I came across a quote today as I was packing up my bedroom at my parents house, getting ready to join Steve in Ohio. As I read it, I couldn't help but think of what a great man I married just over a year ago...
"Aim high, but do not aim so high that you totally miss the target. What really matters is that he will love you, that he will respect you, that he will honor you, that he will be absolutely true to you, that he will give you the freedom of expression and let you fly in the development of your own talents. He is not going to be perfect, but if he is kind and thoughtful, if he knows how to work and earn a living, if he is honest and full of faith, the chances are you will not go wrong, that you will be immensely happy."
-President Gordon B. Hinckley
My favorite part of that quote is the part about finding someone who will "give you the freedom of expression and let you fly in the development of your own talents." Based on the evidence, I'm pretty sure Steve took that to heart without hesitation. And I'm so glad he did.
We have certainly had an amazing first year of marriage, but what's most important is that I've felt the result of all the things mentioned by Pres. Hinckley - immense happiness. That has truly been the basis of our friendship, courtship, and now, marriage.
I took charge of blogging about the European adventure, but Steve has promised to blog about the latest and greatest from Asia, which is where we celebrated the following: completing my graduate program / our first anniversary / Steve going back to school / quality time with the one and only Joseph Castleton / Steve and Joe's reunion with the kiddos at the Berhan Language Institute / seasonal typhoons in Taiwan (what is it with us and natural disasters? First the Icelandic volcano, and then a Taiwanese typhoon.)/ etc.
The pictures are a sneak peak of the trip in chronological order, which Steve will elaborate on in an upcoming post.
FIRST STOP:
TAIWAN (Taipei/Fengyuan/Lugang)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoKCTCFgZ-5rtbe2GokrA8pBZu52japnUs0W7dcCeoYpzyWQEovJIC5m7sZuzUq8H15023ko9fDuxvnhl1IY2Ql5vHAwhQ9JF8GG1iksf__hf7xkoCcoQs3VNSEo_iNET27aWWPV4EPA/s400/IMG_9598.JPG)
SECOND STOP:
CHINA (Guilin)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsqjk_EUQJFDRXDHtbZ07ZxVHypOcYfiU6Qd6Vqt6e8Fzt2inLf2W9ztiIosapH6tyaYkQz6WUISFkTMEn4SpZeJjuSaaOStjHDFyhFA6HtMmK-wsy-_1e7OkY49zvC7ZPwEP9i0praA/s400/IMG_0287.JPG)
Us on our anniversary:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiztehU_xG1-O_lmt2Q-kGFDhBKbZiyn9AecaGS89LVHbhqXtC_WeKfxaeEhvTewXAN6-6jaW_IUCIUxoL9YwCQnCoINCh15PI3fkIdC7rLewF1Gb1rk_2qvdOO0qWAF142xDUCy5DwA/s400/IMG_0310.JPG)
THIRD STOP:
HONG KONG
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_sAmkhdOZacq0NgOeNyHSPgruZQ1cNSb4lyBfzqc1NQxbQRZyhTaE4hm5zV73EYnV_F0X8HDSS4wvwrEFZNuhEKe4God8u8jgh-wdQPwTTxHA0DIx7Zq2CVSlwRrEtALscidYvd9ETQ/s400/IMG_0465.JPG)
Stay tuned..