Showing posts with label Tina and Alan Fairwell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tina and Alan Fairwell. Show all posts
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Alan & Tina Fairwell
This post was supposed to go up last week! Why didn't anyone tell me that it never did! Oops and sorry everyone for missing a week!
Tina & I met at BYU during the fall semester of 1989. We both had just moved into the King Henry apartment complex where we were living when we met after Church on that fateful Sunday in September, 1989. Tina’s car (The little red Chevy Sprint) would not start, so Tina and her 3 roommates were preparing to walk back to their apartment. Alan’s roommate Steve volunteered to give all 4 women a ride. He failed to mention that he had 5 passengers already in his Hyundai pony (a 5 passenger car). Everyone but the driver had to hold a cute young coed on their lap. This chance encounter was the catalyst that pushed the students from the two apartments to become regular visitors in each others apartments.
However, this is not a “Love at First Sight” story. Tina was in no hurry to get married, because she had a missionary (Kraig) who was not due home for nearly 2 years. I, on the other hand, was always open to new opportunities! Consequently, Tina and I gradually became friends during the first 2 months of the semester. My roommate Steve started the ball moving by asking Tina’s roommate Lisa out on a date. I was not dating anyone at the time, so my roommate Scott nudged me to take Tina out on a date. I asked Tina to go to the “World of Dance” performance on campus. Shortly after I asked Tina to go on a date, Tina asked me to go to “Preference” with her. The preference dance was actually before the World of Dance performance, so I often tease Tina about asking me out on our first date! Another fun fact associated with that first date was that Tina asked me to buy a pink sweater for the dance, so I would match her outfit. Talk about accessorizing your outfits!
We had a lot of fun on the first couple of dates, so I began to spend even more time hanging around Tina’s apartment. Do not be confused into thinking that I was a lovesick bull, because I was still very focused on getting good grades in the Marriott School of Management. In fact, my keen focus on grades and studying was a minor irritant for Tina!
I realized that I was more than casually interested in Tina by the time we were wrapping up the fall semester. Once we got back from Christmas break, we started dating in earnest. (There is a pun in there if you know my full name) I knew that I had found my companion by early January. Tina, however, had to make some significant decisions. She had been planning to go on a mission, and she still had some feelings for her “missionary”. It took some persuasive talking and heartfelt prayers to get Tina agree to marry me. Her parents were also a little concerned about Tina marrying a non-US citizen who was a convert to the church! Ultimately, I got Tina to see the light, and we set a date to be married.
Tina will tell you that after we were engaged, I was quite business-like in our relationship. Tina remedied the situation by going to Hawaii with her family for a week. I finally came to my senses and realized how much I missed Tina during that week. When Tina got back to school, I was much more attentive!
We chose to get married in the Boise temple, because we thought it would be somewhat central for both my family and Tina’s family. In hindsight, Boise was no more “central” than Seattle, but we are happy to say that we were married in Boise! The weather was sunny and warm on June 15, 1990.
Our next milestone was the birth of Ashley, on March 12, 1992. Ashley was born while we were still in school. Ashley was the quintessential first baby; long delivery and colicky. Since we had cheap insurance, the hospital only allowed us to stay 12 hours after the baby was born. We were so green that we brought Ashley back to the doctor after the first day because Ashley cried all the time. The doctor smiled and assured us that everything was normal. Life was hard for a time!
After graduation, I looked for a job for a few months and finally accepted a job in Price Utah, working for a hospital. After I accepted the position, I got a better offer from Phillips Petroleum (PPCO) in Oklahoma. Before I started my first day at the hospital, the administration had a shakeup, and I was given the option to stay or take the job with PPCO. I chose PPCO, moved to Oklahoma and started work in June.
Spencer and Scott were born during our first stint in Oklahoma. We started out in a 2 bedroom apartment and graduated to a small 3 bedroom bungalow. We upgraded to a nice 4 bedroom house in modest neighborhood. 7 months after moving into our new house (we call it the Harris house, because it was on Harris street) we were transferred to Midland, TX, where Nate was born. We moved back to Oklahoma in 2000 and lived in Bartlesville for another few years. We made our last move to Katy, Texas in 2002, where Ryan was born. Our next milestone will be sending Ashley to college this fall. Ashley will leave our little nest and venture out on her own to BYU this August. We know she will do well!
