An Officer & a Gentleman

Mid-Late February 2000: This, I believe, is the earliest picture of both Drew and myself (I'm the one in purple and black jacket and the only one on a snowboard...I don't ski). The folks next to us? They are the reason Drew and I know each other. So, let me back up a few weeks and tell you how just how Drew and I met.

I was working as a Secretary/Equipment Tech at Primary Children's Hospital in SLC, UT. My friend (in the red jacket) was a nurse on the floor, who worked mostly nights. Since not a lot of action goes on during the wee-hours of the night, she and I were able to chat and get to know each other. I was looking into going back to school and would talk to my friend about my aspirations. Though I knew I wanted to go back to school and sort of knew what I wanted to study, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do after that. So, I thought becoming an Air Force Officer might be a good option for me (can you imagine it??). My friend was excited to hear this because her husband (they guy in the green jacket) just so happen to be a lieutenant in the Air Force. So, my friend suggested that it might be a good idea to actually meet some Air Force Officers, learn about the Air Force and ask any questions that I might have. So, my friend's husband set up a luncheon with some of his buddies in his office and invited me along.

After lunch, the Officers invited me back to their office to have a look around and explain more about what their jobs. Shortly after arriving at the office, my friend's husband was called in to a meeting. But, his office-mate (who had also been at the luncheon), seemed more than eager to take over the office tour. It was probably one of the most boring tours I'd ever been on and I knew then I definitely did NOT want a career in Air Force Communications. But, Lieutenant Feth seemed knowledgeable and excited about his job, so I did what I do best when I have no idea what people are talking about. Smile, nod and throw in the occasional "uh-huh" and "oh, interesting!"

The tour ended, and I politely thanked the officer, nicely telling him that, although as interesting as the Communications career field was, I was more interested in the Public Affairs side of the Air Force. I was in luck. Lieutenant Feth assured me that he, in fact, knew someone in the Public Affairs office and if I'd leave my phone number with him, he'd be more than happy to set something up.

And that, my friends, was how I met my husband. :)