Princess Ella

Before we were married, Ella used to work for a company "Ever After," where she'd go to birthday parties and other events dressed as a princess and help little kids have magical days.

This one is from a charity event she worked at

The more I think about it though, the more I realize she really is a princess.

1. Last week we were on our way to the bus stop early on a cold morning. I was still waking up, a somewhat unpleasant experience made better by listing to Ella sing cheerfully beside me. She loves the music from Mama Mia!, and on any given day that's usually what she's singing. As I started to listen closer, I realized it was not "Here we go again!" but her own invention. She was singing a song about her morning and how much she loved her boots she was wearing, and yes, she'd made it up on the spot.

2. Ella grew up on a large 13 acre plot of land, and loves the country side and "her woods and her river". Her favorite memory from growing up on said land is Prince Charming. Her dad gave her the chance to bottle raise a calf, and of course, Ella knew if she was going to spend so much quality time with a male every day, he'd better be Prince Charming, ruminant or not.

3. Ella loves animals, and they seem to love her in almost a Disney kind of way. This past summer we went to a really great zoo in Columbia, SC, and went into an open flight bird enclosure. We had a little bit of nectar for the birds to eat. After I had held it for a couple minutes, waited, and then gotten impatient and chased a couple birds around (stealthily?), I finally got one bird to take a nice little drink. I asked Ella if she'd like to try. I'd scarcely handed it to her when this happened: 

First there was one

Then there were two

And then three (And briefly a fourth)

4. Ella is super upbeat. Optimism is one of her shining and defining virtues. After a particularly challenging couple of weeks for both of us a few months ago, I was feeling down and worried if we were making the right decisions or if we needed to make some serious changes to our routines. Ella instantly pointed out all the great things that had happened, and how we had crossed off so many things from our to do list. For a few days, I kept finding sour patch kids and Salt and Vinegar chips set out for me and my lunch made, even as Ella was at least as busy as I was.

5. Ella is a friend to everyone she meets. I'm constantly blown away by how kind and friendly she is, always giving the benefit of the doubt. At times when I have found myself frustrated with someone, Ella always speaks up to offer her counsel (And the Savior's counsel) "Judge not". She offers lots of tenable explanations for what someone might be thinking, or how they probably just need more kindness. Even when I'm feeling frustrated that I feel like she's been mistreated, she always takes the higher road. 

6. Also, Ella decided that coming to Europe she needed to change her wardrobe a little bit. She mostly brought more of her dresses and left more of her casual clothes, but it honestly isn't too different in that regard. The biggest difference has been an enormous bag of ribbons that has started braiding into her hair and trying to incorporate into everything she does.

Ella performing as Snow White in a play

I could go on and on, but the truth is Ella is magnificent. I love spending time with her. This past year has been the happiest year of my life. I absolutely love my wife Ella, and she is my very best friend.