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So, my daughters have been writing about how they met their spouses, so I thought I'd write how I met Randy. Since it was almost 32 years ago, I think things have probably gotten a little foggy but I think I still remember the gyst of it.
Okay, so I was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on February 25, 1977. That event kind of set off a series of circumstances which made me want to move with my folks when they decided to move back to Idaho. I wanted to start out fresh in the church and, hopefully, make some new friends. The last year had been a little difficult what with joining a new church and trying to fit in, and also feeling slightly alienated from my old friends and my old life. So, when the chance came to move to Idaho and make a whole new life for myself, it sounded like a great idea!
So, the day I graduated from the U. of I. Lawyer's Assistant program (I mean, THE DAY) my mom and I left for Idaho. My dad and bro were already up there waiting for us. I think it took 2 days to get up here. The night I arrived, my folks took me on a tour of Coeur d'Alene. It was pretty awesome. I envisioned myself as Mary Tyler Moore where she's the single career woman, striding across the City Park and living in one of those cool big homes that were turned into apartments on Sherman Avenue. Only old people like me will truly understand that and know how weird I was! l0l
Anyway, I'm not one to wallow in loneliness and I was feeling a little lonely, but I knew what to do. I had been a member of the church long enough to know that I could find new friends by getting involved in the Young Single Adults program. So, I made a couple of calls and hooked up with Leslie Parsons, the young single adults rep, and she told me about a service project at the NIC Institute building that night. The NIC Institute building was just an old house right by NIC that they were converting into a branch for the young singles. It has since returned to being just an old house.
So, I decided to be courageous and headed out to the service project. I met some new people and felt my usual awkward and shy but I knew that I had to make the effort. Sometime during that evening I noticed a boy - he was wearing a red and white checked shirt, jeans and a tool belt. He didn't notice me at all. He was busy - they were in the process of moving the staircase and he was doing all of the nailing. I had NEVER seen anyone who could hammer in nails like him. He would hold the nail in one hand, and in a 3 step thing he would tap the nail into place and with two (and sometimes even one!) pounds of his hammer the nail was completely pounded in. I was so impressed!!! I have always been a sucker for someone with a tool belt.
Plus I liked his eyes, and I also liked his nose (which might make people laugh because it is rather prominent, but I have a small nose myself so it seemed kind of manly!). But, as I said, he didn't even notice me. By the end of the evening I knew his name and I think I even wrote about meeting him in my journal.
So, the next evening the young singles were playing baseball at McEuen Field and so I went there. I felt kind of out of place and a little depressed - it's so hard to meet people and feel comfortable, so when they asked if I was going to go to Pappy's Pizza afterward, I just went on home. I didn't realize then that Randy had noticed me and had even had a conversation with his friend, Bruce Hunter, about me. Bruce had made some gross boy comment about running into me when I was trying to catch a ball at home plate and tag him out. He just barreled me over and actually picked me up and ran with me so he wouldn't knock me down. So, anyway, Randy was a little bummed that I didn't go for pizza.
After that, I went to church at the little singles branch at NIC. It was like I was the new "fresh meat" so to speak. All of the boys wanted to talk to me and ask me out, which was probably why the girls weren't overly friendly! One of the boys that was talking to me was John Anderson, who had recently returned from his mission to San Diego and actually had been missionary companions with Elder Anderson, who had baptized me. So, we had that in common and he was not shy and was easy to talk to. But, I still had this crush-thing going on with Randy. Unfortunately, though, we were both extremely shy. So, we'd kind of just glance at each other. John had asked me to the Gold & Green Ball at church, which was coming up in a couple of weeks, and I had accepted. In the meantime, the next Wednesday I believe, at an evening Institute Class, Randy finally got up enough nerve to come over and start talking to me. It was pathetic! We were both so shy but we really had this "thing" for each other so we forced ourselves to keep talking. Every time the young singles would do something, like hang at McDonalds or something like that, we'd flirt with each other. Then one evening, outside of McDonalds, Randy asked me to go to dinner with him - the young adults were going to be singing at the Adult meeting of Stake Conference, and after that we were going to go out to dinner.
