This is how our life together began...at least how I remember it
Our story began in October of 2000 when my best friend Kertsi called me while I was at work one Thursday night to tell me that I had a date for the next Tuesday. I, of course said “Absolutely not, no blind dates!” She went on to tell me that I already knew who he was and played volleyball with him every Friday at the Institute at Weber State University. Kertsi then talked me into the date saying that it was just playing racquetball and that she would owe me big time (she really wanted to go on a date with Shane). I asked her the guy’s name but she had forgotten. I finally agreed to go with the understanding that she was deeply indebted to me.
The next day at volleyball the guy (Rick) talked and flirted with me. I made sure that I was on his team and listened for his buddies to say “good job ____” but they never did. Then on Saturday, Kertsi ran into them at the WSU football game and still was unable to get his name.
During the next few days, Kertsi and I devised a plan to get a “real” date to come from the racquetball date. When we met them the next week we made a bet on the outcome of the games, best out of three, losers makes the winners cookies. Kertsi and I thought we were pretty good players but after losing the first two games (still listening for the guy’s name) we went to get a drink of water. I remarked to my date, “We said best of 5, right?”, He replied, “Sure…for dinner”. Kertsi and I winked at each other, they were playing right into our plan. Finally during the last game, Shane said, “Nice shot Rick”…Alas, we knew his name. I’m surprised that they didn’t notice us looking at each other, both thinking “Finally, his name”. So after a full week, a volleyball game, football game and racquetball match, we finally knew his name!!!
We set up a day to pay up on the dinner bet and over the new two weeks I ran into Rick in between classes and we played racquetball again. He also invited me to go skiing the day after we were to make them dinner.
The day of the dinner I was talking to a guy in my class and saying how excited I was that it was snowing so much that day because I was going skiing with a guy and his buddies the next day at Powder Mountain. He said he was headed there also with his brother and friends and maybe we’d see each other there.
Now, I wasn’t much of a cook, but we made them dinner and it must have been good enough to extend the date and they took us to watch the WSU hockey game.
The next day I was to meet Rick at the football game and then we’d head up to the resort, as I met them at the game I looked down the isle and saw the guy in my class from the day before. Sure enough, it was his brother (Jon), we weren’t just going to run into each other on the slopes, we were going with him.
Unfortunately, Powder Mountain did not open that weekend like we thought that they were, instead we went to Rick’s friends house to watch a boxing match and play games. We saw each other the next 4 days for different dates, skipped a few days to get through with finals and then were together pretty much every day since.
His brother Jon came home from the boxing match and was pretty upset. When his wife asked him what the matter was, he replied “Crap, Rick’s getting married” She laughed and said “They’ve only gone out once or twice.” Jon said, “I know, but dang it… he’s getting married” For a long time I thought that he didn’t like me but he just didn’t like that he wasn’t going to get to spend as much time with his best friend/brother anymore. Jon knew long before we did.
We were engaged the following May and married in August of 2001. We now have 2 boys, ages 2 ½ and 5 months old.
