We are so excited to celebrate with you!

Colleen's Take: JP and I had tried to plan a first date for while, but he kept "bailing" on me. Here are a couple of excuses...and the reality of what he was doing. Excuse: Sorry, I have to go visit my grandparents in Jacksonville now. Reality: Having a party at his house. Excuse: I was rear ended in the rain, can't make it. Reality: OK, this was true. He sent me a picture of the police report. So, for good measure, I made sure I already had plans and was out with friends before we met up for our first date. I told him if he doesn't show, no sweat - I am out with friends. He assured me he IS coming and DOES want to go on a date. We met at Bar Louie and had a great time. Since, as I mentioned before, I had been out with friends, we left Bar Louie after a while to go to another bar where people I know wouldn't be watching our date. JP made me laugh a lot and we had similar interests, so it was a successful first date! JP's Take: We went to Bar Louie and had some beers. Her friends were creeping, so we left to another bar down the street. We danced and I loved her laugh.

We were originally supposed to stay at JP's parents house for Christmas Eve, but he said he wanted to wake up in our own house because he had some stuff for work to finish in the morning. After having dinner, opening a gift each, and playing games, we drove back home. JP had been asking all week, "Can we just open 1 gift from each other?" and repeated himself again shortly after we got home. I told him we already brought all of the gifts to his parents house, there was nothing left to open! I did leave a card for him under the tree, but there wasn't anything inside. He assured me the card was enough for him and that there was a gift stuffed in the back of the tree still for me. I didn't think so, but looked anyway. As I turned around to say, "Yeah, see, there isn't a present back there," JP was down on one knee asking, "Will you marry me?" I cried right away and said yes.

Lola is our french bulldog puppy! We got her in June 2020 as a puppy. She's a rascal with a lot of personality. She loves to catch lizards and frogs and needs to cuddle to fall asleep. She's a good girl.