Sunday, August 14, 2011

This is how we do it.

Spring term, 2006, a BYU Physics 106 class. Rick and I sat on opposite sides of the lecture hall the first day of class. Day two: we switched sides, both maybe hoping to land a seat by the other person. Day three: we finally got it together and sat side by side. From that day on we pretty much never stopped sitting by each other, both in and out of Physics class. (Except for a brief interruption from a dramatic little love triangle. Sorry, Gordon!)

It was pretty obvious that we made a good pair. I helped him get better grades; he made me laugh. We both got to the Eyring Science Center super early in the mornings to start studying. I freaked out about school; he calmed me down. We both ate bean burritos from Taco Bell for lunch: the cheapest thing at the Cougareat. Our plans and goals were so similar that as we fell in love the decision to get married was simple and easy.

After we got married we didn't stop studying and working together. Some of our favorite memories are of staying up suuuuper late working on Rick's medical school applications. I would sometimes fall asleep with my head on his lap (pregnancy will do that to you!) while he worked and worked on rough drafts for his essays. Then I would wake up and tear them apart. ("Your opening sentence is eight lines long! I don't even know what your main point is here! Oh my gosh did you really write THEIR instead of THERE??") We spent several nights like that, writing and rewriting until we both felt that it was done. We worked hard, had fun, got frustrated, felt satisfied, always sitting next to each other. (Just sitting a little closer now than we had in Physics class. Wink wink.)

It's been a while since we've studied for a class or worked on a paper together. So this past week when Rick had to submit his personal statement, a major part of his residency application, we felt like we were back at Wymount again. Sharing a chair in front of the computer, laughing at our sometimes inability to write coherent sentences, and wondering why we do our best work after 11:30 p.m. Maybe it's not everyone's idea of a party, but we had a blast!

I hope we get to keep working hard, having fun, getting frustrated, and feeling satisfied together. Just as long as I get to keep sitting next to this guy things will be all right.

So this is what we really look like at about midnight.

6 comments:

Sarah said...

Oh I love it! You guys are cute :0) And I can't help but think of me and Bryan... as cheesy as it may sound, one of our favorite things to do is work side by side.

Kim said...

Page, this was so sweet!

carrie.creasy said...

It is midnight, so who is Rick talking to on the phone??

mag said...

love the cute story

Page said...

Carrie, on the phone with Rick's dad. Two hours earlier in Utah, and he was proofreading the personal statement. Thanks for the great question.

Davis and Laura said...

So cute! I always read your blog and think, "man, she's got the perfect life! " such inspiration! :) and what is rick thinking of going into? me and davis were chatting a while ago how he would make a an great ob/gyn...and you guys should come out to st. louis---you'd LOVE IT HERE!!! :)