To know and understand our story best please read this short story that is much needed in understanding our serendipitous meeting. =)

In December of 2020 Ashley went to Colorado to visit her best friend Jessie for her 30th birthday. Jessie asked Ashley what she wanted to do while she was there visiting. Ashley has always been (and is still) afraid of heights so she asked Jessie if they could go rock climbing. Ashley had only ever been bouldering indoors at a gym with Jessie once before so this surprised Jessie. (Jessie is Ashley's most adventurous friend.) One day towards the middle of their trip Ashley, Jessie, Emmanuel (Jessie's hubby) and a few other friends woke up early and headed to Red Rock open space for a day of climbing. When they arrived Jessie and Emmanuel set up the top rope so that everyone else could climb. Ashley decided she wanted to go last. It was finally her turn. She geared up and began her ascent up the wall. Ashley found this part very fun and exciting. It was when she got to the top though that things started to fall apart. Jessie said, "Okay, now you have to let go of the wall and make your way down." Ashley did not like this answer at all. They had not practiced lowering closer to the ground like Jessie had suggested after the fact. After an hour of Ashley screaming and crying and cussing her way down the wall she made it back to the ground. After Ashley composed herself Jessie told her about the Top Rope 101 classes that Upper Limits (a climbing gym in St. Louis) offered. She explained how it was a four week class that was led by a skilled professional who could help Ashley get a little more comfortable with climbing. Which surprisingly was something she wanted to do. Jessie also insisted that Ashley take the course at the downtown location because the staff there was simply more superior and skilled than the other locations. (Jessie and her husband Emmanuel used to live in STL and that was the gym they were members of.) Ashley did not live in the city at this point in her life so one of the other locations would have been more convenient for her which is what makes this part of the story so important. As soon as she got home she signed up for a four week class at the Upper Limits downtown location and that is where she met and fell in love with Steve who was the general manager of the gym at that time. Steve checked Ashley into class her very first night!

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