An Anniversary Post

Inspired by a similar post by my sister Danielle, I am now going to take the time to share with everyone a little FYI about Heather and I and our marriage. I will use the same questions found in Danielle's post and do my best to answer them in a creative fashion, making everyone chuckle to themselves in a light-hearted fashion.

1. How did we meet? We met in 1982 in a play group for preschool aged children in our ward in Arvada. I saw her playing with finger paints and knew then she would be the one for me. No actually I vaguely remember that play group, I was older than all the other kids including Geoff. I don't remember Heather being there.

My more significant memory of Heather was in High School. She was in my brother's seminary class and she was a sophomore at Arvada West when I was a senior. I always had a thing for tall long haired brunettes, and she certainly had an admirer in me. However, I didn't give it much more thought than that. Her best friend Stacy Masek (now Eaton), was in an english class with me, and I can remember seeing her waiting for Stacy after class. She was a hotty, in fact so much that I figured she was out of my league and she was only a sophomore anyway.

I remember Heather's Dad the most during these years. Russ was serving in the Stake High Council over Seminary and I remember having chats with him on numerous occasions as well as him subsituting for my class on a number of occasions.

Nothing really materialized until after my mission. My first memory of Heather was the Sunday before Christmas in 1999. Dylan and I went to the singles ward for Sacrament Meeting. I remember seeing Heather sitting a few rows behind me and was surprised to see her there. I figured she would have been married or near married by then, considering her natural beauty, personality and that she was going to BYU in Provo.

Heather went back to school and returned in the summer only to notice me and how much I had changed since I returned from my mission. Apparently, she had this enormous crush on me the whole summer and was afraid to talk to me. I started talking to her and the rest as they say, is history.

2. What was your ice breaker? For me I was genuinely interested in her, but I would have to say it was a youth conference that Heather was in charge of and the singles ward was assisting in. I remember having a chat with her for several minutes outside the Alkire building after eyeing her for nearly 3 months.

3. First Date/What did we do? December 22, 2000. We went with a bunch of singles ward friends on a group date to Dave and Busters at the Westminster Promenade. Heather and I played phone tag for almost a week before I finally asked her out. I knew it was different because I found myself wanting to take her out again after that first day, and I felt indifferent about other girls I had been on a date with previously.

4. Who kissed who first? I can take credit for this one. It was 4 days after our first date on her parents' driveway. We were freezing cold and I had kissed her on the cheek the previous night. She knew it was coming as much as I knew I was going to do it.

5. Who asked who to marry? This was all Heather. I think we had been together not even a week and she knew we were going to be married. She kept dropping hints before finally she asked me one night before I left her house whether I had given it thought. I told her I needed some time, thinking she would go to school and I would evaluate my situation with her. Her thinking was before she left for school. She asked me the next night if I had thought about it, and we decided then to get married, January 3, 2001. It caught me off guard at first, but I knew I made the right decision.

6. What do I love about her most/physical feature. Without a doubt, I married up in this category. Heather has some amazing eyes. They always caught my attention. I always have liked tall girls too for obvious reasons, and Heather has some really nice legs. I love it when she wears high heels. She has beautiful soft skin and a gorgeous smile.

7. What do I love about her most/personality. I think she's a great listener and problem solver. She has a great sense of humor and has a goofy side to her that comes out once in a while. She's incredibly compassionate as a mother and friend. She's incredibly loyal to people and keeps friendships with people from her early childhood to this day. She is also a great leader in her church responsibilities and is very dependable.

8. Wedding Date and Where? August 3, 2001. Denver, Colorado Temple.

9. How many lovely babies do we have? We have two boys. Caleb is 3 and Bryce is 6 weeks old.

10. Do we love each other more/less than when we were first married? When I think of all the unpleasantness that is associated with me and my personality and that despite that she is still around, I think we love each other more. It's certainly different than 7 years ago. We aren't as hands on affectionate as we were then, but we understand each other and know what each other is thinking, which definitely comes with time. It's a shame that so many people don't stick it out after the white hot flames of the newness of marriage die down, because it's the time after that that really shows the depth of a quality relationship. She knows all my secrets, and still puts up with me. It's pretty amazing.