One time I remember that Randy took me on a tour of Coeur d'Alene and we drove out to his dad's house so he could show me his dad's horse, Cappy. I thought it was super cool how he could whistle for Cappy through his teeth (isn't it weird the stuff you find really attractive?), and then we drove out to Kelso Lake (which is about 12 miles or more north of Coeur d'Alene). While we were driving along the dirt roads in the dark I started to get just a little creeped out, thinking hmm, I really don't know this boy very well - maybe he's driving me out in the boonies to kill me or something! l0l
Okay, so the Gold & GreenBall came up and of course I was already committed to go with John Anderson (who was also a really nice, really great guy). I felt really torn and I found out later that the night that John and I went out Randy was really upset and actually went to the Cotton Club (which was a bar in Hayden at the time) and drowned his sorrows in Cokes all night!! (you thought I was going to say Rum & Cokes, didn't you? - but no, it was just Cokes!).
So, I forgot to mention that I had met Randy's family and they all knew that Randy really really liked me. So at the Gold & Green Ball, who happened to be there but Randy's ENTIRE family. They watched me the entire time - it was so uncomfortable!!! I had a great time with Jon but the minute I got home I called Randy (I think I was a gonner then!).
So, then Randy and I went on our first date. His step mom, Judy, worked at The Cedars and Randy arranged for a window seat. He showed up at the house with 6 long stemmed red roses. They were beautiful but I felt just a little, um, weirded out. I thought, wow, this guy really likes me and I didn't know if I was ready for that yet. I was having too much fun being the "fresh meat"! But, the dinner was great and afterward Randy drove me up on Canfield to the top so that I could see Coeur d'Alene Lake.
So, anyway, I was in a dilemma. Both Randy and John wanted me to be exclusive only to them. I was so torn. They were both really great guys and I new that any decision I made at this point in my life would probably be an "eternal" decision because I would probably end up marrying the one that I chose. So, it was a very difficult few days and I remember crying one day and talking to my mom about it, and she said something about how John was cool and had a flashy car and was a great dresser, etc. and a really great guy, but Randy was more like me. And she was right!
So, I finally decided that I would be with Randy, and I wrote a letter to John explaining my decision. That evening at the Institute class he slipped me a note that just said simply, I got your letter. I understand. Friends forever." Or something like that - I think I still have it in my journal. Anyway, the finality of my decision weighed upon me and I spent that evening crying in Randy's truck and of course that probably didn't make him feel that great! :-D
But after that, we were together all the time. We did lots of fun things - we loved to drive around in his pickup singing songs. I was new to Idaho so everything was fresh and fun. I loved it when he'd sing "Heard it in a Love Song" - it was the ONLY song he could sing in tune!!! It was kind of our unofficial song. We also spent a lot of time on Tubbs Hill and in the little private beaches there, and also a lot of time with his family, and a lot of time just hanging at Randy's apartment, which was a nasty little place in the attic of a house on Sherman.
After about 2 months we started to talk about marriage, and Randy asked me to pick out a wedding set. He was so embarassed when he found out that the set I chose only cost $115.00 for BOTH RINGS! He thought it made him look cheap or something! l0l
So, the evening that Randy was going to talk to my dad and ask for my hand in marriage, he wanted to officially propose to me on Tubbs Hill at sunset. But I was thinking that the reason we kept hanging around on Tubbs Hill was because he was too chicken to talk to my dad so I kept riding him about going over there. So, the romantic proposal on Tubbs Hill didn't happen (bad me!) and instead we went over to my folks and he asked my dad for permission to marry me. Later on he proposed officially standing by his truck in the street. I've kicked myself ever since for that! :-D
So, three months after than, on October 14, 1978, we were married in the Cardston, Alberta Temple. My folks were not able to attend, of course, so it was just Randy and I, his dad and his step-mom, Judy. It was a wonderful experience, but also sad at the same time because there was no one from my family there. I don't regret it, but it was very hard and I am so grateful for my parents for supporting me - I know how hard it was for them.
