You Won't Believe This!

LOL!! So, I have to tell you about our first ski adventure together! LOL!! Just a little backround first, though. Shanam is an amazing, amazing skier. He started skiing when he was 6 years old and for high school he attended an athletic sport school where he specialized in downhill speed racing!! We're talking flying down the mountain at 85 mph. He lived, breathed, dreamed ski every single day. He climbs up to the very tops of mountains just so he can ski down them and jump off cliffs! Think about those crazy videos you see on the extreeme sports channel and that's him. And then there's me. I've been skiing once, almost 10 years ago. We make a great pair, right? Anyway, ever since we started dating he's wanted to get me on the slopes, well the day finally came. News Year's Day we embark on perhaps the most nerve-racking, intimidating, exciting day of my life. He gets me all geared up and we start out on the bunny slopes, slowly but surely. Another thing you have to know is that he was never actually taught how to ski, it was almost as if he was born knowing how. So when he told his family and friends that he was going to teach me, they ALL tried to discourage him, telling him it would be better if I took lessons from someone else. I told him I knew he could do it. So, here we are at Alta. He's doing his best to tell me how to position my skis to make the turns and I'm doing my very best to follow his every word. We're on the bunny slopes for about an hour...that's a long time to be on the bunny slopes. And let me tell you, I was so impressed with how patient he was being with me! At one point, I told him to go for a run by himself and I would stay on the bunny slope and keep practicing, but he firmly said that he loved me and would not leave my side. That really meant a lot to me, and looking back on it, that was the most critical part of the day. If he had left me, I would have never made it on that mountain! Soon after that point, I was comfortable enough to hit the slopes. My first run down was a little shaky, but my second run was awesome!! It felt so good to finally get the feel of it, and Shanam loved watching me ski. It was a great moment for both of us :) But, that's not the end of the story. LOL. It gets better. After lunch we decide I'm ready for a blue run. I'm feeling pretty confident in myself and then we reach the very top of the mountain. The run is a lot steeper...I'm scared...and suddenly I forget everything I just learned. Shanam skiis down a little ways, so effortlessly I might add, and looks back up to me and motions with his hands to start skiing down. It took all the courage I had to start sliding forward. But remember, my mind's blank and I don't know what I'm supposed to do so I start going faster and try to turn but get thrown off balance and tumble down to him. This happens about three more times. Everytime he helps me get back up and we go over what I'm supposed to do, but I can't retain it, and my body's tired, and I just want off that mountain. I just nodd my head, try again, and fall. On one particular bad fall I tweaked my knee the wrong way and could hardly put any pressure on it...not good. It took us about 20 minutes to go 10 feet, sliding down sideways, and finally I asked him if there was any other way. I was just so tired by that point and sad that I had ruined our perfect day of skiing, and disappointed in myself. But there was Shanam, right by my side the entire time, giving me positive support and constant love. He's amazing. He said we could call the ski patrol and I said no way. Then he said we could try something else. He said he had never done it before, but it could work. And I said...ok. He instructed me to get right behind him and place my skis on the inside of his, wrap my arms around his shoulders as if I was going for a piggy back ride, and hold on tight. And I said...ok. And then we started moving, slowly at first, and then faster and faster. I couldn't see where we were going at all, so I just had to pay attention to his body movements and match it with mine. Can you get a good visual? LOL! We were wizzing past people who just stared at us as we made our way down the mountain piggy-back style. We made it to the bottom and all I could do was laugh! My hero!