Sometimes when I analyze the way my brain works—I think of a frog.

Have you ever really watched a frog before?  If you haven’t, come sit on my back porch and drink sweet tea and watch the show.  Frogs are everywhere in the summertime—hopping here and hopping there.

Never staying in one place for too long.

I can identify.

There are just so many things I want to do.

There’s so much life to live.

I focus on this for a second and then something else catches my eye and I’m off and hopping again.

To explain it all a little better, here’s a little love story about my frog self and the prince who loves me.

I spent last weekend looking for our wedding pictures.

I looked everywhere.

In the closets and under beds and in the window seat and upstairs and somewhere in the midst of searching through the 45th box full of absolute nonsense in our attic—my husband wandered in.

I stood up with my hands full of pine cones and a piece of train track and looked expectantly at him.

He quietly surveyed the complete and utter destruction that was currently our attic and asked calmly, “Are you looking for something?”

I sighed.

“Have you seen the wedding pictures?” I asked him.  “And did you know that we forgot to put out the wire tree at Christmas and when we were in high school did you keep your graduation gown?”

He paused—and before he could answer—-I quickly interrupted with, “Oh….and do you think we should replace the shutters on the front of the house?”

He stared at me for a moment

And then he grinned my favorite grin.

The one that starts in the middle and ends with a dimple.

I would walk a mile uphill backwards in the snow for that grin.

He laughed and said, “Do you know you’re just like a Venn diagram?”

A Venn diagram?

I didn’t say anything for just a moment—mostly because I wasn’t even sure what a Venn diagram was—and if being compared to a Venn diagram was something you should be happy about.

“You know,” he said laughing, “a Venn diagram.”

“You are circle after circle of activity.  Each circle inside of another, all connecting to each other.  All your circles are different.  They’re all full of different information.

But somehow—-you make it all make sense.”

And right there, in the middle of a dusty attic, holding an armful of pine cones and a piece of train track surrounded by 45 boxes of nonsense I realized that….

….being compared to a Venn diagram was the most romantic thing I had ever heard.

I dropped the pine cones.

And ran to him.

Well….actually….I trampled over some boxes and a lion costume and a fainting couch to leap into his arms.

“I love you.”  I said.  “You are amazing.  I think you’re a Venn diagram, too.”

He hugged me and laughed out loud.

“No I’m not,”  he said.

I’m a spreadsheet. ”  🙂

PS  I found the photos.

If you want to read about the first date I ever had with my spreadsheet….click here.

PPS  If you want to read about dear Abby and our wedding day….click here.

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Comments

  1. Image for Cecilia Cecilia

    Haha, I love this story. I can relate. I'm married to an engineer and you know his brain is very methodical. I'm like your little frogs, jumping from one thing to the next. "You need to finish one thing before you start the next" is something I hear often. No, sorry no can do. I need the stimulation of a new project to finish the old. Drives him crazy. Good thing he loves me. 😁 Totally adorable picture of y'all, btw. Hugs, Cecilia

  2. Image for Randi Randi

    A Venn Diagram is the perfect description! Love it! I tend to be all over the place too, but I generally end up at the finish line when I need to be there. LOL!

  3. Image for Carrie Carrie

    one of my personal motto's is "Dwelling in Possibilities" because that's where you'll find me along with "Scattering Joy"....my simple mind is easily amused and sometimes, I'm my own best target for humor! HA HA.....Our princes love us and that's what's best of all. I can see us sitting together and just frog jumping from topic to topic over a glass of iced coffee for me, and iced tea for you! Total Aside, I LOVE the hydrangea photos in this post!! LOVE.....put in a white or rustic frame, this screams SUMMER!!!

  4. Image for Ellen Ellen

    Another beautiful story to add to all the other beautiful stories! Love the wedding photo too! Just had to go back and revisit the other two stories. They are among your best, although the Christmas ornament story is close to the very top of favorites. Thank-you! P.S. I didn't know what a Venn diagram was either!

