Mark's books

Marrying Mark meant marrying new books. Growing up in my parents' house, it seemed that there were new books to be discovered on the shelf. This is probably a result of evolving interests in different things as I got older. I used to see the red, old-fashioned type of children storybooks that were from my parents' era and I'd read the story about the old Chinese emperor or a story about some heroic dog. Some Sundays I would read the illustrated encyclopedias and other informational books. I found the books by C.S. Lewis later on and only glanced over books like A Pilgrim's Progress, uncertain of my interest at the time. There's also a favorite section of Calvin and Hobbes books on my parents' bookshelves. There are still books there that I'm sure I've never noticed, partly because I started my own collection of books. That collection is largely still in my old bedroom at my parents' house, being too big to take to our small apartment in Provo. But we have most of Mark's books here, most of them crammed on one tall shelf. I will peruse the titles sometimes or just admire the books as I walk by them. Mark's always impressed me by how well-read he is. The first time I met him, six years ago now?, he was reading some big book, probably Tolstoy or Dostoevsky. He sat with his leg crossed over his knee, his elbow on the bent knee, his chin in his hand, his square glasses framing his furrowed brow focused on the page. We were both at the same BYU Recycling Club meeting. I wasn't sure what to make of him at the time, but then you can't always trust first impressions. However, one impression of Mark has remained true - he loves to read and has quite good taste in books. The books he brought with him to our marriage are beautiful and thick. He prefers hardcover to softcover because they last longer and he is determined to have all these books available to our children. There is a long line of classics and then some rows of mathematical, statistical, political, economical books from recent years. He has books on philosophy, leadership, communication, religion. He is always reading about five books at a time - a couple different ones before bed, another one for the airplane (when he used to fly more often), and two others in there for good measure. He reads the Economist when he rides the bike at the gym or sometimes at breakfast. The shelf is a pretty good size, but not too huge. But I am surprised when I really look deeper at the titles and find something I never found before. You will never guess the great find I made last night on the top shelf on the right. Two books by Dave Barry! They were collections of his humor columns from the 80s and 90s. What a find, I thought. Mark walked by our bedroom last night and asks me what I was reading. When he discovered it was Dave Barry, he offered to read some together. So Mark started reading them out loud. We were on our bed, Mark reading these columns, and I was laughing so hard, I was in tears. A talent I didn't know my husband had! He is exceptionally good at reading Dave Barry columns out loud! He laughs at all the right times, adding just that much more humor to the moment, and does the best inflections. I had no idea Mark could do that. This was truly a treasure to find. This, my friends, is a favorite memory of our first months together. I think it was because we both had full school commitments the next day, and can feel the weight of law school, and laughing was very therapeutic for both of us. I think it also reminded me of reading Calvin and Hobbes with my dad and he would read them aloud and would laugh at all the right times, which would make us all bust up laughing. And here I was, twenty years later, having a laugh attack with my husband reading to me, while we casually lounged on our bed in our own little home together. It reminded me of the times my parents would crack up about something one of them said, and I would stand there smiling at my parents' mirth. I would marvel at the fact that I could still crack up at stuff when I was a grown-up, and instead of making my brother laugh, I could joke and laugh with my spouse. Last night I experienced this full circle. It was full circle, but something totally new. I guess I am amazed at a few things. I am amazed at how great Mark is and how much fun it is to be married to such a good and nice and funny and happy person. I am amazed at how much my life has been blessed by being with him. I am amazed at how things that you thought were left behind in your childhood can pop up in your adult life and it is awesome. I am amazed that you can have new experiences and learn new things about someone you thought you totally had "figured out." That kind of surprise is the sweet filling of life. And I am amazed that I am still finding new books on Mark's bookshelf.