Holy Cow! (Pun Intended)

As a young teen, I remember being shown an LDS movie entitled, "The Legend of Johnny Lingo". Even at the age of 13, I can remember being disturbed and perplexed as to what the short film was trying to teach. Why I have so many traumatizing memories from my childhood of LDS short films, I do not know.  (Click on this link to see my history with church movies http://4peanutsandacashew.blogspot.com/2009/11/i-just-had-to-laugh.html)  Here is a short synopsis of this gem of a movie:  Johnny Lingo, one of the sharpest traders in the south pacific islands decides to bargain for a wife, and offers a record price of eight cows for Mahana, a plain girl who shuns contact. This causes quite a sensation on the island. A year later Johnny and his wife return for the first time since the marriage, and all find that something miraculous has occurred to Mahana. Johnny explains that by paying eight cows he proved that she was worth more to him than any other woman on the island. He gave her a great gift, that of self-worth. Perhaps the concept bothered me because a woman was being traded for cows. Or maybe it was because it took a man to show her she was worth anything.


Then the other day, I had an epiphany. I think I may be an 8 cow wife! Whoa! What?! Well maybe it's not such a bad thing, metaphorically speaking. Robert didn't pay anything to purchase me when we wed, but his continual ability to see something in me that I couldn't see in myself allowed me to step outside the boundaries that insecurities had created, and develop confidence. When I think back to that 17 year old girl--so shy and insecure, but with lots of potential, I can't help but be in wonderment at how far I've come. When I say this, it is not to give myself a pat on the back because I truly believe that my growth is because of the environment that Robert has always given me; complete acceptance, freedom to say and think whatever I need to with absolutely no judgment, support in anything I choose to pursue, constant praise, and unconditional love. He is a true partner in every sense--always right by my side as we go through life doing everything together. I'd like to think of him as an 8 cow husband too. Falling in love at 17 allowed us both to be very malleable, and so from that point on, we kind of formed each other into who we are today.


I am so incredibly grateful for the friendship, romance, and innocence in those early years that created the foundation for our marriage. I love that we have 2 1/2 years of weekly letters to each other that helped us learn about each other and be a great support to each other. I love that through all of these years (23 to be exact) we have never run out of interesting conversation and our desire to be together. Sometimes I think that if I were to die today, I would have lived the happiest life of anyone to ever walk the earth because I have my Robert. My everything. How I love being his 8 cow wife.








A blast from the past:

Saying goodbye at the MTC

Outside the MTC right before he left for
2 years.

Us.  17 years old

Us at BYU--inseperable

Whoa!

Notice the twin shirts with our faces on them.

Us at a photobooth in the mall.