How I Met Your Mother
It’s been over a year since we met and almost a year since we started dating. I guess it’s about time I sit down and write my side of the story (the truth, or at least how I remember it) about us. Considering our story is constantly being written, I’m just going to focus on the day we met until our honeymoon. I’m also going to keep this PG rated because I’m not just writing this for you, but also for our future kids. One day they’ll be interested in how we met, so most of this story is written for them. So lets get started…
I woke up one sunny October morning (2010) feeling like I needed to take advantage of a beautiful Saturday before the weather turned. I contacted a friend and co-worker James Peterson because we both had the day off. We decided to head to the hills for a little fun. We wanted to go skeet shooting because James just bought a new 12 gage. I only had my brother Jeremy’s .410 shotgun, which was too small a bore. I decided to spoil myself and headed to Wally World for the cheapest 12 gage I could find. I snagged a Mossberg and a case of shells/clays. We both invited a few friends to make to an event out this excursion. I showed up with a girl who had never shot before, and James invited about 7 other people. This is where the woman of my life comes into the picture. I see this out-doorsy, cute girl out-shooting everybody (especially the men). I thought to myself, this girl is a hotty! One catch though, she had a boyfriend who was there shooting too. I thought to myself, why do all hot girls have these morons attached to them? I could tell she was eyeing me, so I kept my distance to be respectful to her goober boyfriend. The day ended too soon and I went home to my bachelor life wondering if I would ever get a chance with a girl like that.
From that October to February was a weird time in my life. I was considered somewhat of a player because for some reason women thought I was handsome (I was and still am…and humble). The only problem was that I was getting old and wanted to find someone to settle down with. I tried dating a few girls, but each one reminded me that the female gender is a very peculiar species unto their own. I made a new years resolution to myself that I would stop my partying ways and became a social outcast. I all but gave up on the idea that I was going to find my “soul mate”. I became cynical to the very thought of marriage. Ironically my friend James proposed to his long-time girlfriend, and I was the first in line to shoot his idea of love down. This funk I found myself in went on for a few months.
The entire time, this girl I met shooting who had a boyfriend kept stalking me! Not really stalking - the word just sounds fun! But she kept checking in on me through facebook to see what I was up to and eventually asked the girl I took shooting how I was doing. I thought she was just another crazy psycho girl who was being unfaithful to her boyfriend. One such encounter when she was checking up on me, she asked that girl if I was seeing anybody. Apparently she thought that we were together because she knew I took her shooting that October. My friend quickly expressed that we weren’t together and just friends. That day my friend reported back to me that the crazy girl was interested in me and not so crazy after all. She had dumped her goober boyfriend after we had gone shooting months ago. This sparked my interest because this hot girl who was stalking me had been available the whole time, and apparently was not a weirdo.
After that turn of events I decided to respond to one of her messages to me that she wanted to go shooting again. It was early in the week and we set the date for the following weekend. I was still skeptical about dating at that time, but for some weird reason was overly excited about this date. The week went on and I was busy with work and school. Thursday rolled around and I get a message from her to give her a call about that weekend. I get off work at 10:00 p.m. to go home and start my homework that was due 12:00 a.m. that night. I was so focused on my homework but wanted to call her so I decided to multi-task. I was a bit nervous but gave her a call while I was writing a paper. It was like instant fireworks!
We started talking and I could tell I wasn’t the only one nervous. We found out we had so much in common and we were so interested in one another. I quickly hopped online and began researching this cute girl. I tried to find pictures of her while she told me the stories behind them. She was so flirtatious and suggested for me to come over so we could keep talking. At that time it was a few minutes past 12:00 a.m. and I realized I didn’t have my paper turned in. I tried to explain my plight but she wouldn’t listen and insisted I stop by to talk face-to-face. I quickly finished my homework and decided to take a chance even though we both had work in the morning. I drove to Nampa following her instructions and arrived built up with anticipation to see her again. :)
I walked into her house to find her lying on her couch wrapped from eyes to toes watching TV. Was this the same flirtatious girl that insisted to me to come over? She was so nervous and I could tell she didn’t know what to do now that I was there. Her cute dog, Teddi, was warmer than she was. She finally relaxed a bit. It was as if we had been friends for a long time. We decided we couldn’t wait till our shooting date on Saturday and setup a new date that night (
We both went to work and I was on cloud nine! I was so excited to finish the day that I left early because I was “sick”. I remember driving back to her house like I had never left. When she opened the door I saw the most beautiful women ever. Not a girl, but a sophisticated, independent woman. I knew at that point that I had met my match and she wasn’t just another girl. We decided together to eat at The Olive Garden. The entire time she was still nervous and it was so cute. In fact, she forgot her leftovers on the table as we were walking out and is probably still mad about it to this very day. From that moment on, we were inseparable. We never went shooting that weekend as planned, but instead just enjoyed each other’s company. I was more alive than ever and each day brought more than the next. I fell in love.
The next step in our relationship came sooner than later, the inevitable meeting of the family. I met her parents, and instantly her mother loved me even though I was exhausted and not good company that day. Her father introduced himself by saying to her, “This is the NEXT guy huh?” After I joined him in picking on her he realized I wasn’t so bad. A few days later she talked me into going to Utah to see her father give the priesthood to her brother-in-law. I could tell her whole family was hesitant about me. They were still friendly and welcomed me in. It wasn’t until our drive back to Boise that I found out the only reason I was invited on the trip was to see if her family approved of me. I received all thumbs up, of course.