So, that's the story of the Big Randy and me. 31 years and 4 kids later, it still doesn't feel like it was that long ago!
Okay, so I was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on February 25, 1977. That event kind of set off a series of circumstances which made me want to move with my folks when they decided to move back to Idaho. I wanted to start out fresh in the church and, hopefully, make some new friends. The last year had been a little difficult what with joining a new church and trying to fit in, and also feeling slightly alienated from my old friends and my old life. So, when the chance came to move to Idaho and make a whole new life for myself, it sounded like a great idea!
So, the day I graduated from the U. of I. Lawyer's Assistant program (I mean, THE DAY) my mom and I left for Idaho. My dad and bro were already up there waiting for us. I think it took 2 days to get up here. The night I arrived, my folks took me on a tour of Coeur d'Alene. It was pretty awesome. I envisioned myself as Mary Tyler Moore where she's the single career woman, striding across the City Park and living in one of those cool big homes that were turned into apartments on Sherman Avenue. Only old people like me will truly understand that and know how weird I was! l0l
Anyway, I'm not one to wallow in loneliness and I was feeling a little lonely, but I knew what to do. I had been a member of the church long enough to know that I could find new friends by getting involved in the Young Single Adults program. So, I made a couple of calls and hooked up with Leslie Parsons, the young single adults rep, and she told me about a service project at the NIC Institute building that night. The NIC Institute building was just an old house right by NIC that they were converting into a branch for the young singles. It has since returned to being just an old house.
So, I decided to be courageous and headed out to the service project. I met some new people and felt my usual awkward and shy but I knew that I had to make the effort. Sometime during that evening I noticed a boy - he was wearing a red and white checked shirt, jeans and a tool belt. He didn't notice me at all. He was busy - they were in the process of moving the staircase and he was doing all of the nailing. I had NEVER seen anyone who could hammer in nails like him. He would hold the nail in one hand, and in a 3 step thing he would tap the nail into place and with two (and sometimes even one!) pounds of his hammer the nail was completely pounded in. I was so impressed!!! I have always been a sucker for someone with a tool belt.
Plus I liked his eyes, and I also liked his nose (which might make people laugh because it is rather prominent, but I have a small nose myself so it seemed kind of manly!). But, as I said, he didn't even notice me. By the end of the evening I knew his name and I think I even wrote about meeting him in my journal.
So, the next evening the young singles were playing baseball at McEuen Field and so I went there. I felt kind of out of place and a little depressed - it's so hard to meet people and feel comfortable, so when they asked if I was going to go to Pappy's Pizza afterward, I just went on home. I didn't realize then that Randy had noticed me and had even had a conversation with his friend, Bruce Hunter, about me. Bruce had made some gross boy comment about running into me when I was trying to catch a ball at home plate and tag him out. He just barreled me over and actually picked me up and ran with me so he wouldn't knock me down. So, anyway, Randy was a little bummed that I didn't go for pizza.
After that, I went to church at the little singles branch at NIC. It was like I was the new "fresh meat" so to speak. All of the boys wanted to talk to me and ask me out, which was probably why the girls weren't overly friendly! One of the boys that was talking to me was John Anderson, who had recently returned from his mission to San Diego and actually had been missionary companions with Elder Anderson, who had baptized me. So, we had that in common and he was not shy and was easy to talk to. But, I still had this crush-thing going on with Randy. Unfortunately, though, we were both extremely shy. So, we'd kind of just glance at each other. John had asked me to the Gold & Green Ball at church, which was coming up in a couple of weeks, and I had accepted. In the meantime, the next Wednesday I believe, at an evening Institute Class, Randy finally got up enough nerve to come over and start talking to me. It was pathetic! We were both so shy but we really had this "thing" for each other so we forced ourselves to keep talking. Every time the young singles would do something, like hang at McDonalds or something like that, we'd flirt with each other. Then one evening, outside of McDonalds, Randy asked me to go to dinner with him - the young adults were going to be singing at the Adult meeting of Stake Conference, and after that we were going to go out to dinner.
