How It All Began

There is a popular country song, who's punch line is, "all because two people fell in love." I sometimes look at my family and where we are at today and think the same thing. I know it sounds cheesy but it all couldn't have been possible if my parents had not met and fallen in love. Circumstances aligned, they met and as they dated, they came to realize that not only were they compatible, but they shared the same values, wanted the same things, and believed they could make a wonderful life together. So I am going to rewind and take you back to where it all began.

My parents met while they were both attending what was then Ricks College. This fact alone seems insignificant but it was paramount that they were brought together in the same town while both attending school to even have a chance of meeting. Timing and placement is key in meeting someone who is right for you. Not only were they attending the same college, but they had a class together which gave them a common area of interest. My dad was running late to this class, and upon arriving to the large auditorium of seats he quickly looked for the nearest available seat which happened to be right next to my mom. After the class was finished, my dad asked my mom if she wouldn't mind saving him a seat the next day and she agreed. The next day in class my dad looked for my mom but began to panic as he realized he could only remember what her eyes looked like. To his relief my mom saw him and waved from across the room and the rest was history. They went on several dates and slowly saw who the other truly was. I learned from my parent's story that dating a person in a variety of settings can reveal who that person is and what they value. My mom says that one instance that stood out in her mind was when they were deciding what movie to see, and my dad turned down one that would bring them home past midnight on a Saturday night. This told her that he valued the Sabbath day and that was something that she wanted. My dad talks about how it impressed him that he saw how caring and kind my mom was when she interacted with others, which was something that he wanted in a wife and mother.

It may not seem like a fairy tale, but for the Johns family it was. My parents met, dated and found a foundation of values that they shared to make a life and family together last. Now 30 plus years later, they have built a family that I am so lucky to be apart of. You never know how it will begin but my family is proof that great and wonderful things can come from simple beginnings.