Back to the Beginning

While I want to keep this blog UTD, I also want to include our history as well. We have the old website with all of the information since Rhiannon was born, but I want to have everything in one place, so that people can see our progression as a family, etc.

Joel and I met while working at Sagebrush restaurant in Asheville, NC. At first, although he thought I was pretty cute, Joel was not interested because I was too young. I was 18, he was 24. While he didn't really know it at the time, Joel can tell you now that I usually get what I want. So I threw myself a birthday party at his house (with his roommate and best friend AJ)and we have been inseparable since.

Joel and I were married 18 May 1998 on Wrightsville Beach. The preacher was selected from the phone book and the guests were my 6th-grade-best-friend-Rachel's boyfriend Alan(she couldn't be there) and two of their friends, Jason and Nicole. BTW, both couples are now married! The ceremony was at sunset and it was beautiful. Afterwards, we went to Outback Steakhouse for dinner. Fancy-schmany, I know. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn that night and returned to Asheville the next morning to go back to work (we were both working at Carrabba's at the time).

In September of 1998 Joel and I decided to pack up everything we owned - and that would fit inside my Ford Aspire - and move to the Pacific Northwest.

It was a great trip because we took our time and visited road side attractions and historic sites along the way.

We finally made it to Washington and after a not-quite-as-brief-as-we-originally-intended stay with his dad, we found an apartment in University Place (near Tacoma). Joel worked at Outback Steakhouse and I worked at a vet clinic, until I went back to school and, needing a night job, went to work for Outback as well. Joel got his A.A.S. from Tacoma Community College. We then moved to Bellingham where Joel got his B.S. in Geology from Western Washington University and I got my A.A. from Whatcom Community College, despite having to sit through classes with morning sickness. Joel applied to a number of jobs online and found a great one - in Lakeland, Florida. So we packed our bags once again and moved across the country. This time all of our belongings were smashed into two vehicles. We were not able to spend time stopping to see the sights on this trip, although it did take almost as long because my pregnant ass had to stop and pee every twenty minutes.