We're Getting Married!

Our story started in a study hall at Odessa-Montour high school in the fall of 2012, eight years ago. Our first conversation happened there. It all started with Charlie remarking on Emelia's "Horton Hears a Who" Chuck Taylor's. It evolved to bonding over what we would now consider TERRIBLE taste in music, our love of swimming, the places we wanted to travel, the goals we wanted to reach. It took another ten months of finding any opportunity to be around each other before we decided that this was more than a friendship. Since then we have tackled everything life has to throw at us together. We have been through high school and college graduations, we moved to a new city to go to college, we got our own place, adopted two cats, climbed more than a few mountains. We've experienced hardship together, lifted each other up, celebrated together, grown mentally, emotional and spiritually. Now we know that we are ready for this next step, and we're excited for what's ahead of us!

On August 19th we started on a nine mile climb up "Old Rag", a mountain located in Shenandoah National Park. The hike was long but incredibly beautiful. We walked through dense forest, over huge boulders, through crags and natural rock tunnels until we finally emerged on the summit. After taking in the view of the blue ridge mountains, Charlie asked me to marry him. Climbing this mountain together took team work and persistence. Two things that have been a theme in our relationship over the past seven years. I can't imagine a better place to say yes!

I wake up everyday with a heart filled with love and gratitude for this life I was given. I owe a lot of that to all of you! I am amazed by how far Charlie and I has come over the last 7 YEARS! I truly believe God made Charlie and I cross paths all those years ago for a reason. I am so blessed to be able to fulfill that reason everyday with Charlie with the love of our family and friends behind us.

Thank you for the overwhelming support that we have received from our family and friends over the years. We are so grateful for love that you've shown us. I believe that life is simple when you are on the right path. Emelia is who makes my life simple. I thank God everyday for the opportunity to love her and be a part of her family as she has been a part of mine.