Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Just a little about us. . .

I got to looking at the calendar and realized that it has been almost seven years exactly since Hans and I met. So I thought I would share with you a few of the detail and memories of our life together.
We met on my 19th birthday at Snow College. Well, I guess we had met before- Hans says- but I don't recall actually ever talking to him- just yelling across the basketball court at him. He was reffing basketball and I was the intramural staff scorekeeper and none of the refs ever said who fouled who and it bugged me so I yelled at ALL of the refs. And I never even knew his name, just noticed that one of the refs had REALLY white legs and insisted on wearing black socks with his basketball shorts. ( DOn't ask me why he couldn't remember black socks for our reception since he was so fond on them!) So, we met. Hans lived with a way fun apartment full of guys just two doors down. When I first met them all I thought his roommate Jory was by far the cutest- he was a cowboy from Nephi, so I guess we are even because Hans actually asked my roommate out first. I don't blame him, she was a lot more fun, and funnier than me. But then he came to his senses and realized it was me who he wanted to pursue.
I've really got to give it to Hans for trying for me. We had gotten together with his apartment one night and were all talking about the kind of people we were physicallly attracted to. So I listed my requirements along with all the other girls- #1 and most important- he HAD to be taller than me, #2 Dark brown hair and brown eyes, #3 It would help if he had a larger than average nose( don't ask me- I have no idea why). Of course, this was before Hans had even ever asked me out, and yet he still did after that, crazy boy. He must have known something that I didn't. And then he did ask me out, kind of; and then I kind of turned him down, cuz I didn't realize it was a date and broke his heart. But then I asked him to take me out the next week after my roommate had told me what a jerk I had been. I did have to keep telling myself not to think about how short he was and just to have fun, and you know what? I did have fun. I had the time of my life.
And then things went really quickly. We went on hundreds of walks, a few drives, one or two movies. I went on a vacation with my mom and dad and little sister for Harvest Holiday and realized I had fallen in love when all I talked about was Hans. ANYTHING anybody said, I could think of something that reminded me of something Hans said or did, or what he would think of the comment. We got engaged over Thanksgiving Break and were sealed in the Manti Temple on February 8th 2002. Hans surprised me with a Honeymoon to Reno, Nevada to go Snowboarding at Tahoe, which I loved every minute of, except for the car mueseum which was slightly(terribly) boring. That was my first time snowboarding and I absolutely loved it.
We lived in my 2nd grade school teacher's vacation home in Sterling and drove into school and work each day. We paid an awesome $200 a month rent, which was awesome and really good because being full time students we didn't make much more than that. My favorite vacation with Hans happened while we lived in Sterling. We took the fourwheelers that were included in the rent and drove up a nearby canyon and camped under the stars. We woke up and drove all over the whole mountain. We did a ceremonious burning of the Sociology book which was Hans' most hated class ever and caught a lizard together. I love lizards, I try to catch them whenever I see them. It was so simple, it was so fun and it was so filled with just us.
After we graduated from Snow we moved to Cedar City with a prayer in our hearts. We knew nobody, had no jobs and were hoping for kindness. Hans only had to look for a job a few days, and Dean at Imperial hired him on the spot, no real interview or anything. And we have been so blessed ever since by that association with Dean and his family. I got a job soon after at a office supply place working with some fun and the hightlight was that my job offered insurance. School started in the fall and HAns I both attended SUU. Graduating college had always been a dream of mine and I wasn't about to give it up just because I got married. I found my second love- art and began to seriuosly major in that. HAns jumped around between pre-dental, business and biology before settling on Biology with a Botany emphasis and Ag minor.
After two years of marriage we were blessed with a baby to add to out little family.
Gabe HAnsen was born July 25th, 2004. He was and is still a sweet baby that is sometimes moody. BUt is generally a giving caring little soul who is quite sensitive and intelligent. I continued my schooling, as did HAns, although we were dependent on only Hans' income from then on. Then when Gabe was about twenty months only, Hiett Scott entered our family, just days after HAns graduated from SUU. Hiett makes everybody laugh and never, NEVER quits moving. I quit my schooling with only about 18 credits left for my minor of Geology beacause the lab hours were so long and it required a TON of work that I felt would infringe on my being a mother of two. So HAns continues working, I continue at home and we live the "American Dream" pretty much. We even have a puppy dog and a house with a lawn! Most days I seriously wake up and wonder what else I could possible ask for. I have been so blessed and I thank my Father every single day for the blessings of love and health that he has given me and my family.

8 comments:

{Lindsey} said...

So fun to read and learn more about you guys...thanks for sharing!
Miss you!

Bon said...

I loved reading that! Thanks for sharing! I loved sooooo hard at your requirements....Hans is lucky he has you! I don't know what I would do without you as a friend! You are such a great person!!

AZTattooGirl said...

I too loved reading about all of that. I don't think I have ever heard the whole entire story, so I'm glad to know all of it now. You guys are such a sweet family. I love you all tons and miss you so much! Congrats on being together 7 years!

Fred and Meili said...

That was great! I learned so much about you guys! It is hard living so far away.

Cedar Reids said...

