Firsts, part 2

--DJ

First car: 1979 Ford Pinto (yes, the kind that explode when they're rear-ended). Bright orange, started with a screwdriver instead of a key, and did zero to 50 in 37 seconds (I never could test zero to 60, because it wouldn't go 60 except down a steep hill).

First date: an Italian restaurant in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. After a visit to Chapters (the Canadian Borders) and just before seeing "Toy Story 2," where Sara and I laughed ourselves silly.

First movie seen in a theater: The Bakshi version of "Lord of the Rings" in 1980. I had already read the trilogy by then, but I was so scared by the Ringwraiths at Weathertop that I left. The last movie I saw in a theater as a child was "Return of the Jedi;" Dad was not happy about Leia's costume, and decreed that we weren't going back to the theater. The next time I saw a movie in a theater was the re-release of Star Wars in 1997.

First book I read myself: I think it was some of the stories out of "Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes." Probably David and Goliath, as Mom says that was my favorite. The first one I remember is one of Enid Blyton's Noddy books.

First kiss: Sara, at our wedding. It was, um, more enthusiastic than I expected, leading to my first married words being "You little minx!" after we exited the church. :)

First grade teacher: Mr. Mudrick, who also taught me 3rd grade. He's still teaching 3rd, and I got to see him the last few years when I went back to New Hampshire for the homeschool conference. He's still an amazing teacher. I remember him reading "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" to us, and he also introduced us to "Where the Red Fern Grows," which we 3rd graders considered the absolute height of fiction.

First decision as a father: When Addie had her first dirty diaper in the hospital, I decided to change it so that Sara wouldn't have to get out of bed. Geni Hall had to teach me how to do it, as I'd never changed a diaper in my life.

First moment I thought Sara was an actual possibility: When she came by my office at HSLDA (she was an intern there, and I was a legal assistant) and dropped a trivia card on my desk. With the answers all whited-out. I was charmed :)