Sarah Melissa Johnson

Sarah Melissa Johnson (Ingersoll) is my wife. I've begun to realize how important it is for a person to openly confess their love for their spouse on a regular basis. Something more than an arm around the shoulder or a kiss on the cheek. So I want to tell you about Sarah, and what a beautiful person she is. This is a little scattered, but I have to finish it before the end of the day :)

When you meet Sarah the first thing you notice is that she is a small woman with a big smile and large, expressive eyes. When you get to know her she says very little about herself at first. She gets to know you, and asks a lot of questions. She likes to tell you about the people she loves. She encourages the heart and brightens the room. Sometimes women are intimidated by her, I think because of her confidence and her easy way with people. But even her "enemies" quickly become friends.

When I first spent time in a personal setting with Sarah, I had been invited to have dinner with her and two other girls. Being a single young man, this was a no-brainer. Although I didn't really know her, she immediately began to outshine everyone at the table. She had happy eyes and a quick smile. She was wearing a beret - she has her own unique style. She actually asked me questions - almost every other girl I had met so far was either completely self-absorbed or just couldn't care less what I thought about anything. By this point I had become something of an outsider in our social circles, and she pulled me right back in beside her. And the amazing thing is that I truly don't believe she was intent on gaining my attention. She is inclusive, loving, and not afraid to be kind.

I love her intelligence, and her positive outlook. I love that she's not afraid to ask questions. I love her that her art projects typically look like a child made it. I love that she laughs about it.

Sarah has a transparent soul. She does not have a bad habit I can think of, aside from maybe blowing her nose in the shower (hehe). She doesn't lie. She doesn't abuse the privileges life brings her way, and she thanks God for her blessings. She shares everything she has, and finds ways to fill the needs of the people she loves. When Sarah displays greed, it's not that she has to have the newest and greatest - it's that she doesn't want to share her chocolate. Pretty much every "bad" moment Sarah has is along these lines - refreshing in their innocence and purity. Inspiring, really.

Sarah is an amazing mommy. She always considers how her actions will affect her girls. She is willing to sacrifice anything to help support her girls. She wants, above all, to instill a love for God into their hearts. She teaches, disciplines, hugs and plays with them. She shows our girls how to love, and I am so grateful for that. Our girls look just like her, and this is a very good thing.

She is more than I could have imagined as a wife. She loves God before me, and loves me because of God. I try to make the right decisions and do the rights things, but I often fail - and she always expresses her appreciation for me. I sometimes believe that I am going slightly insane, but she tells me I am not crazy. She supports me in my weakness. She admires me even when I do not feel admirable. She has faith in me, and in my relationship with God, even when my own faith is weak. She is not too proud to let me help her. She overlooks oddities and bad habits. She never complains about me behind my back. Sarah is also physically beautiful and has a healthy "body image" - she's neither self-critical or prideful. She is delicate and has a soft face that I love to touch. Her youthful spirit softens my jaded soul.

Thank God for Sarah - and I am just one of many who can say the same.

I love you Sarah!