This was Rich right before we got married many years ago. 18 years later he's still adorable to me and he's grown to be such a wonderful dad and husband. He's still my best friend and I look up to him for a lot of reasons. He can still make me laugh...imagine that...after 18 years, and hopefully it will be even better in another 18 years.
When people get married not all of their interests are going to match up completely. I stuck with the things I felt were most important...his love of God and family, his total honesty, and his humility. The things I kind of gave up were my love of the outdoors and sports to some extent.
Rich is not a camper. His idea of camping ever since I've known him has been to rent a cabin in the woods...but not too far into the woods. Forget hiking. Even if it's a short hike you can't call it a hike or he won't go...I have to say it's a walk.
He is not into sports. I am grateful that he isn't the guy who ignores me when his favorite team is playing or who gets so wrapped up in a game that it affects his mood for days...especially if the game doesn't go how he wants it to. But he also has had no desire to go out and run with me, no desire to do any kind of outdoor sporty kind of thing for that matter. One time he did go skiing with our young adult group when we were dating...(in the early 90s mind you) and he wore a silk shirt, Dockers, his black leather jacket and his Doc Martins....hmmmmm, yeah. That's my guy!
Recently things have drastically changed. I won't ask why, I've learned that it's kind of pointless if I want an answer that makes sense to me. All in the last few weeks he went on a 3 day camping trip for Boy Scouts, (actual camping in a tent...on the ground...trees AND wild animals around), and today he ran a 5K with me. He ENJOYED camping! Really? I've tried for how many years to get him to try it and nothing! I'll post more details about camping in a few weeks because he has another trip next week for Wood Badge Training and I think he'll be hiking this time too. He's actually getting so into the Scouting thing he's bugging me a little. But he is kind of an all or nothing kind of guy.
(Rich before the 5k)
I run five days a week with my friend Maele Vaitai. We decided to run the Spring Valley Lake 5k since it's not far from us and they are always fun. I got Rich a mountain bike for his birthday, which he loves, and he's been biking almost every day for the last month. When I told him Maele and I were running the 5k he said he wanted to try it. I was excited and a little shocked that he was open to it but a little worried that he wouldn't be up to it. I mean he hasn't been running. I didn't want to discourage this new interest in something I love so we signed him up too. He figured he could walk a lot. His buddy Luis signed up also and so when the gun went off Maele and I run ahead and I hoped Rich would survive and maybe even enjoy it.
I finished in 26 min, Maele was just a little behind me, and I wasn't sure where Rich would end up. He actually finished in 41 minutes with Luis! Really not too bad for never running! He's not too sore...yet. I am so proud of him for trying something I love and for not hating it. He even said he may run with me a little to offset his biking during the week. Yahoo for trying new things and liking them, especially when they are good for you! And yahoo for not being afraid to evolve and do things you never thought you'd do! Go honey!!
(Maele, Me, Rich, and Luis after)
