I recently did an illustration for friends Josie & BJ who hail from St. Louis. They are a great couple who love outdoors, old things, and each other, in a nutshell. But I thought it would be fun to ask them a few questions...
How did you two meet? (in Josie's words)
At our church in 2003. It was actually pretty cool. He was a God-send....literally. It was my family's first Sunday at our new church since moving to Illinois from Seattle, and I was devastated. I cried during the whole service. In the foyer after church I ran into an old friend I had met the year before at a homeschool training center in Indianapolis! Small world! Turns out she had gone to that church with her family almost her whole life. Her name was Ericka Beck. While we were talking I noticed a total HOOTTIIIEEEE (...high school lingo) sitting down close by. I remember thinking, "living here might not be so bad after all...." Turns out.....that was Ericka's little brother, BJ! After church during lunch he asked Ericka who I was and told them he thought I had a nice butt, and liked all the band buttons on my purse. The important things in life. Haha....ooooh high school. That next week my parents hired a few guys from our church to tear up the carpet in our new house and lay down hardwood floors. BJ was one of the guys. We talked every day and found out we had a lot in common. Been together ever since!
Was it love at first sight?
I would like to think so? Probably not though. Probably lust, most likely...haha. I don't think love happens like that. I definitely saw a future for us though, and hoped it would be love! It definitely was.
What is the funniest thing you have done together?
Oh gosh....hardest question eveeeeeer. Everything? Ha jk. I just think our life in general is funny actually. Sometimes I feel like little kids playing house. Every day it just hits me....we are adults...and we are MARRIED...and we live on our own. That is funny.
We do ridiculous things every day though. BJ is just a really funny person, without even trying.
What is your favorite quality in each other?
I would have to say my favorite quality in BJ is his dependability (is that a quality??) He is so steadfast and gentle and slow to anger. He is also hilarious and always making me smile. I still get butterflies when I see him every day after work, and we've been together for 7 years. I can always depend on him to be stable, loyal, hard-working, and loving. I really appreciate that.
He says his favorite quality about me is my loving....ness? Haha. He says I'm very loving towards him and people in general. That's nice of him to say.
What is your favorite couple activity?
Traveling! The two months we spent together in AK, WA, and OR visiting friends and family, and any other time we've traveled together has been SO much fun! We are great travel buddies, and work well together. The more realistic activity though, would be movie watching. We are REALLY good at it. Quite a talent. We are really good at cuddling and watching good movies. It's the best.
What is the key to having a good marriage?
I think going into it realizing that you WILL have to work at it sometimes! The feelings of love will not always be there. There are times you will be frustrated, worn out, bored, irritated....and you feel less than loving towards that person. But realizing that is normal, and working at changing your attitude about the situation and towards that person, and loving them regardless, I think that is so important.
Also, spending LOTS of time together. Absence makes the heart grow cold and lonely.
AND HAVE FUN!!!!! We are young and poor and both back in college right now, but we still manage to find ways to have fun, inexpensively! :)
