XII. Bryan

I have been putting this off because it seems impossible to create a succinct, meaningful blog post about a person with whom you have spent every day for over 10 years of your life.

Bryan and I met at Marketing Ally, a telemarketing job that we both despised.  I was working there because it was easy to get a job, and it was an easy job.  Bryan worked there because he needed a job where he could take a load off his stress-fractured femur.  He asked me out the day before he quit his job, just in case I would say no.  :)

He figured he had one chance, so he planned a creative date.  I was impressed with each part of the date.  First, he made dinner.  We had squash from his parents' garden and lasagna .  Then we fed the ducks while we waited for the outdoor play to start.  He rented chairs so we wouldn't have to sit on the ground, and he brought Twizzlers.  I don't really like Twizzlers, but it was a sweet thought.  The play was a "Rock Opera."  It was a jazzed-up version of the operetta The Mikado.  I had performed scenes from this particular operetta in high school.  After the entertainment we went back to his apartment where he made Oreo milkshakes.  At this point in the night, his roommates started bragging about him.  It turns out that he was a very talented runner, one of the best on the BYU Track and Cross Country teams.

First, I was impressed that he could cook.  Second, I was impressed that he was frugal (something that might not impress every woman, but it worked for me!).  He was really easy to talk to, which is really saying something for me (anxiety reference here).  Third, I was impressed that he had researched the operetta so that he could be knowledgeable about it, which meant quite a bit of forethought to the date.  Which I, of course, appreciated.  Again, with the milkshakes, I was impressed that he made them and saved money in the process.  Fourth, I was impressed that he was concerned for my comfort during the date.  And lastly, I was impressed with his humility when his roommates brought up his abilities.  And it was at that time that I noticed the muscles on his arms, sneaking out of the bottom of his sleeves.  :)

After that, I really appreciated his direct approach (also very good for me).  There were never games.  If he felt like calling me, he did.  If he wanted to see me, he came by.  If he wanted to go out with me again, he called.  It was always easy to talk to him, and we always had a good time.  It didn't take too long for us to fall in love.  We started dating at the end of August 2002 and were engaged by the end of October 2002.  We were married on January 17, 2003 because it was a holiday weekend.  We were married on a Friday, honeymooned Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and were back in class on Tuesday.

Bryan's Stake President offered us some advice: start the habit of reading scriptures and saying prayers together immediately, go to church together (we went to church in Zion's National Park), and have Family Home Evening together (we started on Monday).  Those habits have blessed our marriage tremendously through the years.

Bryan is a very motivated person.  You have never seen someone set goals and reach them as well as Bryan.  He is the kind of person that knows what it takes to succeed.  He works hard and he stays focused.  He always has a plan.  Bryan was captain of the Track and Cross-Country teams his senior year.  He took 2nd place in the 1500m at the NCAA Championships in 2005, with an equivalent of a 3:55 mile.

He was signed with New Balance to run professionally following graduation.  He did that for a year, while I finished my degree.  He was even able to run some European races in the summer.  In the fall, we decided to move on to grad school at the University of Kentucky while he continued running for New Balance.  Eventually he became injured, and had to end his professional running career.  But I think we always knew that we needed to have a Plan B, and in some ways the running career was the Plan B.  He finished his Masters in Health Administration with top grades and top honors.  He was asked to speak at his graduation.

During his last year of grad school, he began searching for jobs.  He was recruited by Avalon Health Care Group to be an Administrator-in-Training.  He was able to shadow a nursing home administrator for a year and still get paid for it.  Then they placed him as the administrator of the nursing home in Pullman, WA.  He had that job for three years and was able to do some great things.  Eventually he felt boxed in because the job in Pullman really had no room for growth.  He started researching other options, and now has a job with Life Care Centers of America in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Bryan is the type of person who just attracts people.  He is a true diplomat, and he makes friends wherever he goes.  He even turns potential enemies into friends with his powers of soothing.  He really excels at what he does, but you would never expect less from this man.

Bryan is funny.  He is always looking for something to laugh about.  He is always trying to make me smile, even resorting to what he calls "dancing."  :)

Bryan has a kind heart.  He is always serving me.  He loves to play with his kids.  He works hard so that he can provide a nice life for his family.  He is always trying to improve himself and be an even better man.

I really love him.  He is an awesome husband and father.  We are close.  We are best friends.  We love playing "house" together.  He makes me happy.  I am truly blessed to have this man in my life.