It was also on that trip home that we had the big talk. The “M” word came up. It not only came up, but if I so chose to we would have eloped right there. She was so cute. I had to remind her that I was a gentleman and needed to ask her father first. That’s just what I did. By the way, there’s nothing more stressing to a young man than asking a woman’s father for her hand in marriage and his blessing. Yikes. Next, she needed to meet my family to see my side of crazy before we jumped in. She got to meet my mother while she visited Boise and I told my mother she was the one. My mother consented and it was on. Let the ring shopping and planning begin. Oh but wait, I haven’t even proposed yet.
My proposal (just for the record) was to take her on a motorcycle ride into the mountains and stop in the middle of a tall river bridge. Every time we drove over a bridge she would say, “hold your breath and make a wish”. My plan was to stop in the middle and let her know she didn’t have to hold her breath any more. Well, plans change, and sometimes unexpectedly. Her grandmother in Utah, who I had thankfully just met, passed away. This happened right before Easter weekend and we had already planned a trip to eastern Idaho so she could meet the rest of my family. The funeral was the day after Easter Sunday, but she still wanted to go out of her way to meet them. We drove to Rexburg and spent the weekend with my family so she could see what she was getting herself into. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take any more time off work so couldn’t join her for the funeral. It was hard because up to that point we hadn’t spent a day apart. I decided then that I wasn’t going to let her go to Utah without a piece of me. ...
Before we left for Eastern Idaho, I made her the best Easter basket ever (if I must say so). Around all of the goodies was a fluffy soft Easter bunny holding a box. And inside the box was the most beautiful ring that she always wanted. But, the night before Easter, she was emotional with the loss of her grandmother and, because I couldn’t go to Utah with her. We thankfully patched things up before bed, but I could barely sleep that night thinking about Easter morning. When we woke, she went to get ready the day, but had a sullen face because that was the day I was dropping her off to meet her sister in Utah for the funeral. While she was in the shower, I grabbed her basket that was hidden in a garbage bag in the trunk of my car. She lit up with excitement and gave me the first smile of the day when she saw that Easter basket. Thinking it was just a goody basket, she was sad wishing she had made one for me. Then she found the real goody. I got down on my knees and waited for her to open it. She cried and said YES!
We kept the engagement quiet because we wanted to have a very low-key wedding. In fact, we decided to elope, then would tell the world. It sounded so romantic to her until I made all the reservations without giving her the exact date. That’s when I found out a very important quality to her, she absolutely hates surprises. My life was miserable between that Easter and the big day. Okay, maybe not miserable, but it was a fun struggle keeping that secret from her. Everyday she had a new excuse for why she needed to know the date; "I have to get my hair done, I have to get my nails done, I have to find a photographer, I have to shave, etc." What a cute separation from the woman who said she preferred to be spontaneous. I finally gave in and I’m glad I did, because we decided that wasn’t the best day after all. (Great, now I have to change all of my reservations.) I found a better day, called her boss to get her the time off work and it was set in stone. I let her know the new day, and you know what’s funny, all of those excuses used to get the date out of me were never done. No hair, nails, photographer, but she did get something done (censored to keep our PG rating). Then came the big day.
We woke up early May 6, 2011 (get it…5+6=11), went down to the Ada county courthouse, got our marriage license, went upstairs to the judges chambers, and there we were. We were two people who barely started dating a few months ago, but were madly in love and knew we never wanted to spend a day apart. While waiting for the judge to enter the courtroom, I decided to liven the mood. I made her sit in the plaintiff’s chair so I could take a picture of her and then I made her take a picture of me sitting in the defendant’s chair. The judge came in (a sweet little old lady), we said our vows, gave our I do’s, had an amazing kiss, and we were officially married. She claims I cried but I say nay! Allergies. We got the heck out of there fast and went home to pack for our honeymoon.
We decided to stay at The Shore Lodge in McCall because it’s beautiful and a quiet little town away from the hustle and bustle. On our way up I called my mother and gave the best Mother’s Day present I could think of, a new daughter. I called my dad bearing the same gift, and he was ecstatic. We lost cell phone reception and I knew we had arrived. The honeymoon was incredible. We (censored to keep our PG rating) a lot, then we (censored to keep our PG rating) some more. I didn’t even know you could (censored to keep our PG rating), but it’s possible if you try. Then we (censored to keep our PG rating) outside a few times. We tried (censored to keep our PG rating) in some awkward positions. And to be honest I don’t remember much after that. We kept (censored to keep our PG rating) so much we had to reserve the room an extra night!
Wow, that’s a lot of (censored to keep our PG rating). Oh well, now that I’ve told that story about the random floozy I met shooting, I want to talk about how I met your mother. After all, that’s why you’re reading this right? Well, I was in an “adult shop” perusing the merchandise when she walked through the door… Just kidding babe… you’re the only floozie that’ll ever be in my life! I hope that whenever you read this you remember not just our story, but also all of the emotions of how you and me became WE.