The weather in Katy is very temperate in the fall, winter and spring, and humid & hot during the summer. If you like to hang out at the pool, swim in tepid rivers, sweat, and otherwise stay warm, Houston is the place for you!! Camping is not a summer activity! Winter camping is much like summer camping in Canada!
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However, this is not a “Love at First Sight” story. Tina was in no hurry to get married, because she had a missionary (Kraig) who was not due home for nearly 2 years. I, on the other hand, was always open to new opportunities! Consequently, Tina and I gradually became friends during the first 2 months of the semester. My roommate Steve started the ball moving by asking Tina’s roommate Lisa out on a date. I was not dating anyone at the time, so my roommate Scott nudged me to take Tina out on a date. I asked Tina to go to the “World of Dance” performance on campus. Shortly after I asked Tina to go on a date, Tina asked me to go to “Preference” with her. The preference dance was actually before the World of Dance performance, so I often tease Tina about asking me out on our first date! Another fun fact associated with that first date was that Tina asked me to buy a pink sweater for the dance, so I would match her outfit. Talk about accessorizing your outfits!
We had a lot of fun on the first couple of dates, so I began to spend even more time hanging around Tina’s apartment. Do not be confused into thinking that I was a lovesick bull, because I was still very focused on getting good grades in the Marriott School of Management. In fact, my keen focus on grades and studying was a minor irritant for Tina!
I realized that I was more than casually interested in Tina by the time we were wrapping up the fall semester. Once we got back from Christmas break, we started dating in earnest. (There is a pun in there if you know my full name) I knew that I had found my companion by early January. Tina, however, had to make some significant decisions. She had been planning to go on a mission, and she still had some feelings for her “missionary”. It took some persuasive talking and heartfelt prayers to get Tina agree to marry me. Her parents were also a little concerned about Tina marrying a non-US citizen who was a convert to the church! Ultimately, I got Tina to see the light, and we set a date to be married.
Tina will tell you that after we were engaged, I was quite business-like in our relationship. Tina remedied the situation by going to Hawaii with her family for a week. I finally came to my senses and realized how much I missed Tina during that week. When Tina got back to school, I was much more attentive!
We chose to get married in the Boise temple, because we thought it would be somewhat central for both my family and Tina’s family. In hindsight, Boise was no more “central” than Seattle, but we are happy to say that we were married in Boise! The weather was sunny and warm on June 15, 1990.
Our next milestone was the birth of Ashley, on March 12, 1992. Ashley was born while we were still in school. Ashley was the quintessential first baby; long delivery and colicky. Since we had cheap insurance, the hospital only allowed us to stay 12 hours after the baby was born. We were so green that we brought Ashley back to the doctor after the first day because Ashley cried all the time. The doctor smiled and assured us that everything was normal. Life was hard for a time!
After graduation, I looked for a job for a few months and finally accepted a job in Price Utah, working for a hospital. After I accepted the position, I got a better offer from Phillips Petroleum (PPCO) in Oklahoma. Before I started my first day at the hospital, the administration had a shakeup, and I was given the option to stay or take the job with PPCO. I chose PPCO, moved to Oklahoma and started work in June.
Spencer and Scott were born during our first stint in Oklahoma. We started out in a 2 bedroom apartment and graduated to a small 3 bedroom bungalow. We upgraded to a nice 4 bedroom house in modest neighborhood. 7 months after moving into our new house (we call it the Harris house, because it was on Harris street) we were transferred to Midland, TX, where Nate was born. We moved back to Oklahoma in 2000 and lived in Bartlesville for another few years. We made our last move to Katy, Texas in 2002, where Ryan was born. Our next milestone will be sending Ashley to college this fall. Ashley will leave our little nest and venture out on her own to BYU this August. We know she will do well!
The weather in Katy is very temperate in the fall, winter and spring, and humid & hot during the summer. If you like to hang out at the pool, swim in tepid rivers, sweat, and otherwise stay warm, Houston is the place for you!! Camping is not a summer activity! Winter camping is much like summer camping in Canada!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
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