College-roommate Katie posted this marriage survey. Husbanks and I know two cool couples getting married Saturday, so this survey is in honor of them.

Guys – in six years you will achieve the intense marital zen you are about to witness …

Survey!

1.What are your middle names? Ryan and Louise.

2. How long have you been together? First date was in 2001. I wanted that to happen much more quickly but who is still bitter about that?

3. How long did you know each other before you started dating? For the longest year of my life.

4. Who asked who out? Ryan asked me to go see Janet Reno speak. He thought that would be a funny first date for two good friends.

5. How old are each of you? All hail the King and Queen of the Twenties!

6. Did you go to the same school? I don’t know how the two of us met at a southern Baptist university in Texas, but we did.

7. Are you from the same home town? No.

8. Who is the smartest? Yes.

9. Who majored in what? Husbanks: Entrepreneurship and HR, Hil: Religion and Journalism/PR

10. Who is the most sensitive? I need to cuddle.

11. Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple? Austria … does that count?

12. Who has the worst temper? Me again.

13. How many children do you want? Stop asking me this, it makes me sweaty.

14. Who does the cooking? Me.

15. Who is more social? Hus … ”two drinks or more” … banks

16. Who is the neat freak? Husbanks.

17. Who is the most stubborn? If you even think it’s you, Husbanks, I will hunt you down.

18. Who wakes up earlier? Hollis.

19. Where was your first date? The Black-Eyed Pea. Second date? Ben Folds with Matt Emmons. Third date? Texas State Fair with Katie then Haunted House with Stacie. We can’t be alone, I guess.

20. Who has the bigger family? Me.

21. Do you get flowers often? No. I get things like car titles. And respect.

22. How do you spend the holidays? We split them. And I handle it really maturely.

23. Who is more jealous? I got jealous.

24. How long did it take to get serious? Who wrote this question? A 16-year-old? We were good friends for a year (see #3) so I think we were sewius the minute he dumped whatever her name is.

25. Who eats more? Me.

26. What do you do for a living? I do PR and he does Schwork.

27. Who’s better with the computer? Excel? Husbanks. Blogging or COMMENTING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOUR WIFE HAS A HOBBY? Me.

28. Who drives when you are together? Ha. Husbanks. I am not a good driver.

29. What is your song? “Oh Yoko” by John Lennon.

This weekend, I was able to participate in an activity that combined my two dearest loves: spirituality and domestic animals. On All Saints’ Day, our Associate Pastor performed a Pet Blessing for the pets of Saint John’s United Methodist. It is a Methodist tradition to hold pet blessings to honor all of God’s creatures. In the lovely Austin autumn weather, our pet processional ended with a blessing and a good word for our four-legged friends.

Hollis and Martin are not acting any differently post-blessing … but I am sure their little souls are more peaceful. Bailey was immediately relaxed after his prayer time.

Emilie and Deirdre at Bailey’s Pet Blessing
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Hil and Emilie at Hollis and Martin (in the blue box)’s pet blessing
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 Check out the kids who came to work all dressed up!

Power Rangers!
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Ryan is a monkey!
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Charlie and Wes dressed as … each other? Dead on, kids!
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And … here is my costume. Husbanks is hilarious.
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Why people love it:

1. The catchy bass line. Music marketers know the formula and they know how to make us love a song.

2. Every girl feels insecure and “not dressed up enough” in a new place. This song plays on our insecurities. Music marketers know the formula and they know how to make us love a song.

3. Straight from Toby Keith’s playbook, Miley plays on our patriotic heart-strings by mentioning the U.S.A! God Bless America, y’all! Music marketers know the formula and they know how to make us love a song.

4. Easy dance moves. Even a monkey can put its hands up while nodding its head and hips like “yea.” Music marketers know the formula and they know how to make us love a monkey loving a song.

Why it sucks:

The song doesn’t rhyme. I did some analysis:

14% of the song implements slant rhyme.
27% of the song implements NO rhyme (they didn’t even try).
41% of the time she rhymes a word with the SAME WORD.
18% of the time she does the listener the courtesy of providing appropriate, legitimate rhyme.

*sigh*

Look! Iz sittin on ur flor. Eatin ur florals.

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Saturday night, Ryan and I participated in a Byzantine Catholic baptism for my cousin’s newborn. Everything in the little chapel was chanted and incensed and kissed and repeated. It was quite a spiritual experience.

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Sunday morning, only a few miles away but a world apart, I gave my first sermon at my United Methodist church. There, our service was more freeform. We sang hymns (and a show tune). 

Although the Byzantine Catholic and United Methodist services were very different, my spiritual life feels pretty well-rounded today. Rosaries and Taizé worship have figured something out. There is something to repetition. Marketing in our culture today wants you to continue to pay attention to NEW things, so you will want and buy new things. But there is something to repetition. 

Just when something starts to feel monotonous, it can switch in your brain to become meditation. Repetition can create a trance of peace. Though we didn’t repeat anything at the Methodist service on Sunday morning, we had two services, so I did the service twice. And that in itself was peaceful meditation.

Now read this post again. I am kidding. I am kidding. I am kidding. :)

In his Tuxedo PJs!

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The race went well!  Team Escondera kept up the Escondera spirit and completed the race without puking or losing hope.

For pics and a rundown of events, go to facebook.com/vivaescondera.

Remember when Colin was sewius? So is Karen’s son Luke …

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Thanks for sending, Ginny!