Jeffrey Cluff Rippy

My sister in law did this about my brother and it was so sweet. I wanted to do it for Jeff. I'm not very good at telling Jeff how much he means to me and how much I love and appreciate him. I know that about myself so I want to take advantage of opportunities when they arise.

1. Where did you meet?
In Pullman, Wa. It was a blind date. We floated the Snake River.

2. How long did you date before you got married?
10 months. Dated for 5, engaged for 5. Jeff proposed January 5, 2006 in the movie theatre. He had created his own movie of us with our song. It was beautiful. He is so creative, and he is so so good at keeping secrets.

3. How long have you been married?
2 1/2 years.

4. What does he do that surprises you?
He is a problem solver. Seriously, if I was in a tough spot and I couldn't have McGaiver with me, I want Jeff. He is so creative. He has an expansive imagination.

5. What is your favorite feature about him?
His broad shoulders and the two dimples on his lower back. But sometimes, he'll just stand there and it will catch me off guard. I remember how attractive he is.

6. What is your favorite quality about him?
He doesn't beat around the bush, straight to the point, no games. No matter how sensitive or difficult the conversation is, he is honest and says exactly what he means. He does think before he speaks, so as not to say something he doesn't mean.

7. What is his nickname for you?
One time when we were dating I asked him to say some nice things for me. This is what he came up with one night while leaving a message on my phone. " something, something, just wanted to call and say I love you, miss you, my love bucket, bye". Yes love bucket was the term he used to refer to me. So sometimes, not very often, he calls me bucket.

8. What is his favorite color?
Blue, because he knows he looks good when he wears blue. Rippy boys always look good in blue.

9. What is his favorite food?
A good BBQ-d steak with Sweet Baby Rays steak sauce, with boiled corn on the cob loaded with butter and salt, BBQ-d asparagus covered with salt and a little crunchy and chopped up potatoes covered with oil and Lipton onion soup broiled for 15 minutes. With a Dr. Pepper to wash it down. Then some good homemade ice cream to complete the experience.

10. What is his favorite sport?
This one is more difficult because he likes to watch basketball and football, but he plays racquetball, goes rock climbing, and likes to wake board and water ski.

11. Who said "I love you" first?
Jeff did. It was before he even kissed me. I was getting into my car, and teasing him about something. He said "I hate you. I hate you so much I love you". Later I asked him if he meant that. He said "no." I said "oh." And looked away. Then he said " I only meant the I love you part." Then I said "I love you too". He said "Really?" I said "yep, I've known for a week. I knew I loved you when we walked into sacrament meeting holding hands, and you didn't drop my hand when everyone looked."

12. When and where was your first kiss?
This one really shows how great Jeff is. We had been dating for a month. Now for me, usually the first date and the first kiss happened in the same night. So I asked him one night why he hadn't kissed me yet. He said, he's rushed things before, and he wanted to do things different with me. He wanted this to be right. So I waited, and he waited for the right moment. The night the Cordova closed, Jeff surprised me and came to Pullman. He brought me flowers and took me to a random farmers field to look at the stars. He brought blankets and sparkling cider. During our conversation Jeff asked me where I thought things were going to go between us. I was hesitant because I knew school was going to be grooling and I really needed to focus on it. I wasn't sure if I wanted to have a serious bf, but as I was saying all this I realized I didn't want to lose Jeff because I thought he came at a bad time. So I told him I wasn't sure how I was going to do it, or how much time I could give him, but that I was going to try. He looked at me then leaned in and kissed me. It definitly was the right moment because I had decided that I wanted to be with him during my most difficult times and he decided he wanted to support me through those times.

13. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple?
Plan events to do with family or friends or for each other. Imagine activities we want to do in the future. Describe every detail about our ideal home. We work very well together. We compliment each other in that way. We can really pull each others strengths out when working together.

14. How many children and what ages?
One child and she is 17 months old. And ya, we will leave it at that for a time.

15. Does he have any hidden talents?
He is very personable. This talent does wonders for him with his teachers. They like him so much and he chats with them often to the point where he can get away with anything. He can not turn in an assignment for two weeks past it's due date and still get an "A". Along with that is he is a great public speaker. He thinks he's lost that skill but I think its still there. He also knows how things work. Like for instance our computer was broken. So he pulled the thing completely apart, never seeing what the inside of a computer looks like, he decides this certain piece needed to be sodered back together. So he gets a soder and does it himself. And lo and behold the computer is working again.

16. How old is he?
26 years. Although nobody believes him because he looks so young.

17. What kind of music does he like?
You name it he likes it. He has this weird innate knowledge about music. He knows everybody and their names and what bands they have belonged to and how many albums. And the stories behind the songs.

18. What do you adore about him?
I adore his efforts at always being original to find the perfect gift, for anybody. He does all his research, he seeks for that one thing that could make somebody happy, or make their life easier.

19. What is your favorite pass time?
Reading stories to each other. We've done this for a few books and we spend hours at night before bed reading to each other. Its a special time for us. Have any suggestions on good books to read together?

20. Is he going to read this?
Jeff thinks blogging is so for girls and so silly, and not manly at all. Yet I always catch him checking my blog and my friends blogs. So yes, I don't doubt he'll read this. And I want him to because all these questions are useless if the person they are meant for doesnt read it.

This was fun. It's good to take a moment and remember the reasons you fell in love with your husband in the first place. I sure do love him.