Family Friday: Featuring My Husband Michael

I've posted about my handsome sons, my handsome brothers, my handsome nephews, and my handsome dad...this week I'm posting about "Handsome" (that is what I call him). Mike was born in Ogden nearly 52 years ago. His mother chose his name....Michael Paul. Michael is my favorite male name; I love it. Just for fun I looked it up in the Bible dictionary where it says Who is like God. Paul was the name of Michael's paternal grandfather. Michael is the middle of three children; he has an older brother and a younger sister. When he was a boy his family moved every five years; they started out in Ogden, then moved to Willard, then to Salt Lake, and then came to West Bountiful where he met me. I remember Mike's dad once telling me that wherever they moved Mike always made friends, everyone likes Mike; this is something that I have observed in the nearly 34 years that I've known him.

When I was a Junior in high school I had a recently returned missionary as my seminary teacher, he kept a guitar in class and he played it for us every day. He was engaged to be married and I remember thinking that someday I'd like a husband who could play the guitar for me. A year later I met Mike. When we first started dating he would come over to my house and he would pick up my guitar and start playing it; he played the same song over and over.... "The House of the Rising Sun". I didn't think that he knew any other songs. Boy have times changed. I have watched Mike evolve as a musician over the past 33 years. He has an amazing talent, he's so good! For almost our entire married life Mike has performed with my Dad, most recently he was featured on Dad's new CD recorded last summer, playing the guitar and the banjo. In the 80's we were in a band together, and in 1997 he was in a band that opened one night for Toby Keith (yes...that's the real Toby Keith), and now he is in Endless Summer. He's always willing to share his talent with others whether it's performing or teaching. You may be surprised to know that Mike can't read music.

Michael loves our family and is "well pleased" with our children. As each of our three sons served missions he faithfully wrote letters to them each week. He and Andy play in the band together, Jeff and Jeremy play on a softball team with their Dad, Caitlin is his little princess. He loves our three daughters "in-law" and is grateful for each of them. He is a devoted "Grandpa Bear" to our 5 1/2 grandchildren. His heart has always been very tender when concerning our precious Ashleigh.

Three generations of Leger men: Michael with our three sons and three of our four grandsons

Michael with Caitlin at the Firehole River in Yellowstone

Michael has always been a hard worker. During his early teen years in Salt Lake he mowed lawns, when his family moved to WB he worked at a local produce farm, and then when he was sixteen he went to work for Safeway. The grocery business seemed to be his destiny, he started out as a bagger and now he works as an account manager for a well known food line. Mike works hard and has a good reputation, he is respected by those in his industry. He taught me long ago that you "never burn bridges" and I have seen by his example why you shouldn't, he has been called on more than one occasion by former employers asking him to come work for them again. His work ethic has greatly blessed our family.

Michael loves nature, he particularly loves wildlife and his favorite place to visit is Yellowstone National Park. He can drive along the winding two lane roads of Yellowstone and at the same time point out an animal on the top of a mountain or a bird in the sky, often times naming a species that I've never even heard of. I truly think his "eye" is a gift, it's as if he sees something before it even appears.


Mike always accepts callings and assignments, and he always magnifies whatever he is asked to do. While Mike was serving in the 10th ward Bishopric, occasionally I would see one of David's children walk to the front of the chapel after sacrament meeting to pay their tithing. I was the silent observer on my front row bench as I watched my nieces or my nephew waiting for their turn to give their tithing to Uncle Mike; he always had a big smile and a hug as he accepted their tithing envelope. That scene always warmed my heart. On the Sunday before Mike was released and we moved from the ward, I saw Chelsea, Derek, and Emily all go up to Uncle Mike at once to give him their tithing. He enveloped all three of them in his arms in a group hug, it was a scene so tender to me that I couldn't keep the tears from coming as I watched.

Mike is not a blogger. He reads my blog and loves Family Friday, but by his own admission he does not leave comments. Often times I read my posts to him before posting and usually on Family Friday posts I'll ask him, "tell me about so and so" or "what do you like about so and so" and he immediately has something good to say about everyone. He even shows my blog to people at work, and most recently when a co-worker told Mike that they were going to see Scrooge at Hale Centre Theatre Mike quickly told them not to go see it there but to go to RMT and see his brother-in-law. He then pulled up David's Family Friday post and showed his co-worker the picture of David in his costume.

Things you may or may not know about Michael: He was co-captain of his high school soccer team. He is a certified scuba diver. He is an Eagle Scout. Mike bought his first car for $1.00 from a neighbor, when he sold it the neighbor bought it back for $1.00. He has owned two horses. He owned his own grocery store. Twenty years ago at a ward campout Mike saved the life of our BFF's daughter, she named her firstborn son after Michael which he considered a great honor. Several years ago Michael acquired the nickname "Bear" or "The Bear", it started with Jeff and one of his friends and it seemed to stick. Although he enjoys being a performer, generally he does not like to be the center of attention. He makes me laugh; hard. He's a good son and brother. He cares about others. He honors the Priesthood. He has a firm testimony. He loves the Lord. When in his twenties he averaged three homeruns a game in church softball. Although he loves Yellowstone, it always brings him great pleasure to take me to t'ocean. He is very organized and tidy, if you don't put it back exactly as he had it... he will notice. He always smells good. He's really good at gift giving. He's a Mountain Man. He's just a good person.

Michael's family: Jeremy, Mason, Emily,Michael, Lesley, Zachary,Caitlin, Adam, Kristin, Andy, William, Melissa, Avery, and Jeffrey

Michael is the greatest blessing in my life and he is my best friend forever. We've gone through a lot together.... you could say we've "grown-up" together. He takes care of me and just wants to make me happy. I'm so grateful that he is in our family and I know that the rest of you are too. We all love him! Love you Handsome.

That's my Mikee