Tackled

I was a senior in high school walking out of my AP English class when this nice boy who sat in front of me followed me out of class and asked me out on a date. It was my first official date and it happened on November 21, 1997. We immediately hit it off and went on a second date that I didn't think went very well. He was very indecisive and didn't really have a plan for the evening and it was kind of lame. But we had good phone conversations regularly and for lengthy periods of time so we went on a third date. By then it was Christmas and he sent me the most beautiful roses I had ever seen. I was incredibly embarrassed though because my parents were living in Boise at the time but were home for Christmas and I hadn't really told them about him so they teased me for weeks.

We didn't see much of each other over Christmas break because I was busy with my family and volleyball practice. We spent a lot of time together in January and held hands for the first time while at the theater watching Titanic. Then on Valentine's Day we kissed for the first time and suddenly things seemed really serious to me. I panicked a bit because at the time I also had a very good friend who happened to be a boy and I could see a difference in our relationship. I was much more at ease with my friend than I was with the guy I was dating and that seemed off, so I broke up with him. I told him we had too much frosting and not enough cake to support it. We needed to be better friends and have more fun together and be more relaxed around each other. 

That was in the beginning of March. In May we went to the Senior Ball together as friends and had a nice time together. I was enjoying just hanging out with him and not having the expectations that went with being in a relationship. There was a pivotal night though when I was over at his house for his graduation party near the end of June. I told him how one of my dreams is to run after someone, like they do in football, and grab them by the waist and just take them down. He had played football and decided to show me some moves but he wouldn't tackle me because he didn't think it was gentlemanly. I had wrestled plenty with my older sisters and was annoyed that he assumed I was so delicate and told him it was okay to tackle me if necessary. So we played some football and at one point he finally did take me down. I remember being so happy that we were buddies, that he was treating me like an equal, that we could play together and that he appreciated that I could handle it.

Perhaps it sounds really silly but that was a turning point for me. After that my feelings for him grew and by fireworks time on July 4th we were back together again, having a firm friendship that this time included silliness, fun and play. That was when we really started to love each other. I was so grateful that he was kind, respectful, talked well of others, gentle, patient, calm, and thoughtful. Yet I loved seeing his competitive side and knowing that he was fun, silly, playful and that we could wrestle for fun.  I very much appreciate that he is such a gentleman. If we're walking on the sidewalk, he stays on the outside by the road to protect me. He opens the car door and helps me carry heavy things. But he has learned that there is a balance and he can be fun with me too.

We've been together 18 years now and we've had some pretty awesome wrestling matches. He has won every time except one, but it is a fun journey and there have been small victories for me along the way. I'll always be grateful for that night of the graduation party when he tackled me. I'm grateful to be married to my very best friend and that we are still playful and competitive and have fun with each other.