One time I remember that Randy took me on a tour of Coeur d'Alene and we drove out to his dad's house so he could show me his dad's horse, Cappy. I thought it was super cool how he could whistle for Cappy through his teeth (isn't it weird the stuff you find really attractive?), and then we drove out to Kelso Lake (which is about 12 miles or more north of Coeur d'Alene). While we were driving along the dirt roads in the dark I started to get just a little creeped out, thinking hmm, I really don't know this boy very well - maybe he's driving me out in the boonies to kill me or something! l0l
Okay, so the Gold & GreenBall came up and of course I was already committed to go with John Anderson (who was also a really nice, really great guy). I felt really torn and I found out later that the night that John and I went out Randy was really upset and actually went to the Cotton Club (which was a bar in Hayden at the time) and drowned his sorrows in Cokes all night!! (you thought I was going to say Rum & Cokes, didn't you? - but no, it was just Cokes!).
So, I forgot to mention that I had met Randy's family and they all knew that Randy really really liked me. So at the Gold & Green Ball, who happened to be there but Randy's ENTIRE family. They watched me the entire time - it was so uncomfortable!!! I had a great time with Jon but the minute I got home I called Randy (I think I was a gonner then!).
So, then Randy and I went on our first date. His step mom, Judy, worked at The Cedars and Randy arranged for a window seat. He showed up at the house with 6 long stemmed red roses. They were beautiful but I felt just a little, um, weirded out. I thought, wow, this guy really likes me and I didn't know if I was ready for that yet. I was having too much fun being the "fresh meat"! But, the dinner was great and afterward Randy drove me up on Canfield to the top so that I could see Coeur d'Alene Lake.
So, anyway, I was in a dilemma. Both Randy and John wanted me to be exclusive only to them. I was so torn. They were both really great guys and I new that any decision I made at this point in my life would probably be an "eternal" decision because I would probably end up marrying the one that I chose. So, it was a very difficult few days and I remember crying one day and talking to my mom about it, and she said something about how John was cool and had a flashy car and was a great dresser, etc. and a really great guy, but Randy was more like me. And she was right!
So, I finally decided that I would be with Randy, and I wrote a letter to John explaining my decision. That evening at the Institute class he slipped me a note that just said simply, I got your letter. I understand. Friends forever." Or something like that - I think I still have it in my journal. Anyway, the finality of my decision weighed upon me and I spent that evening crying in Randy's truck and of course that probably didn't make him feel that great! :-D
But after that, we were together all the time. We did lots of fun things - we loved to drive around in his pickup singing songs. I was new to Idaho so everything was fresh and fun. I loved it when he'd sing "Heard it in a Love Song" - it was the ONLY song he could sing in tune!!! It was kind of our unofficial song. We also spent a lot of time on Tubbs Hill and in the little private beaches there, and also a lot of time with his family, and a lot of time just hanging at Randy's apartment, which was a nasty little place in the attic of a house on Sherman.
After about 2 months we started to talk about marriage, and Randy asked me to pick out a wedding set. He was so embarassed when he found out that the set I chose only cost $115.00 for BOTH RINGS! He thought it made him look cheap or something! l0l
So, the evening that Randy was going to talk to my dad and ask for my hand in marriage, he wanted to officially propose to me on Tubbs Hill at sunset. But I was thinking that the reason we kept hanging around on Tubbs Hill was because he was too chicken to talk to my dad so I kept riding him about going over there. So, the romantic proposal on Tubbs Hill didn't happen (bad me!) and instead we went over to my folks and he asked my dad for permission to marry me. Later on he proposed officially standing by his truck in the street. I've kicked myself ever since for that! :-D
So, three months after than, on October 14, 1978, we were married in the Cardston, Alberta Temple. My folks were not able to attend, of course, so it was just Randy and I, his dad and his step-mom, Judy. It was a wonderful experience, but also sad at the same time because there was no one from my family there. I don't regret it, but it was very hard and I am so grateful for my parents for supporting me - I know how hard it was for them.
So, that's the story of the Big Randy and me. 31 years and 4 kids later, it still doesn't feel like it was that long ago!
