Slipping and Falling

An ice-storm hit Oklahoma Monday afternoon. Everything was slick. Roads, sidewalks, parking lots, driveways, everything! While rushing to my car in a crowded parking lot, my feet lost their footing, and I slid into my car. Still standing. Phew! I swung the driver's side drawer open, my balance was thrown, and I caught myself inches above the ground, clinging to my car door. My legs will surely have bruises (and they do!). The roads were as slick, and many people were going around 10MPH. I stopped by my sis-in-laws, and while walking out to the car that didn't make it up their driveway, with Cannon in my arms, my feet left me again. I landed hard on my rump, and Cannon puckered saying "Ohhh..." All of this slipping and falling reminded me of a time in college...

Rexburg, Idaho is an iceburg. A glacier. This small town is frozen 9 months out of the year. There is typically over a foot and a half of snow on the ground, and at least 6 inches of ice covering the road. They don't bother with plowing here, except for occasionally in the parking lots. One morning in early December in 2001, I was out of grocery essentials. While exiting my car at the local grocery store, my feet slipped out from underneath me, barely catching myself with my car door. Local cowboys asked if I was ok, while tipping their hats. I didn't have better luck walking out to my car with my arms full of groceries either. Actually, I was down for the count. But it doesn't stop there.

While carrying my thin bags of gallons of milk up the few stairs to my apartment, again I slipped, and watched in amazement my milk jugs safely bouncing to the bottom without breaking open! I was safe in my apartment, which I wished I could stay all day. But classes called. There was a sloping sidewalk my Family Home Evening brothers, including the extremely attractive and perpetually positive Bushman, nicknamed "Groggy Lane". In the morning, sleepy students climbed this walk up to campus, and during the 9 month winter, practically slid down it. And I unintentionally slid down Groggy Lane after miraculously walking to and from classes safely.

After I made it in the safe walls of my apartment, I quickly pulled out the books and looked studious. My mind was drifting to that FHE brother, Bushman. We had been on a few dates, had our first kiss and the subsequent "talk"...which didn't go as I had planned. He explained while we were sitting in his red Honda Civic that his dad instructed him to "date a lot when you get home from your mission", and he didn't want to be exclusive yet. I cheerfully accepted playing it cool, although I was dying inside thinking about him possibly going on a date with someone else! As I stared blankly at my book, I worried that I had been to obvious in my affection. Worried I had possibly scared him away with all the cookies, brownies and other goodies I made for his "whole apartment"; but we all knew it was for Bushman. Worried inviting him to Thanksgiving with my family, which he attended, definitely scared him off!

While sitting in my room lost in thought, I heard a loud truck idling in the parking lot, blaring music. A meat-headed college dude trying to prove his manliness with his oversized truck, I thought. But then I recognized it was blaring my favorite song, "In the Still of the Night" (BoyzIIMen style!) Then a flurry of giggles and screams came from my roommates as they barged into my room, dragging me outside, without a jacket, shoes...and bra! Once outside, I saw Bushman and all his roommates standing in the bed of the truck singing (and dancing) this song to me. Girls from all the apartments lined the banisters, wondering who the lucky girl was, but I knew it was me. Who else loves this song? And he remembered! Of course all of my insecurities melted away, as I watched him happily make a fool of himself (secretly enjoying) being in front of swooning girls. After the serenade, I was called down to the parking lot, which I quickly threw on a jacket and slip on Doc Martins, and headed down. For the first time that day, I wasn't thinking of where I was stepping, and I made it safely! He asked me to accompany him to the upcoming formal dance, and of course I said "yes", then awkwardly hugged him, remembering I was without a bra. He had to move on to the next targets, dates for his roommates. I quickly ran up to my apartment, to gush with my roomies who were secretly jealous (especially the tall ones, that his five footer stole a guy tall enough for them!). I had slipped and fallen once more, not on ice or in the snow, but for this contantly happy, extremely creative and spontaneous, spiritual giant who has sparkling eyes and matching smile. So now, everytime I slip and fall, although it hurts more than it did then, I think of that winter when I fell in love with Bushman. (I didn't call him Ryan until after about 2 weeks of marriage. Bushman is still used as a term of endearment.)