Simon and I were opposites in many ways. I’ve read studies that show you often marry your opposite when you’re young and you marry someone more like-minded when you’re older.  Pretty accurate in our case. In fact, we spent all day at a seminar a few years back that was designed to help us understand our strengths and character traits.  Our test results proved what we already knew.  We were so different. But it worked. And in some cases, it helped.

For those who are psychology minded and care about the specifics, our Meyers Briggs really were opposite. I wasn’t kidding.  I’m an ENFJ and he’s an ISTP. If you’re too lazy to Google it, it basically means I am an extrovert, a planner,  intuitive, and make decisions based on feelings, although I’m borderline on that aspect.  I like having the facts, too.  Simon was an introvert, a concrete thinker, objective, and spontaneous.  For Keirsey Temperaments, I’m an idealist – enthusiastic, expressive, and a mentor. Simon was an artisan – adaptable, great at troubleshooting, and direct.

One of the most helpful tests we took at this seminar  to understand our talents as individuals and as a couple was StrengthsFinder 2.0.  This test helps narrow down your top five talents from 34 identified talents based on extensive Gallup polls. Shockingly, Simon and I had two out of five talents in common! Simon’s top five were Strategic, Activator, Connectedness, Responsibility and Ideation. Mine were Communication, Strategic, Woo, Activator, and Maximizer.

Here we are circa 2005 on our way to a 60’s themed fondue party:

And here we are in 2012 making faces at our third kid when she was just a few hours old:

Maybe we were more alike than I thought.