50 Fun Facts about Summer and Peter

1.       Summer and I were setup on a blind date by Natasha Simonsen: my friend from High School and Summer’s sister-in-law.

2.       Natasha and I hadn’t spoken in nine years. After my name kept popping up in her mind as a possible date for Summer, she sent me a message.

3.       When planning our first date, Summer suggested we meet somewhere because, and I quote, “I don’t want you to know where I live.”

4.       Our first date was July 30^th, 2011 – we went to Guru’s, played miniature golf, and got frozen yogurt.

5.       At the time, I was living in Virginia – I was in Provo for a mission companion’s wedding. When explaining how he and his wife met, he dropped an insight, “When you least expect it, someone will come into your life.” I met Summer the next day.

6.       We met for the first time on the green bench at the cross walk in front of Guru’s on Center Street in Provo.

7.       Summer wore a flowered blouse with a cream cardigan and jean shorts.

8.       I thought she looked so beautiful when I saw her, I didn’t know what to say. Unthinkingly, I shook her hand, smiled, said “Hi,” and walked away, leaving her by the bench.

9.       Summer ordered a burrito, and I got a salad. She told me her nickname in high school was “Porker,” and she didn’t think less of me for getting the salad.

10.   Summer beat me our first time miniature golfing (what she doesn’t know and will be furious about is that I shanked whole 9 on purpose) and bowling; I beat her the second in both.

11.   I was really impressed when it started to rain and while the rest of the people golfing were running for cover, I looked at Summer, she shrugged and said, “I’m totally fine if you are.”

12.   I struggled with how best to burst the first date personal space bubble: should I go with the lean in? The arm bump? The playful shove? I ended up going with the lean-in: pretext reading the score card – Summer later confided in me that she had noticed.

13.   We discovered that we both share a healthy fear of sharks. Shark Week was starting, and I suggested Kennedy and Cameron might benefit from watching it, or if not that, perhaps Jaws or some other hysteria inducing shark movie; she whole-heartedly agreed.

14.   We also discovered we share a great love for the dancing and musical styling’s of the late great Michael Jackson.

15.   We went out again the following Wednesday; we ate at Sammy’s, road a tandum bike (my first time – Summer still maintains that she had the harder job sitting in the front, while I contend that I was the force behind our progress), took a drive up the canyon, and a long walk past her grandparent’s old house.

16.   We went out again on Friday: Owl’s game with some of my friend’s, bowling, and watched the best of Michael Jackson DVD (my first gift to Summer) at my friend’s condo near 7^th North and 7^{th East}.

17.   Summer held my hand the first time because I wasn’t going to breach that bubble before she was ready.

18.   I kissed her that night, six days after meeting.

19.   We dated long distance (2099 miles) from July 30^th to mid-December.

20.   The first time I played with Summer’s kids was at Jump On It – I still have the wrist band.

21.   Kennedy once pulled me aside and said, “I think you should marry my mom.” “We need to get to know each other first.” “Ok…. You should have 12 babies.”

22.   After five months of dating, seeing each other once a month, Summer and I sent 350, 8.5x11 pages worth of text messages – which Summer compiled, printed, bound, and gave to me as a Christmas gift.

23.   Summer’s kids have repeatedly told me I should join the circus because I have “magic hands.”

24.   Cameron taught me my best dance move – the double fisted, pointed finger, trot.

25.   Our favorite game to play is the hiding game – where they hide under the cushions, and I try to see them hiding.

26.   Summer and I became exclusive while opening Valentine’s gifts near Aspen Grove.

27.   In April, while visiting my sister Amelia and friend Reed, and while Summer tried out for the Voice a second time, we sent a picture of Summer wearing an engagement ring as an April fool’s joke; some people did not think it was funny, and many of my nieces and nephews were confused.

28.   My favorite date was making fondue from scratch with Summer in my place in DC.

29.   My second favorite date was painting blindfolded.

30.   On our one year anniversary, Summer made a DVD for me of her singing “I Won’t Give Up,” by Jason Mraaz; until then she had refused to sing for me.

31.   I had bought an engagement ring in April; we didn’t get engaged until August even though I proposed on July 30 (our anniversary).

32.   Summer and I both went to BYU and graduated in under 4 years.

33.   We were both born in California.

34.   We both have a fixation with eating healthy, raw, simple foods.

35.   We both agree that Willow is Val Kilmer’s best movie.

36.   We both love to dance.

37.   But Summer is a beach bum, and I am a mountain man.

38.   I love the winter; Summer loves summer.

39.   Summer is the second of four; I am the seventh of seven.

40.   I love dogs; Summer hates them.

41.   Summer said she would never marry an attorney; I am an attorney.

42.   Summer ‘s favorite superhero is Superman; my favorite superhero is Batman (obviously).

43.   I am an introvert; Summer is an extrovert.

44.   Summer is a verbal; I am a task.

45.   Summer and I are different people, but we are ok with that.

46.   We both believe family is first; that no success can compensate for failure in the home.

47.   We don’t like the term “insta-family” (or “insta-dad”) because it takes more than marriage to make a family (or a dad).

48.   We both believe that you don’t find a soul-mate, you become one through commitment, work, and vulnerability.

49.   We both know the worst about the other and still love without reservation or inhibition.

50.   We both believe that the best is yet to come.