When asked where I learned so much about different rocks, I often answer that what I have learned came from contamination.  Robert and I met when we were in college.  We were both in the hard sciences.  Robert was studying Geological Engineering and I was studying biology.  

A few days a week we would spend time together while I sat in on one of Robert’s geology courses.  Dr. Brown was the instructor and he was one of the best teachers that I met during my college years.  He made each class a challenge and didn’t let me slide by even though I was there just for the experience.

The first gift that I received after we were married was a calcite desert rose that we found in a shop in Park City, Utah.  We were just window shopping and Robert found a bind of roses.  It was pretty enough and would be a rose that would never fade.

Robert would continue to bring home rocks from his various geology adventures.  He always had his eye out for an interesting rock as his work took him traveling for the first part of our marriage.  However, there were no additional rock roses coming my way.

One day while surfing the internet, I found a barite rose from Oklahoma.  Now was my chance to return the favor and gift Robert with a rose.  Not only did he add it to our rock collection, but a few years later I was gifted with a selenite rose.

Through the years we have added to this collection of stone roses.  Each one is a special gift given to remind us of the life that we have shared.