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Planned, paid for, paired off.  Three simple steps of dating. Thirty-five years of dating the same man has led to 33 years of an adventure filled marriage. 

Matt and I's story is an important one to share to others that are contemplating dating and marriage.  Sept 1986 Matt and I had our first official date, your typical dinner and a movie date. Nothing too exciting but it was the start of something amazing. I was seeing another guy during that time, it was your basic date with "Gary". Friday night go to Hastings, rent a movie, sit on the couch next to each other and watch the movie. Saturday night hit the repeat button.  Date number two with Matt, we played softball, date number three with Matt went went a played tennis- -I had never played and he enjoyed teaching me how to play, letting me almost win only to come back a "barley" beat me. Interesting how a girl who had never played tennis would almost and even sometimes beat a boy who had been playing for years. I think he had bigger plans. Date number four was taking torches into the civil defense caves and doing a little exploring. Gary, well we continued to watch movies.  While we were watching what would be our last movie together I kept thinking how I didn't want my life to be this, a movie on repeat. 

It was time that I talked to Gary and let him know I wouldn't be taking Social Dance with him, I had been seeing someone else and it was going places. Date number six with Matt was devotional, then that night date number seven was taking his 68' Ford Galaxy and trying to back it up R Butte as far as it would go. Who knew a car in reverse had a lower gear and would go up a butte, Matt did. According to Matt date 8, 9 and 10 happened on the same day, just a few hours separating each date.  I am not sure waking to and from class should be counted as date 8 and 9, but it has to because date number ten was a big deal for Matt. We took a couple of old couches with his roommates and their dates to a cave to watch a movie. A generator, several extension cords and more torches were needed. There were lots of laughing, hand holding and finally the big deal, our first kiss.  Three dates in one day had to happen, because he had a bet with his roommates that he couldn't go on ten dates with me without kissing me, I guess he won the bet. 

Matt was fun, it was always something different and we were always doing something. Our marriage continued on the same path. Almost 33 years of marriage and we still love an adventure, we still love spending time with each other, and we still go on dates every week if not more.  Matt and I are not just husband and wife, but we are best friends and there is not anyone I would rather spend time with.

Friends have commented on our marriage and how they wish they could have a marriage like ours.  Well our relationship started 35 years ago, he was someone I liked being around and doing things with. So many of our friends and family members got married because their partner met the "checklist". Unfortunately the check list didn't include spending time together. Our neighbors to the east called it quits after 25 years of marriage.  During their marriage he did his thing, she did her thing and on Saturday night they would get together for their weekly date, only to find they really didn't like being together.  She ask me recently how Matt and I did it. I told her it started when we were dating, I LIKED him and I liked spending time with him, her reply was, "oh, well Curtis and I really never had the same interests. But I knew he would be a good dad, provide for our family and honor his priesthood."  I had always assumed that their marriage was like Matt and I's, until she told me they were getting a divorce and she just didn't like to be around him. 

Marriage isn't just about someone meeting your checklist, it does little good for a mate to meet the checklist, but you don't like to be around them. Having the same interests, being able to talk to them, laugh with them, and wanting to spend time together builds a strong marriage, and stronger family. 

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