We're Getting Married!

These two cuties met the old-fashioned way, at a fun dive bar on a Friday night out with friends. Ella introduced herself and her group to two cute boys who had come in for a beer and some karaoke at Ozzie’s that night in June 2022. There was karaoke, beers, and even limbo but no success in convincing the girls to perform as backup dancers, despite repeated requests. There was plenty of fun and conversation, and the night may have ended with a little smooch ;) The very next day, Johnny asked Ella out to dinner before heading off on a couple-week AF mission. Of course, Ella was a little late for their date at the soba noodle house. She was slightly worried she might not recognize him, after all, that first night was a bit fuzzy but she instantly knew it was him when she spotted him waiting on a bench outside. After dinner, they popped into a cookie shop where Johnny won a free cookie in a little trivia game. He suggested they eat the cookies in his van, kind of funny, potentially weird… but it wasn’t. Ella even accepted a ride home, but the troubled radiator he had topped off before the date didn’t hold, and the van was smoking by the time they reached her apartment. In the end, Ella gave Johnny a ride home that night :) The summer was fun and casual, and by mid October, they were officially a thing. The only bummer: Johnny’s new duty assignment was in Altus, Oklahoma, starting in March. The two commuted back and forth though Johnny did most of the traveling out of Oklahoma. His car was parked at the OKC airport for a cumulative five months during the two and a half years he was stationed there. They traveled frequently between Altus and Seattle, mixing in plenty of surprise visits. Along the way, they met up across the country for weddings and family gatherings. Part of what makes these two so great together is their shared love of travel and adventure. They’ve paraglided in the Alps, hiked in Patagonia, ridden camels in Morocco, skied in Austria, surfed in Nicaragua, and explored so many more places. And of course, they’ve also enjoyed quiet nights snuggled up on the sofa watching TV in Altus, OK! Johnny surprised Ella with a proposal while on vacation in Mexico during a family Christmas trip. Both families are over the moon to see these two together. We’re all so excited to watch them build their life, continue their adventures, and create even more memories. The long-distance commuting is finally over, and they’re now happily settled together in Kailua, Hawaii. The memories and adventures just keep rolling along!