Oh. . . How cute!
Didn't you just love Snow!

That was a great post. Congrats on the 7 years!

Gardner Family said...

Wow - now you're making me feel old! 7 years for you two. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever heard the whole story either! Isn't it amazing that the simplest things turn into the best memories? Love you tons and love reading about the kids. What a good idea. Give all your men (and Tonks too) hugs from me!

Nelson Family said...

OK Shellie I heard a nasty rumor that you're leaving. Is it true? Not everyone can leave Cedar you know?

Taylor Fam said...

Your story was like reading a good book. I love it! Thanks for posting that!
Lisa

WELCOME to our new home

We got moved in settled a few weeks ago, but it has taken me longer than I thought to get back into my groove. I hadn't realized that I HAD a groove, maybe it was more like a rut, but anyway, I am comfortably back into it and that is that. So, I am sure that you are all curious to see what exactly we moved into. You have to promise to not be jealous!!! Really.... everybody seems to think that I mind terribly our new home, but I don't mind it that much. I am with Hans, the boys have their dad and unlimited roaming space and so much more family close by, I would make the trade again anyday. Not to mention the projects that I am planning that will keep me busy for quite some time. Ready?
Well, the power plant pays for all of their employees to move within 40 miles of the plant so they packed us up and shipped us off. This is the truck arriving. It was huge! Our stuff only took up about 1/3 of the truck!


Hans and I are still in debate about what is happening with the exterior of the house. I want to get some paint and paint it, then get a good color match and do the shutters differently. The porch will be fixed- it sags in the middle and threatens to collapse whenever you step on it. I want to put a little roof over it, a simple little peak that stretches back to the trailer, that would hopefully break up the ugliness a little bit. we will probably be here for 21/2 to 3 years so I want to make it look like a home for us.

OK- let me explain that roof looking thing. Nevermind- can't explain it. But I am going to try to put little support strut things off from it to support a new piece of wood that will make it look like a beam instead of a chintzy shingled roof inside of a house. And that is faux brick paneling. he he he. I have never seen it before. I giggle when I see it. The next pic is the kitchen dining combo. The floor is newish lineolium, so that is good to stay. But the wallpaper is falling off and so I am going to practice my tiling and do a medium dark greyish tile and then strip the cupboards and paint them a white. The door knobs will be replaced too. Hopefully this will work with the mustard yellow stove- this trailer is 30 years old, so it is very 70's with the wood paneling EVERYWHERE!!


UNGH. The paneling is sooo dark! This hallway could use a coat of paint. Hans' grandma is skeptical of us painting the paneling, truthfully I am too, but this is so drab I have got to do something! The light fixture is going to be replaced so my dad doesn't hit his head everytime he comes over. Well, for that matter, most of the light fixtures will get to be replaced soon.


I saved the best for last!!! Our bathroom is horrid! Seriously- I don't mind it, it just makes me laugh it is that ugly. The floral nasty green print coordinates with the yellos tub, toilet and sink. The linoleum is the same shades and that crazy design you could sit and stare at for hours trying to figure out the pattern. A new sink is already in the works. A new shower curtain already bought, and so many plans floating in my head. Wall paper off, new linoleum, tiling another backspash, paint the walls, build a frame around the mirror to make it the focal point. So much to do. Will I get it done in my 3 year time limit?? Oh and the kicker, the washer and dryer are in the bathroom! Convienent!!!


We had such a fun Halloween! It got kicked off with an adult( that sounds naughty!) Halloween Party which was fun as it always is to get together with all of everybody. I love seeing all the costumes and wish I knew which file Hans put them uner so I could post them. Beau and Bonnie won my prize for best dressed- Beau looked hot in that eyeliner and black nail polish. Anyway, then on Halloween we had a bunch of the kids over for a little party and had a great time- I did anyway, I hope the kids did too. We went trick or treating in the "old ward" just to say hi to some folks we hadn't seen in a while. The boys had a great time. Tait slept through it all in his comfy bear outfit and Hiett only fell down two sets of stairs with his AWESOME hoomemade batman mask. I don't know how much longer I will get away with homemade costumes but until then- $6 always beats out $20-40 in my opinion, and I think the kids have more fun being "creative". HA ha. We had a great time and the candy is almost gone already- I swear I haven't helped too much!

My happy boy

My happy boy
How can you not smile when you see that!? Tait hung out on this blanket while we were fishing on Monday- he loves to be outside- and it's a good thing since that's where we are most of the time!

Our hike

Our hike
Yes, that is the road down there. We found this trail off the road up the Five MIle Canyon. We have loved the red rock scenery that is so prevelant in the Parowan area

Birthday Boy riding his new bike

Birthday Boy riding his new bike
He loves riding with Gabe on their"motorbikes"

The swinging of the pinata

The swinging of the pinata
Gabe is the only one who inflicted any damage at all

Argh MAtey!

Argh  MAtey!
Me and my pirate buddies- we had so much fun. Sometimes I really wich I were still a kid ro everyday was a birthday so I had a reason to be all creative and fun

Hiett

Hiett
The birthday crown for the king of the day