For posterity and an explanation

Jimmy asked me this morning, well he actually said "if you get bored, you should write a post about how we met." Okay....I am not exactly sure why, but I will do it for the sake of posterity (and so you all know why this blog is called the "Adventures of Puddle Jumping"). I did just teach a lesson to the Young Women of our ward about Family History and how we should be creating our own family history by writing down experiences in our lives.

Why wouldn't I want to write a little bit about how Jimmy and I met. It was a glorious time in my life...and still is!

The story actually begins many eons ago... back when the world was new (I just like that line because it comes from Disney's Hercules...not relevant, sorry!)

Okay, back to the real story. The first time that I was exposed to Jimmy's presence was right before my mission. I was asked to give a talk in the young single adult ward in the Lowell. I must confess, I was a little reluctant, mostly because it is about 1.5 hours away, but it was excited because I was about to leave on my mission to SPAIN! Okay, I must humble my Spain-bragging tendencies.

I arrived a little late and didn't get a chance to sit on the stand. My cousins had come with me, and we sat in the back, visible enough so that the bishopric didn't think I backed out or something, but not up really close. It is always embarrassing to walk into church late and sit in the front row. I don't like to be late, and didn't really want to announce it by marching to the front while everyone was singing. I digress....

Jimmy spoke before me, and I only recognized his name because his last name was the same as the stake president. He had just returned from his mission in Mexico. It was a I-will-or-do-or-have-always-speak/spoken-spanish day. After Jimmy gave his talk, I was announced to speak and I did so, without much thought about having given a talk after my to-be-husband. You see, I didn't know it at the time. I was about to go on a mission. Boys, yuck!

I went on that mission, and it was fantastic! But that is not what this is all about. I am supposed to talk about Jimmy. So I will skip the super amazing spiritual part....

I came home from Spain quite excited about life and needless to say scared of boys. I was again asked to speak in the single young adult ward. I still wasn't too excited. That drive to Lowell never was on my to-do list. But I went, this time with my whole anterage of family members. You see, now half of my siblings were considered "young adults!" I was quite appalled too. I couldn't believe they were adults either, but again I disgress.

We arrived early, I was a return missionary, of course I couldn't be late.... I sat on the stand, and guess who was sitting next to me. Why mr. Jimmy Cooprider!

Let's stop for a second and talk about my memory. I am terrible with names unless I have heard the name a number of times. However faces I never forget. Half the time I don't know where I know people from, but I remember their face. This was the case with Jimmy. He must have mentioned his last name because, I knew the Cooprider name and he did look familar. And in those moments of reconciliation I mentioned "you know I think we have already spoke(ense?) in church together." I told him of our indirect connection and we talked about our lives for the few minutes that always occur before church starts. Remember we were early.

Church started and Jimmy spoke before me. Of course. And this is how he started "Kirstin and I were reminencing...." What?! We must have arrived at church super early because we apparently had something to reminense about. I chuckled, you know the half smile you get when you are not really sure how to react and looked down at my family who was grinning. Not a normal grin, but a mischeiveous grin. A grin that said "I know something you don't know..."

Before I got up to speak Jimmy touched my shoulder and said something to the effect of "good luck!" and I headed for the pulpit. Let's stop again. I was a return missionary. Remember the boys yuck thing? Oh and that included me not knowing how to react when a boy touched my shoulder. And not to mention girls react anyways when a boy touches their shoulder. Just saying....

I spoke and talked about the Gospel being like a food, probably rambled a little too much, but got some quality laughter from the audience. I felt pretty good about the whole thing. I sat down, probably smiled at Jimmy because he was sitting next to me, and then the meeting was over.

****Intermission****

Just when you thought the story was getting good, it gets better....

I believe it was during Jimmy's talk that he mentioned spending a summer in New Mexico. I was interested by this, since I had spent a summer in New Mexico as well. His dealings included hiking and taking Boy Scouts in the woods, and mine included VLA research with some really fun hiking trips on the weekend. I really enjoy hiking, biking, anything that gets me outdoors. So Jimmy and I arranged a date where we would go hiking around Nelson, my hometown.

We talked about it a few days in advance because the weather was not supposed to cooperate. It was supposed to rain. I joked we could go puddle jumping, and he agreed (I think!). We started our date hiking up a short "mountain" and ate dinner at the top. Pita, cheese and avacados. He wasn't sure if I was a vegatarian or not. I am not, but I do love all of those things.

Turns out that "mountain" didn't take us very long, and neither one of us wanted to end the date early, so we decided to climb another small "mountain." The isn't Utah, mountains are generally more like hills with lots of trees. We watched a sunset, which was pretty pitiful, but both of us seemed to enjoy the fact that it wasn't raining, and so it was welcome and nice.

We decided to do one last outdoor activity and that was playing on the small Nelson playground. We drove to my house and walked down to the playground, did some swinging and all that childish stuff and then walked to the center of the field. It had rained and I was eager to do at least a little puddle jumping.

It was in those moments that a crazy childlike fantasty struck me. It was like the girl that throws dirt at the boy on the playground. She really likes him, but being mean is just easier. And so I followed that tendency. I picked Jimmy up and threw him in the nearest puddle getting him all wet and dirty. I probably looked down at him thinking "what have I just done?" and I know that the minute he went into the puddle I was helping him out, but it was gutsy and it felt empowering and awfully silly.

We walked back to my house and I am sure I apologized maybe 100 times and he called home to let them know he was about to drive back. We said goodnight and I headed inside to change (I had gotten wet in the process of being outside) and he drove home.

And since that time we began dating, did the whole engagement thing and got married. I probably should regret throwing him in a puddle, but I am positive that that is what made him like me....my undenyable strength. And that is how we met and how this lovely blog got its name. You just never know what kind of crazy things bring people together!

The engagement...Jimmy can tell you that story!