
Ren and Ashley walking the beach at Deans’ Blue Hole during the Vertical Blue competition in 2012.
You know, I had a blog entry all written up for this week. It’s in my little black Moleskin book just waiting for me to type it up, add a picture and send it out to the world. I opened up the computer to transcribe the already written entry when I realized two things:
1.I want my entries to be relevant. This means Valentine’s Day related blogs when Valentine’s Day is upon us.
2.Ren is my Valentine and the whole world should know it.
My husband, Ren, spends a ton of time on Facebook. One reason is because he is a super social person and really enjoys the communication. The other reason is that it is his duty to keep up with our Evolve Freediving Facebook page. He spends hours taking pictures, filtering through them all, editing some, and posting others for your enjoyment. He spends a ton of time exalting me and my achievements. He selflessly posts post after post about “Ashley dove this” and “Ashley dove that”. We don’t get to see a ton of pictures of him because he is always behind the camera.

Ren asked Ashley to marry him in 2010 at 45′ during PFI’s Deja Blue competition in the Cayman Islands.

Ren and Ashley on the beach after Ren’s surprise baptism at Dean’s Blue Hole.
I want the world to know that Ren is the most selfless husband anyone could have. Sure, he has his moments, so do I. But when it comes to 100% unadulterated pride, he has it…for me. You all should know that Ren has innumerable talents and is one of the most sensitive people I have ever met. He cries easily about the smallest things and his feeling get hurt easily. You may not have known this about him unless you are a close friend. It is one of the most beautiful things about him.
Ren, I love you. I want you to know this. I want you never to forget-through all of your efforts to uplift me, Evolve Freediving, and everyone else you spend time taking pictures of, teaching in one of our courses, or taking the time after a ten hour day (two of which are spent doubling up on the Ruckus traveling 50 miles) to talk to other cruisers for forty minutes at at time, patiently answering all of their questions…happily answering them-that you are special. That you touch lives and leave impressions worth making. I am happy to call you MY Valentine and I’m happy to share these sentiments with the world.