponentially when she got pregnant. Now I love food, but Katy LOVES food! If only she could pass on her metabolism too...maybe Barak can fix that as well while he's messing with stem cells.


Sleep. I married a woman who loves to get her shut-eye. Some of our best Saturdays before I was working for the state were spent with the first 1/2 of the day lying around the house as long as we could. We definitely don't get those types of Saturdays, or any days for that matter, any more, especially once the kiddo came along, as can be seen by our state of exhaustedness while visiting in Sacramento.

Courage. Going through labor. Need I say more?

Faith. Katy's faith in Christ that His hands were on her throughout our attempts at having a child and the entire pregnancy process is something I strive towards everyday. This has always been evident since the first moment I heard her testimony at our college group. She went from being a athletic collegiate prospect to losing almost all control of her motor skills both voluntary and involuntary and turning not away from Christ but towards him, makes her my hero. As soppy as it sounds, it's something I don't joke about and is entirely true.

Compassion. I used to think Katy was compassionate until I saw her interact with Nick and it reached a whole new level I never thought possible. Nothing compares to a new mother's love and I love watching Katy love on Nick.

Love. While this shot was at my last birthday the point of this hundredth paragraph is this. Since Katy got sick in high school with spinal meningitis and encephalitis writing has been difficult for her to say the least. What takes us a second or two to sign our names takes Katy a good 15-20 seconds. That being said, every major event, birthday, anniversary, valentine's, etc., Katy always gets me a card and always has a very well thought out, heart felt, written section that I know took at least 10 minutes. She does this not out because she's required to but because of her love for me. And I love her for it, everytime.

Girly-girl. There are a few things Katy does that could be considered a bit tom-boyish. For example, high volume audible bodily functions, appetite, gun shooting, etc. But even with a slight tom-boy tendency, Katy is still, and always will be, very much a girl-girl. This Christmas season we were able to attend my office's CHP party and dress up. Katy sparkles when she's able to get her hair done, dress up, and go out like "real" adults. Which of course, makes me get my hair done, dress up, do my makeup, the whole nine. I guess it's tolerable once in a while!

Love for Christ. When it all boils down, the thing I love most about Katy is her belief, trust, and love of Christ and His works. While on our recent Annivegasry, Katy asked me what my first memory of her was. Easily recalled, Katy was giving her testimony to our college group and while not the most comfortable at public speaking, she told of how she became a Christian to around 200 people not because she was proud of it, but because she hoped her story would help someone else come to know Christ. While visiting the Hoover dam we stared in awe and wonder at this massive work of the Department of the Interior, amazed at how quickly it was completed and how well it worked. While I pointed out man's wondrous creation, Katy calmly stated, "Look at how God gifted these men and the canyon He created perfectly for it."

I love this woman now more than ever and will for all of my days. I hope you all enjoyed the lengthy description of how and why I continue to fall in love with my bride Katy. Thanks for sticking around to the end!

And thank you Kates for the past 5 years of marriage, 6 years and 2 months of being with you, our puppy, our home, our son, and our life together. I love you with all my heart and soul.

Love always, Robert Andrew