  5. Image for Lynn Mosher Lynn Mosher

    LOL Oh, what a great giggle! KariAnne, I would love to be a little mouse and sit in the corner of your house just to see the flurry of energy and spontaneity that you exert! You are truly Miss Sunshine! Love that wedding photo. So sweet! Oh, and I'm a spreadsheet. I think. However, it may have a few circles over on one side! ;) ❤

  6. Image for Linda Miller Linda Miller

    Thank you for the smile this morning. I can SO relate! My husband was a spreadsheet too, bless his heart, and he loved me anyway. I miss him giving me that "shake his head, roll his eyes, but I love you anyway" look. Hope you had a great 4th with your family.

  7. Image for Darla Monzon Darla Monzon

    This really resonated with me, since I'm also a Venn Diagram, and a Math Geek as well, lol! There's a book called "Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti" by Bill and Pam Farrell. It talks about this exact thing in detail, and how to communicate with such differences. It seriously saved my marriage! Very good read. But not nearly as cute as your stories!

    1. Image for kddomingue kddomingue

      I totally get the waffles and spaghetti thing although I've never read the book. My husband has spent 38 years valiantly trying to follow the slippery, twisting and looping tangle of my trains (there's never just one train) of thought. I've spent 38 years marveling at his neatly gridded mind with each thing in it's own little box. Together, we're quite the dynamic duo! I "see" the thing, he figures out how to "do" the thing, together we create the thing!

  8. Image for Teresa Gonzales Teresa Gonzales

    You are so adorable-love that look on your faces when you gaze at each other!! Perfection! Also love that your husband uses math principals to analyze!

  9. Image for Michelle Michelle

    This sweet, sweet story makes me want to be somebody's Venn Diagram again! Ben used to get a bit frustrated with my all-over-the-place-ed-ness, throw up his hands and say, "What am I going to do with you?" And I'd respond, "Keep me, I'm interesting!" He'd laugh and all that frustration would fade into love and acceptance. The way you two are looking at each other in that darling wedding picture. You two are precious!

  10. Image for Anne-Marie Anne-Marie

    You've changed since that wedding picture .... you're prettier ! I can understand the comparison with a frog, but "venn diagram" ...... I still don't get it ! I envy your happiness. Don't change .... either one of you !

  11. Image for Shirley Shirley

    KariAnne That's such a lovely story.❤️ I re read the mirror story. So glad you didn't leave it in the house. I saw a similar mirror left on a kerb a few weeks ago. It was so nice I could t believe someone had put it out- all it needed was repainting. It was too heavy to carry then as I was loaded down with shopping. When I went back later it was gone. Sigh...

  12. Image for Monica Monica

    OMG......I just love your blog, the personal stories, how you use just the right words, how you make me chuckle....laugh out loud.....and then bring tears to my eyes. Such a romantic "attic" story.......*sigh*......I could just picture you hopping over the boxes to reach your honey 😂 Of course I then HAD to go read your story of how you first met. You are a wonderful writer. I so look forward to more!!

  13. Image for Laura Laura

    You are so wonderful and you deserve every happiness. I read your blog and find your love of life and family so beautiful. You always see the sunny side of everything and never have a negative thing to say. I pray for you and your joy. The world is a much better place with you in it and your sweetly saved spirit is a lesson to us all to be better, happier, more forgiving, gracious, and kind, even if we don't feel like it. You are a blessing. :) Thank you.

  14. Image for Linda Linda

    I am another who can relate! I am a Venn diagram and my hubby of with the sparkling blue eyes and dimples is a spreadsheet for sure! But it works and we just celebrated 42 years of marriage. Would love to see more wedding pictures!

  15. Image for Jillynn Jillynn

    Karianne, Oh my goodness this is me... Venn diagram... And my spreadsheet husband!!! I laughed so hard reading the part about him calming asking if you are looking for something!!! This exact thing happened in my attic 4 days ago while I was looking for our baby carrier and had every box up there opened😂😂😂 Just love reading your stories!!!

