13 February 2018

On this Valentine's Day...

I want to share a post about love.  Love between a husband and wife.  Love between two best friends.  And love that created an adorable curly haired baby who was born on Valentine's Day and became my best friend!

I was honored to be Hinerman's Maid of Honor for her wedding in fall of 2016.  I wrote this speech to honor the amazing human she is.  On this day of her birth, and traditionally a day to celebrate love, I want to share it with you.

2001-ish walking back from gym class in high school
Thank you to everyone who had a part in this day: the bridal party, the parents, the Oglebay staff, the family, and the friends.

We're all here because we love these crazy kids.  Katherine Fluty Hinerman Klug is a friend to many, a wife to one, and a roommate to a select few.  

If you have ever lived with Hinerman, please stand up.

(Carri, Steph, Christina, Wizba, Hinerman's parents, Hinerman's brother, and myself all stand).
2003-ish enjoying a virgin daiquiri at Oglebay 

If you enjoyed it and would voluntarily do it again, please stay standing.

(EVERY ONE SITS.)

Well this is awkward.  Good luck, Jon.

See the thing is, when we were roommates Hinerman tried to kill me...TWICE.

We call it the "String Cheese Incident" of 2008.  You see I moved out in July, and then months later in October when I visited I ate one of Hinerman's string cheeses.  I was then corrected, "you mean you ate one of YOUR string cheeses."  They had expired in June.

2006 WVU-Marshall Football Game
Then there's the "Bazooka Joe Incident."  Ferg bore witness to this one.  Hinerman has the God-given ability to make any house a home.  In college she did this with a 6-foot tall inflatable cactus with sunglasses, blue ornaments, and beads named Sanchez.  May he rest in peace.  When we roomed together she did this with seasonal pillows and decorations like pillar candles and live pine on the mantel for Christmas.  Upon giving a tour of our beautifully decorated apartment to Ferg, the pine caught on fire, and the mantel went up in flames!  I saved the day by blowing it out while Ferg and Hinerman ran for pots of water.  Thus earning my nickname of Bazooka Joe.  I like this story, because I get to be the hero in it.

But when she's not creating fires, she would literally walk through them for us.

She's simply the best.

She's generous with her time and love and makes you feel like a snowflake.  She gets that from her Momma, Wendall.

She has an undying quiet, "always be there at your best" and more importantly, at your worst, no matter what you've done, that she gets from her papa, Scoot.
2014 Hinerman's brother's wedding

She also has a biting wit that can burn you as badly as it makes you laugh that she shares with her brother, Wilma.

She has a pride in the people and places that have made her the incredible human being she is today.  She wants the best for every single one of us in this room.  She'll work tirelessly to get that for us.  By being on committees, and thinking of ideas on a Sunday night, and volunteering her time.  She gets that from her Grandmother Fluty.

Jon, I know that you know all of this already.  I know you love her fiercely.  Anyone who has the patience to teach her the difference between Mozart and Mount Olivet at the age of 31 when she's spent no less than 31 years living in Wheeling, deserves a medal.

I'm so glad she found you.  Flashback to 2008 when we had both ingested a bottle of wine, and we're watching Grey's Anatomy.  We were yelling at the screen, "Why can't I find my McDreamy?!"  I lamented that 99% of people can make a loving committed relationship work, and here we are .5 and .5% sitting on the couch alone.  We're the statistical margin of error.

2016 Hinerman's wedding!
But now she has you.  And you have her.  And it's perfect.  You've both found the great love of your life.  And it's beautiful to witness.

Oh how jealous our high school selves would've been to know that Hinerman would end up with a cute upper class-man from Linsly!

I know you'll have great adventures together, and I can't wait to hear all about them.

I pray for you both love, laughter, and a happy ever after.  And I know you'll have it, because you have all that you need.  Because all you need is love.

To the bride and groom!