University Sweethearts

Jen and Steve

San Jose, California

Steve spotted Jen standing by a bike rack on the UC Davis campus and the first thing Steve noticed was Jen’s nice legs. Turned out they had several mutual friends. Jen noticed him but they didn’t really have much of a chance to get to know one another and Steve had a girlfriend so he wasn’t on Jen’s radar. Steve to study in Italy for a semester and while he was gone Jen got to know more of his friends as they were all biology majors and took most of their classes together.

Steve returned in senior year and before they dated, Jen remembers telling her girlfriends,

If I just had a chance to have one date with him, I’d be happy for the rest of my life.

Jen

Jen was head over heels before they even dated. They started to spend more time together and in February of their senior year, they went swing dancing with a group of friends–their official first date. It wasn’t long before they started to spend all their time together. Prior to meeting Steve, Jen had been focused on getting high marks–Steve was a distraction and Jen received her first B.

Even though they hadn’t been dating that long–only four or five months, they decided that where ever they went next, they would go together. Jen and Steve knew this relationship was for the long haul. Jen was planning on nursing school and Steve law school. By summer, they met each other’s families and it was a natural fit. Even their friends around them knew they would get married.

They ended up in Baltimore and Northern Virginia–only an hour apart from one another and commuted every weekend. When Jen graduated she moved to Virginia and after their engagement they bought a house and moved in together.

Steve used all of his savings as a summer associate at a law firm and bought a ring from a local jewelery boutique in Virginia. He held onto it until he could ask Jen’s parents in person for their blessing. Around New Years, he had the chance to ask Jen’s parents–he knew his dad was going to make him sweat a little bit. He had been given a big mallet from Jen’s sister as a joke to be used against spiders which he hates. Jen’s father wielded the mallet back and forth in his hand for dramatic affect while Steve asked but in the end both mom and dad gave their approval.

Jen’s parents live on the San Juan Islands and there is a hike to the top of the island and Steve had planned to ask Jen at the top of the mountain. However, Jen was sick and Steve had to postpone the plans for a day. Meanwhile, Jen’s mom had told her family and they were calling during the day to see if Jen had said yes making it difficult to keep the plan a secret. Steve managed and the next day at the top he got down on one knee and proposed.

A year later, they got married in Long Beach where Jen had grown up. They were able to have their reception at the same place where Jen’s parents held their reception thirty years earlier.

Steve wouldn’t say they are opposites because many of their values are the same but at the same time they have different strengths and weaknesses. They make a good team and their skills complement one another.

Jen says appreciating the differences in each other is important. Steve’s more relaxed about parenting and Jen is okay with that because it provides balance. Steve appreciates Jen’s organizational skills and her ability to manage the house and home and get everything done.

Broadcast Love wishes you many more years of happiness and joy.