Our daughter, Elasti-girl, met Mr. Incredible 12 years ago, when she transferred to a new school after her first semester of college. She had received a full-tuition scholarship from our congressman to a huge state school less than an hour from our house. With excitement and anticipation oozing from every pore, Flyboy, her two BFFs and I took our minivan, loaded to the gills to launch her into her new adventure.
Our first dose of reality came as soon as we stepped off the elevator in the highrise. We were greeted by a huge pickle jar filled with condoms. Wow. Didn't see that one coming. Next was the realization that in this co-ed dorm, the rooms alternated girl room/guy room all the way around the circular floor, and worse yet, directly across the hall from Elasti-girl's room was the door to the men's restroom. Great.
Within the first week, her roommate was helping herself to Elasti-girl's boombox and her roommate's very large and imposing boyfriend had already stayed overnight. There was a lot we didn't know about that semester, and I'm just as happy it stay that way. It took until Thanksgiving for Elasti-girl to realize she had made a big mistake and when she was home for break we had a big heart-to-heart, and within a week after returning to school, she had decided to transfer.
Mr. Incredible was the first male she set her eyes on when arriving at her new campus in January. Her dad took her to school this time (I had to work), and when she recounted her first day to me later that evening, it included the help of an RA wearing a weird coat and an evening excursion with a group of students (Mr. I included) to see The Titanic.
It took about six months for them to begin officially "dating" and they were married a year after that. Mr. I won me over very early on. Between his penchant for talking on the phone (we chatted somewhat regularly back then, and never for less than 30 min. at a time), his eclectic love of music, his laid back demeanor (which beautifully complements Elasti-girl's overachieving perfectionism) and his love for Jesus, we could have not been happier with his entrance into her life.
The first time I met Mr. I, it was sibling weekend, and I had taken Bamm-Bamm to experience a few days at college. He obviously wasn't staying in the girl's dorm, and Mr. I graciously invited him to bunk with the guys. We were in the gym, where Elasti-girl was on the half-time dance team at a basketball game. She saw Mr. I come in the door wearing a stocking cap and knew he had done precisely what he had been talking about...he had shaved his head. She was mortified, but I absolutely loved the fact that he was comfortable enough in his own skin to do something so bold just before meeting his girlfriend's mother for the first time.
And the rest is history.
I love Mr. Incredible because he lives and loves with his whole being. He is a hard worker, but he knows how to have fun. He has a passion for youth that just won't quit, demonstrated by his ten years in youth ministry and recent move to England to serve as a missionary to youth. He is creative (they called him Martha Stewart in college) and he is an amazingly committed husband and father.
And we really, really love him.
Happy birthday, Mr. I - you truly are incredible.
I thought maybe being from the Schmidlkofer clan we might connect. I have done some family research and have quite a few photos of the Alabama Schmidlkofers. Alois was my Great-grandfather. His father was Mathias.
Hoping that you will contact, Mary
Posted by: Mary Schmidlkofer Wisdom | January 27, 2010 at 12:46 PM