  16. Image for Bonnie Bonnie

    KarieAnne, I'm not exactly sure why but almost every time, I read one of your stories (like today), I cry. You have such a gift of touching my emotions and I know I'm not the only one. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

  17. Image for stephanie stephanie

    Too funny as I am also married to spreadsheet yes that is how accountants work. But like to think we balance each other out. As I think with my heart not my head like he always does at times. When I am overwhelmed by all my projects mainly in my head bouncing to and fro, he helps us come up with a plan. I asked him just the other day in one word describe me. He said you are passionate about all you love like literacy, little ones, and yes just life. I said I can take that as a good thing right? As you know he has those twinkling eyes and yep smile that melts too and he said as only He can possibly but it does get us all in trouble at times!!! He is so so right! 😁

  18. Image for Pamela Pamela

    Wonderful story! Have you ever watched Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage with Mark Gunger? He talks about men's brains and women's brains; very similar to your sweet husband's Venn diagram but Mark Gunger is a pastor so he uses some very funny other descriptions (clearly he is not an engineer!). I know you would enjoy his great study on marriage. We used it last year for our church marriage retreat & it was a hit! We have also used it with young couples that we mentor through their engagement & marriage (our church asked us to do this 15 years ago; our 15th couple will marry July 29!). The video series is about $30; it will be the best $30 you spend this summer! Oh and I see you've had a longstanding love for that great lipstick! Blessings,blessings! Pamela

  19. Image for Julie Briones Julie Briones

    Almost... ALMOST tops "Marry me?... Marry me my wonderful, darling friend." ~Mr. Knightly You have the makings of your own epic, time-period movie! Sighhhhhh..... <3

  20. Image for Kris Kris

    Oh my goodness, you two are so stinkin' adorable. I usually try to forget mathematical terms as soon as I hear them, so I don't think I can use that to compare my husband's and my relationship. If we use literary terms, he is a science documentary and I am a good, old-fashioned historical novel. It would be boring if we were both the same. :)

  21. Image for Amanda Wallace Amanda Wallace

    I absolutely love reading about your love story---its what Hallmark movies are based on. By the way you look like a blond Judy Garland on your wedding day. Absolutely stunning.

  22. Image for Tracey Tracey

    I'm a Venn diagram married to a spreadsheet too. I always have multiple projects going on and many more I would love to do. My husband teaches college level mathematics. To say I did not do well in calculus is an understatement. My husband teaches it. But he has helped me over the years so I am thankful for the way his brain works.

  23. Image for Sue Sue

    Oh Karianne. You have just totally floored me with your wonderful story and so very beautifully written. This is so exactly like Beloved and I that it brought me to tears. Not just once when I first read it but again, when I read the whole thing out loud to my very own spreadsheet. (Who, I might add, simultaneously also shed a tear and almost spat out his tea at your Husband's response!) Thank you for entirely making my Sunday morning. With love from across the puddle. Sue and Beloved xx

  24. Image for Carrie Carrie

    That is one of the out adorable, funny, endearing and beautiful stories. Thank you for sharing it. "The Story of How the Venn Diagram and Spreadsheet Lived Happily Ever After"...a fairy tale come to life.

  25. Image for Mary Homan Mary Homan

    such a sweet story and wedding pic <3 And the flower pics are gorgeous!! unrelated to post... I am looking for an ottoman just like the one in photos.. where did you get it?

  26. Image for Janie Janie

    That is so true! There is a book written by a Christian couple, "Men are like waffles Women are like spaghetti". It explains why God created us this way and gives us practical ways to help us communicate. Those characteristics allow us to complete each other. There are just some things men can do and some things women can do. After I read the book I had the lightbulb moment......."that's why he does that, God wired him that way". I highly commend the book. It's a funny, enjoyable read. A great gift for newlyweds.

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