Your Know You're a Fighter's Wife When...

Actually, this post could be titled the following ways:

A. You know you're a wrestler's girlfriend when...

B. Cutting Weight Sucks

When I met Brian 16 years ago,

(seriously, it's been that long? Aren't I still 27? Hello....anybody?),

he was a wrestler for Boise State. This immediately catapulted me into the title depicted in letter A, above. I suddenly found myself sitting in bleachers, biting my knuckles, the stench of sweaty gym clothes filling my nostrils. It's not as glamorous as it sounds, but it's close.

After we graduated, Brian walked into a martial arts gym and began training jujitsu and soon began fighting in amateur matches. Road trips abounded and I found myself at different venues in different states. Soon, his sport expanded into boxing and he had a few amateur matches through Golden Gloves gym and CBO, Christian Boxers Organization. The amateur fights soon turned to pro fights and that brings us to where we are now.

In honor of his fight coming up this Saturday at the Qwest Arena in Boise, I've decided to draw up a list to show the wifely point-of-view. :o)

So, without further adieu:

YOU KNOW YOU'RE A FIGHTER'S WIFE WHEN:

1. You have had to make a midnight run to the local grocery store to pick up 12 packs of fruit stripe gum to be ingested in an agitated manner while sitting in a theater next to someone with a steaming bag of popcorn. Note: this would not be the wife with the bag of popcorn. She would not be heard from again if she had ordered said popcorn. (See letter B, above)

2. You have snuck food into the closet to be scarfed down as soon as weight-cutting fighter is out of nose-shot.

3. You have found yourself on an exercise bike at the YMCA for 3 hours next to wrestler boyfriend who needs to cut weight. Who signed up for this anyway?

4. You have carefully selected cute fight-night attire and show up at the event feeling like a prude. (this was actually voiced by my dear friend, another fighter's wife :o)

5. Sitting nonchalantly on the couch, you suddenly find yourself in a choke hold.

6. Your sweet daughters give ferocious choke holds.

7. The same little girls mentioned above have multiple pairs of boxing gloves. All pink, of course.

8. You wash 8 pairs of workout clothes. In one day.

9. When cooking dinner for your children, you make it hours ahead of when weight-cutting fighter comes home so that the decadent smell has left the house by the time he arrives.

10. When you see a first time fighter with his wife sitting alone in the crowd you think: rookie mistake. (that one's for you, Dana :o)

11. After successful weight-cutting fighter makes weight, you watch 15 pounds come back on in a matter of 2 hours, or 3 meals later.

12. When your 6-year-old daughter asks weight-cutting-fighter-husband, "why don't we have pancakes, waffles, and crepes anymore?" (again, please see letter B, above)

Here are some images of Brian, all taken in April of this year, 2010, at different Grappler's tournaments. The first tournament, he won 1st and second. (He entered into 2 different weight classes for the extra practice). Though it's hard to tell from the pictures, the guy you see below was 125 pounds bigger than Brian. It was funny to see them on the mat together. The girls asked if he was a giant. Next to Brian, that question was a good one. Minus a boxing match when Liv was 2 months old, this was the first time the girls got to see Brian fight in an actual match in person. They were thrilled. Our great friends Adam and Eli got to be there, too, and Adam took these great pictures.

Brian was so tired here. Because he fought in two different classes, he didn't have many breaks, and he had to fight some monstrous guys. We are waiting for his turn.

This guy below (the next two pictures) is 51 years old. He is amazing--a local legend. Brian beat him with an arm bar the first match. But he got Brian the next two times. Now the two are friends and have been working out together regularly.

And here is a picture of Brian with his proud family. The girls have been wearing their medal "necklaces" daily and can't wait to tell everyone about them. I admire my husbands grit and determination, his perseverance and strength, and how much he loves the sport. But mostly, I love watching the girls clamor into his car with their gloves and boxing bags and snacks, excited to spend the evening with him at his boxing gym. This picture cracks me up a bit, because both Brian and Reese look spent. I assure you, they were! :o)

At the second tournament, Brian got placed 2nd. Liv and Holland hung that medal in Reese's room. :o)



Our awesome friends Damie, Victor, and Kedrick came to root for Brian. Brian and Damie go way back when they were both collegiate wrestlers. Damie has also fought in the cage. :o). Just this morning, Liv told me that "if I ever have to fight Damie, I'm definitely using the choke hold!"

Victor is right at home in this gym full of grapplers.



And you guys, did you ever think you could see such cuteness in a gym so full of testosterone? I tell you I did not, but here is a picture to prove it.



Reese's medal:





The girls were so proud.



Post pizza eating back at the house with our new, totally sweet friends.