Our History

"Lucky is the man who is the first love of a woman, but luckier is the woman who is the last love of a man."

This quote summarizes the fifteen year journey that brought us (back) together.

We met the first day of seventh grade, sharing nearly all of the same classes and after-school activities. We were both involved in band, choir, and a program called Odyssey of the Mind, for which we actually wrote a play together! We "dated" briefly at the end of seventh grade while volunteering together at a local summer camp.

Teenage years being what they are, we drifted apart fairly quickly. We went our separate ways through high school, talking only occasionally, until we graduated in 1997.

After high school, we ventured away from Southern Indiana, one fighting fires in Indianapolis, and the other serving with the US Army. We both returned to Newburgh for career changes, never imagining what was in store for us.

A mutual friend linked us up over email. We met for coffee on May 11, 2006 and began dating six weeks later. Six months from our first meeting, we officially became engaged.

The joy lasted about a week. A FedEx envelope from the Army gave us six weeks of precious time before an 18 month separation. We married early on December 23, 2006, and three weeks later, began "marriage by phone". The distance between Iraq and Indiana feels overwhelming at times, but we're braving the challenges and we know our marriage will be stronger for it.